OTHER CITIES: VANCOUVER MONTREAL

vidTO: TORAANISQATSI - Shit Out of Balance

Posted by Jerrold
Filed in Film
September 27, 2006

[ - click video to play - }

Leif Harmsen made this film for the Splice This! "Remake" programme in 2005 and has re-released it with a new original soundtrack by Bob Wiseman. Inspired by the Godfrey Reggio's Koyannisqatsi, and shot on Super8 film, the environmentally themed short film depicts the "shit out of balance" in our very own city of Toronto. Here's the direct link to the video on YouTube.

I love the softness and choppiness afforded by the old film and recording equipment used. It's well juxtaposed against the modern electronic billboards of Dundas Square, and the Hummer on display. The full moon eclipsed by the CN Tower, and hectic drive along the Gardiner Expressway are also nice touches. Bravo, Leif!

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Unlike Baraka, another film in the league of Koyannisqatsi, I'm not sure Toraanisqatsi is gonna change my life - I stopped eating meat & chicken - but it is a bit of a wake up call that much of our downtown daily grind appears to be so utterly mind-numbing. I think I'll not spend hours standing in front of the screen at Yonge & Dundas watching flashing ads anymore. --- Great find BTW. Hope you were able to check out more of Splice This! and hope the blogTO youtube group continues to grow.

Posted by: sookie at September 27, 2006 10:41 PM

Baraka is my all-time favourite film. The ---sqatsi series is very different, and has a somewhat more mundane approach to message delivery.

Posted by: jerrold at September 27, 2006 10:45 PM

God, I loved the music and cinematography in those -qatsi movies. Not sure that I think Super 8's always the best way to deliver a message like this, but some of the shots are really beautiful...

Posted by: David Topping

at September 28, 2006 11:39 AM