Koyaanisqatsi
“Life out of balance”
Synopsis
Takes us to locations all around the US and shows us the heavy toll that modern technology is having on humans and the earth. The visual tone poem contains neither dialogue nor a vocalized narration: its tone is set by the juxtaposition of images and the exceptional music by Philip Glass.
Part of the Qatsi Collection
Stream the entire interconnected saga and experience every installment in chronological storyline order.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Koyaanisqatsi (1982) 35mm film trailer, flat open matte, 2160p
Type: Trailer • Published 2023-10-09
Top Cast
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Ed Asner
Self (archive footage)
Pat Benatar
Self
Johnny Carson
Self (archive footage)
Dick Cavett
Self (archive footage)
Marilyn Chambers
Self (archive footage)
Sammy Davis Jr.
Self (archive footage)
Lou Dobbs
Self (archive footage)
Linda Ellerbee
Self (archive footage)
Peter Sellers
Self (archive footage)
Thomas Dolby
Self (archive footage)
Release History & Theatrical Window
Telluride Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
April 27, 1983
Wide Cinema Exhibition
March 2, 2016
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$600K
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$3.2M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
5.33x
+$2.6M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Godfrey Reggio
- Screenplay & Story
- Ron Fricke, Godfrey Reggio, Michael Hoenig, Alton Walpole
- Original Score
- Philip Glass
- Original Title
- Koyaanisqatsi
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- No Language
- Runtime
- 1h 26m
- Production Budget
- $600K
- Worldwide Gross
- $3.2M
- Production Studios
- IRE Productions, Santa Fe Institute for Regional Education, American Zoetrope
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Godfrey Reggio
Ron Fricke, Godfrey Reggio, Michael Hoenig, Alton Walpole, Jacques Ellul, Ivan Illich, David Monongye, Guy Debord, Leopold Kohr
Philip Glass
Ron Fricke, Hillary Harris, Louie Schwartzberg, Christine Gibson
Ron Fricke, Alton Walpole
Godfrey Reggio, Francis Ford Coppola
Department Leadership Roster
Godfrey Reggio
Director
Ron Fricke
Director of Photography
Ron Fricke
Editor
Philip Glass
Original Music Composer
Ron Fricke
Screenplay
Godfrey Reggio
Producer
Godfrey Reggio
Screenplay
Michael Hoenig
Screenplay
Alton Walpole
Screenplay
Alton Walpole
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
General — Suitable for all audiences.
FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Koyaanisqatsi.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Koyaanisqatsi.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-19 07:37:48 UTC+8)*
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TSPDT - 1000 Greatest Films
They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? (TSPDT) - The 1,000 Greatest Films. A definitive meta-list aggregating thousands of critics' polls, historical rankings, and director top 10s to represent the ultimate critical consensus in cinema history. TSPDT 影史最伟大的1000部电影： 全球最权威的电影元榜单，由该网站汇总世界各大电影刊物历史评选结果及数千名影评人、学者的个人十佳榜单，通过算法加权计算得出的终极共识。 *片单说明：* 本片单只收录纯电影，以下剧集或迷你剧不予收录： • [#335] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#514] Twin Peaks: The Return (2017) • [#614] Edvard Munch (1974) • [#703] The Sorrow and the Pity (1969) • [#890] Elephant (1989) • [#925] Heimat (1984) • [#968] Doomed Love (1978) 以下作品在 TMDB 被拆分为多个独立电影条目；本片单按作品/章节顺序连续收录，且每个分拆条目均沿用同一 TSPDT 名次： • [#171] Dekalog (1989) — 展开为 10 部电影 • [#988] Olympia (1938) — 展开为 2 部电影 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-19 07:33:14 UTC+8)*
Limelight Not Seen
Criterion Collection
The Complete Criterion Collection. The Criterion Collection is a video distribution company that sells 'important classic and contemporary films' in editions that offer the highest technical quality. This list contains only the featured films released on DVD, BluRay and 4K Criterion releases — no supplements are included. Organized by spine number with the newest releases first. CC标准收藏完整收录版： 收录标准收藏（Criterion Collection）发行的重要经典及当代电影。仅包含正片（涵盖 DVD、蓝光及 4K 版本），已排除花絮补充内容。按 CC 发行编号倒序排列（最新发行在前）。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#214] Mangrove (2020) • [#215] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#216] Red, White and Blue (2020) • [#217] Alex Wheatle (2020) • [#486] Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day (1972) • [#647] Dekalog (1989) • [#944] World on a Wire (1973) • [#1187] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#1338] Fanny and Alexander (1984) • [#1341] Tanner '88 (1988) • [#1371] Scenes from a Marriage (1973) *注：以下影片因 TMDB 尚未收录，暂不在此片单中展示：* • [#531] First (2012) • [#1699] Ulysse (1983) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-11 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About Koyaanisqatsi
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Koyaanisqatsi about?
Takes us to locations all around the US and shows us the heavy toll that modern technology is having on humans and the earth. The visual tone poem contains neither dialogue nor a vocalized narration: its tone is set by the juxtaposition of images and the exceptional music by Philip Glass.
Who directed Koyaanisqatsi?
Koyaanisqatsi was directed by Godfrey Reggio.
Who stars in Koyaanisqatsi?
The principal cast of Koyaanisqatsi includes Ed Asner, Pat Benatar, Johnny Carson, Dick Cavett, Marilyn Chambers.
When was Koyaanisqatsi released and how long is it?
Koyaanisqatsi was released in 1983 with a total runtime of 1h 26m.
What was the box office and production budget of Koyaanisqatsi?
Koyaanisqatsi had a reported production budget of $600K and grossed $3.2M at the worldwide box office (5.33 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Koyaanisqatsi?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Koyaanisqatsi was composed by Philip Glass.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Koyaanisqatsi?
Koyaanisqatsi holds official age classifications: AU: G (General — Suitable for all audiences.); DE: 6 (FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).