Koyaanisqatsi

Looking for a documentary that treats its subject seriously, available in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Kanopy? Koyaanisqatsi does. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. 784 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. The storytelling serves the subject rather than the other way around. Put it on tonight on Amazon Prime Video and see for yourself.

Koyaanisqatsi arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. Koyaanisqatsi resists the urge to oversimplify a subject that deserves better. 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. Ed Asner and Pat Benatar bring credibility that the subject matter deserves. It was released in 1983. Koyaanisqatsi lets its subjects speak for themselves rather than shaping them into a predetermined narrative. The hit rate here is high enough that skipping ahead never feels like an option.

Koyaanisqatsi is the kind of documentary you immediately want to recommend to someone else. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Rigorous in a way documentary work does not always commit to. Not background viewing — it rewards your full attention.

Koyaanisqatsi was released in 1983, directed by Godfrey Reggio. The full 86-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.