Koyaanisqatsi (1983): cast, story & where to watch
1983 · Film · ★ 7.9
Released in 1983, Koyaanisqatsi is a music and documentary film directed by Godfrey Reggio, running about 86 minutes. “Life out of balance” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s 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’s in it. Koyaanisqatsi stars Marilyn Chambers as Self (archive footage) (uncredited), Lou Dobbs as Self (archive footage) (uncredited) and Ted Koppel as Self (archive footage) (uncredited).
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.9/10, Koyaanisqatsi has been warmly received by audiences. It went on to earn $3.2M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Koyaanisqatsi page.
If you liked it. Fans of Koyaanisqatsi tend to enjoy Whiplash, Coco, Green Book and The Legend of 1900.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Koyaanisqatsi (1983)?
- In US, Koyaanisqatsi is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Prime Video with Ads, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Koyaanisqatsi worth watching?
- Koyaanisqatsi holds an audience score of 7.9 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy music and documentary. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Koyaanisqatsi?
- Koyaanisqatsi stars Marilyn Chambers, Lou Dobbs and Ted Koppel.
- When was Koyaanisqatsi released?
- Koyaanisqatsi was released in 1983, with a runtime of about 86 minutes.