Baraka (film)
Baraka (1992) is a Todd-AO (70 mm) non-narrative film directed by Ron Fricke, cinematographer for Koyaanisqatsi, the first of the Qatsi films by Godfrey Reggio.
Often compared to Koyaanisqatsi, Baraka's subject matter has some similarities—including footage of various landscapes, churches, ruins, religious ceremonies, and cities thrumming with life, filmed using time-lapse photography in order to capture the great pulse of humanity as it flocks and swarms in daily activity. The film also features a number of long tracking shots through various settings, including one through former concentration camps at Auschwitz (in Nazi-occupied Poland) and Tuol Sleng (in Cambodia) turned into museums honoring their victims: over photos of the people involved, past skulls stacked in a room, to a spread of bones. In addition to making comparisons between natural and technological phenomena, such as in Koyaanisqatsi, Baraka searches for a universal cultural perspective: for instance, following a shot of an elaborate tattoo on a bathing Japanese yakuza mobster with one of Native Australian tribal paint.
The movie was filmed at 152 locations of 24 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Nepal, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, Thailand, Turkey, and the United States. It contains no dialogue. Instead of a story or plot, the film uses themes to present new perspectives and evoke emotion purely through cinema. The film was the first in over twenty years to be photographed in the 70mm Todd-AO format.
The title Baraka is a word that means blessing in many different languages. The score provided by Brendan Perry and Lisa Gerrard (from Dead Can Dance), Inkuyo, and Michael Stearns is noticeably different from the minimalist one provided by Philip Glass for Koyaanisqatsi. Notable music was also contributed by the band Brother. The film was produced by Mark Magidson, who also produced and directed the film Toward the Within, a live concert performance by Dead Can Dance. A sequel to Baraka, Samsara, is planned to be released in 2009.
Locations
Africa
Egypt
- Cairo, Egypt
- City of the Dead, Egypt
- Giza pyramid complex, Egypt
- Karnak Temple, Luxor, Egypt
- Luxor, Egypt
- Ramesseum, Egypt
Kenya
- Lake Magadi, Kenya
- Mara Kichwan Tembo Manyatta, Kenya
- Mara Rianta Manyatta, Kenya
- Masaai Mara, Kenya
Tanzania
Americas
USA
Arizona
- American Express, Phoenix, Arizona
- Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Chinle, Arizona
- Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson, Arizona
- Kitt Peak National Observatory, Arizona
- Peabody Coal Mine, Black Mesa, Arizona
- Phoenix, Arizona
California
Hawaii
- Haleakala National Park, Maui, Hawaii
- Kona, Hawaii
- Maui, Hawaii
- Puʻu ʻŌʻō, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
New York
- Empire State Building, Manhattan, New York City, New York
- Grand Central Terminal, Manhattan, New York City, New York
- Greenhaven Correctional Facility, Greenhaven, New York
- Helmsley Building, Manhattan, New York City, New York
- New York City, New York
- Stormville, New York
- World Trade Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York
Others
- Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
- Shiprock, New Mexico
- Arches National Park, Moab, Utah
- Canyonlands National Park, Moab, Utah
- White House, Washington, D.C.
South America
Argentina
Brazil
- Carajás Animal Reserve, Pará
- Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro
- Caiapó Village, Pará
- Porto Velho, Rondônia
- Represa Samuel, Rondônia
- Rio Preto, Minas Gerais
- Rio de Janeiro
- Favela da Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro
- São Paulo City, São Paulo
Ecuador
Asia
Cambodia
- Angkor Thom
- Angkor Wat
- Angkor
- Bayon
- Phnom Penh
- Presh Khan
- Siem Reap
- Ta Proum
- Tonle Omm Gate
- Tuol Sleng Museum
- Sonsam Kosal Killing Fields
China
- Beijing
- Great Hall of the People
- Guilin
- Kowloon, Hong Kong
- Li River
- Qin Shi Huang
- Tiananmen Square, Beijing
- Xi'an
India
- Calcutta, West Bengal
- Chennai, Tamil Nadu
- Ganges River
- Ghats
- Kailashnath Temple
- National Museum of India, New Delhi
- Vandharajan Temple, Varanasi
- Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
Indonesia
- Bali
- Borobudur
- Candi Nandi
- Candi Perwara
- Gudang Garam Cigarette Factory, Kediri
- Kasunanan Palace
- Istiqlal Mosque, Jakarta
- Java
- Kediri Tabanan
- Mancan Padi
- Mt. Bromo Valley
- Tampak Siring
- Tegal Allang
- Temple Gunung Kawi
- Uluwatu
- Yogyakarta
Iran
Israel
Japan
- Green Plaza Capsule Hotel
- Hokke-Ji Temple
- JVE Yokosuka Factory
- Kyoto
- Meiji Shrine
- Nagano Springs
- Nara
- Nittaku
- Ryōan-ji Temple, Kyoto
- Sangho-ji Temple
- Shinjuku Station, Tokyo
- Tokyo
- Tomoe Shizung & Hakutobo
- Yamanouchi-Machi
- Zoujou-Ji Temple
Kuwait
Nepal
- Bhaktapur
- Boudnanath Stupa
- Durbar Square, Kathmandu
- Hanuman Ghat
- Himalayas
- Kathmandu
- Mount Everest
- Mount Tramserku
- Pasupati
- Swayambhu
Thailand
Turkey
- Hagia Sophia, Istanbul (European part)
- Galata Mevlevi Temple, Istanbul (European part)
Saudi Arabia
Oceania
- Bathurst Island, Northern Territory, Australia
- Cocinda, Northern Territory, Australia
- Jim Jim Falls, Northern Territory, Australia
- Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory, Australia
- Kunwarde Hwarde Valley, Northern Territory, Australia
Europe
- Oświęcim, Poland (Auschwitz)
- Bytom, Poland
- Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres, Eure-et-Loir, France
- Notre-Dame de Reims, Reims, Marne, France
- St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City
See also
External links
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Last updated on Saturday August 16, 2008 at 11:17:41 PDT (GMT -0700)
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