Juxtaposing hypnotic imagery of natural beauty with hyperkinetic, time-lapse photography of cities and human society in motion, this wordless essay film chronicles the devastating impact of technology and sprawling urbanization on Earth’s fragile environment.

Revolutionary in its time, as much for its ingenious use of slow-motion and amped-up visuals as for its eco-conscious message, Reggio’s “Koyaanisqatsi” takes its name from a Hopi Indian word that means “life out of balance.” And that’s exactly the state you feel we’ve arrived at when Reggio’s film ends, as it drives us to conclude that our “progress” has done great injury to the planet, and to our own natural rhythms. Even now, the film’s exhilarating rush of images and frenetic pace, all scored to Philip Glass’s elegantly repetitive score, makes quite an impact.