An unconventional work in every way, Godfrey Reggio’s Koyaanisqatsi was nevertheless a sensation when it was released in 1983. This first work of The Qatsi Trilogy wordlessly surveys the rapidly changing environments of the Northern Hemisphere, in an astonishing collage created by the director, cinematographer Ron Fricke, and composer Philip Glass. It shuttles viewers from one jaw-dropping vision to the next, moving from images of untouched nature to others depicting human beings’ increasing dependence on technology, Koyaanisqatsi’s heterodox methods (including hypnotic time-lapse photography) make it a look at our world from a truly unique angle.

In its examination of life out of balance (one of five translations of the Hopi-language title), Koyaanisqatsi is a kaleidoscopic synthesis of image and sound combined to almost overwhelming effect. The whiplash from the beauty of the natural landscape with insect-like humans strip mining and carving out resources to build cities and skyscrapers is jarring, but perfectly executed without the need for heavy-handed narrative: the film wisely allows the juxtaposition to speak for itself, narrowing in on microscopic detail before pulling back to reveal the gestalt. A pioneering work of stop-motion techniques and a breath of fresh air in documentary approaches, Koyaanisqatsi was an art-house favourite on release and remains best experienced in the cinema.