Baraka
by Ron Fricke
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DVD Cover Information
Director: Ron FrickeBrand: Lotus Light
Cinematographer: Ron Fricke
Editor: Ron Fricke
Writer: Ron Fricke
Editor: David Aubrey
Editor: Mark Magidson
Producer: Mark Magidson
Writer: Mark Magidson
Producer: Alton Walpole
Writer: Constantine Nicholas
Writer: Genevieve Nicholas
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; English (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.20:1
Running Time: 96 minutes
Published: 2001-09-01
DVD Release Date: 2001-09-25
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Mpi Home Video
Movie Reviews of Baraka
Movie Review: Skeptical no more.
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this DVD on impulse last week because Amazon paired it with Waking Life, and as I waited for it to arrive, I went hot and cold constantly, at one point thinking "wow, this must be so powerful and amazing, considering that there's no narration and no traditional plot," to "oof, well, can I sit through ninety-some minutes of this with nothing to tie the images together?" Let me just say that when all was said and done, my initial excitement was more than justified.
The language of this film, where in most others we would look to dialogue, is found in the music (which is incredible in its own right-- note to self, see if the soundtrack is available). Through the segues, peaks, and valleys of the sound, Fricke actually manages to cogently connect such starkly different images as traffic in Tokyo with human breathing, the intensely different architechtures of distant cultures, menial factory labor and upper-class executive professions, prayer and chant-- all the while jumping from one end of the Earth to the other, creating a spectacle of similarity that will leave you shaking your head in amazement.
Surprisingly enough, as is mentioned in certain other comments, there is a poignant emotional charge to the piece as well-- I won't go into details of course, but I have to say I was just as moved by scenes of this film, completely devoid of words and (what I am now forced to view to be) more superficial human drama, as I was by any big-name actor-driven drama like Schindler's List, Green Mile, or anything like that. Some parts are drop-dead hilarious, others are terrifying. Never a dull moment throughout.
Meanwhile, to speak of the film more technically, it's still a masterpiece. This is the first piece I've ever seen that was shot in 70mm film, and I was blown away. I'll tell you, it doesn't even matter whether or not you've got an HDTV with 7.1 surround sound-- I watched Baraka on a 20" JVC TV/VCR combo, with its standard stereo speakers-- the depth of field is almost dizzying. Even simple dolly shots (some scenes toward the end focus most on architechture) are strikingly rendered, and the color quality is absolutely insane. Every frame could conceivably be printed and exhibited as a professional photograph, but of course then you'd lose the soundtrack! I can barely begin to imagine what it must look like on an HD display.
Overall, there is not a single thing I can criticize about this movie-- it's quite possibly one of the best I've ever seen, and one I plan to strap all my friends down to watch at some point soon. Definitely worth the investment to be able to watch it over and over-- my skepticism was totally dashed.
My particular copy was damaged slightly-- I wasn't able to see chapters 5 or 6 when I watched it, but Amazon's been really great about getting a new copy to me as fast as possible, so I'm all-around pleased! Definitely a great buy-- grab up Baraka straightaway if you're a fan of documentary, experimental film, cultural studies, poetry, photography, anything!
Summary of Baraka
Baraka, an ancient Sufi word with forms in many languages, translates as a blessing, or as the breath or essence of life from which the evolutionary process unfolds. A transcendently poetic tour of the globe, Baraka was shot in breathtaking 70mm in 24 countries on six continent. Set to the life affirming rhythms of varied religious rituals and nature's own raw beat, Baraka is a visualization of the interconnectedness humans share with the earth. Spanning such diverse locales as China, Brazil, Kuwait and major U.S and European sites, among others, Baraka captures not only the harmony, but also the calamity that humans and nature have visited upon the earth. However, mere words do not do the film justice - Baraka must be seen, felt and experienced to be understood. A World Beyond Words Without words, cameras show us the world, with an emphasis not on "where," but on "what's there." It begins with morning, natural landscapes and people at prayer: volcanoes, water falls, veldts, and forests; several hundred monks do a monkey chant. Indigenous peoples apply body paint; whole villages dance. The film moves to destruction of nature via logging, blasting, and strip mining. Images of poverty, rapid urban life, and factories give way to war, concentration camps, and mass graves. Ancient ruins come into view, and then a sacred river where pilgrims bathe and funeral pyres burn. Prayer and nature return. A monk rings a huge bell; stars wheel across the sky.Similar DVD Movies
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