Baraka

Filmed in 70mm in 24 countries on six continents, this genre-bending 1992 travelog proves the old saw about a picture being worth 1000 words. Director and cinematographer Fricke, who cut his teeth shooting the thematically comparable Koyaanisqatsi and Chronos, calls his directorial debut a "meditation on humanity." Unfolding in a series of eye-catching scenes that linger long enough to savor, Baraka (which in Sufi means "blessing") forgoes any narration as images of ruggedly beautiful natural terrain, diverse cultures engaged in ritual activities, and frenzied modern urban life are accompanied by an evocative original soundtrack. A state-of-the-art ultra-high-def remastering process, demonstrated in a bonus featurette, results in a flawless, supersharp picture that easily supersedes the film's initial 2001 disc release. An hour-long bonus feature shows how this remarkable documentary-with its expressive use of time-lapse, slow-motion, and other photographic techniques-was brought to the screen. Highly recommended; replace your old copies.-Jeff T. Dick, Davenport, IA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.