The 2016 class watched several films related to both landscapes and geomorphologic processes and were asked to provide comments about the film. The 1982 film Koyaanisqasti: Life Out of Balance by Godfrey Reggio was the first film we watched and it explored changing landscapes using only image and music. In particular, the method of using slow motion and time-lapse footage was discussed as a means to explain processes and evoke thought. Manufactured Landscapes by Jennifer Baichwal in 2006 highlights the work of photographer Edward Burtynsky as he explored landscapes altered by large-scale human activity. The prospect of using the art form of photography to bring attention to the environmental issues and ethics involving industrial and development practices.
The third ( Mulholland’s Dream ) and fourth ( An American Nile ) films were from the four-part TV series Cadillac Desert were produced/directed in 1997 by Jon Else and Linda Harrar. The series documents the growth, politics, and environmental impacts of large scale water projects in the Western United States. Chasing Ice by Jeff Orlowski in 2012 highlights the efforts of geomorphology trained nature photographer James Balog, as he documents the changing glacial landscapes as influenced by climate change. And lastly, 2013 Gringo Trails by Pegi Vail addresses the practice tourism and its negative effects on places over the past three decades.