There is a scene in A last time for Everything where Aeon run's around a block of stone (seen from an aerial view), doesn't this scene seems somewhat reminiscent of one of M.C. Escher's works? It follows the beautiful cloud scene after which the real Aeon goes in search of her copy.

-- Barb e (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), October 08, 2000

Answers

Yes, I agree (Ascending and Descending?) or atleast there is a feel of the spirit of such works in alot of these shots... You guys have allready dicussed this probably, but I was imagining another influence to be perhaps Egon Schiele whos work can be seen here:

http://artchive.com/artchive/ftptoc/schiele_ext.html

BTW I love reading from this board, you guys all write such interesting stuff and have good taste in movies and what-not. It's good to see conversation worthy of such a subject. Keep up the good work!

-- Sean Merli (smerli@earthlink.net), October 09, 2000.

I always thought the architecture from first season reminded me of an Escher design. As for Schiele, Peter says that he's his "main conscious influence", so you're right. I love Schiele's stuff, and the works of his mentor, Klimt. They're kind of similar in a way, especially Schiele's early stuff, but Schiele goes much further into new and expressive territory.

-- Matthew Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), October 09, 2000.

Schiele it is, all right, a very definite influence. This is the first time I've seen this person's work. Interesting influence for an animator.

-- Barb e (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), October 09, 2000.

What I like about Peter Chung and his work is that he is a brillant animator, but that is not an end in it self for him. He is more like a great Director/Filmaker in the live action sense. In animation it's easy just to get caught up in the profound task and not see the forrest for the trees. This combination of things is scarce in our corporate crap factory system, in live action too, but mainly in animation. I think there has allways been people in animation who wanted to be influenced by great art, Shamus Culhan was studying Eisenstine in the 30's and was afraid to mention it to others. Backround artists at warners were influenced by Gyorgy Kepes language of vision in early 40's Chuck Jones cartoons you can see this, but they were the but of all jokes in the studio for it. Later this freedom of style (freedom from the Disney shackles) was championed by the early UPA shorts. And this stail air still hangs thick in the minds of american animators today where there is even less tolorence for the unconventional...BTW I couldent spell my way out of a paper bag...

-- Sean Merli (smerli@earthlink.net), October 09, 2000.

Who cares if you can't spell, you can think! Fascinating stuff about other artists afraid to admit their influences. It's such a shame some of the human race intimidates others through the use of condescending attitudes. Our minds should be allowed to reach full potential with encouragement from our fellow 'beings' or at least you would think so. Yes, Peter Chung is one of the higher life forms around this planet, if it wasn't for people like that being innovative we'd never have anyone pushing the envelope.

-- Barb e (Suesuesbeo@aol.com), October 11, 2000.