Sorry, bout' the korny title, but it does have some relevance. I saw the animatrix, yeah on a pirated, sorry, do intend to get dvd though, anywho, I must say it was quite beautiful. Even the ones that weren't great in story, were interesting in origionality. I loved matriculated, whether it was my favorite is hard to say, they were all so very differant from each other, sorry it's hard for me to get to the point. What I liked about matriculated, and I believe a lot of Peter Chungs work, or play, not for me to decide, is his capability to follow the unpridictability and spontanious randomness of his mind without remorse. People, I believe, spend to much time distorting whatever comes into their mind, "Unrashionable? Logical? Reasoning?", into something that will make perfect sense to whoever is willing to sit down and watch it. I hope to get into animation, in one way or another, so maybe, in time, you can enjoy the products of my play time and all it encompasses. Thanks, Bye Bye.

-- Joshua Aldridge (AtlantaJFNA@aol.com), May 17, 2003

Answers

Joshua; I like what you said about Peter's work being interesting for its ability to follow unpredictability and randomness without remorse. I think that Peter might say he does have a meaning behind the seemingly 'spontaneous randomness' of his animations but at the same time to the onlooker those meanings are often vague or even totally unfathomable, making them mysterious. Usually when we discovered some of his past mental meandering they were worthy of consideration. I'm looking forward to seeing this Matriculated.

-- Barb e (Suesuesbeo9@cs.com), May 19, 2003.

I haven't seen Reloaded yet, I plan to use any spoilers as a breadcrumb trail through dark mental moments that take place for me during the fastpaced graphics accompanied by deafening sounds which distract me from the general plotline. If I were a magician I would call them 'misdirection' but that's too suspicious a conclusion, (I hope). I've spent the whole week contemplating a point Peter made on this forum, which is "The problem with so many VR stories is that virtual events often lack real world consequences. We spend most of our lives in virtual reality whether we call it that or not. Living in civilized society our cultural, legal, financial and moral structures are artificial. Our thought processes are the result of mental conditioning by the schools, the government and the media...". Manufactured experiences and the effect on a populace unknowingly imprisoned was part of the original concept of the Matrix. My question to you Peter, for after June 3rd, is: during the inception of Matriculated were you considering this avenue of thought while creating the structure and mindscape sequence to Matriculated? (to borrow your lovely phrasing).

-- Barb e (Suesuesbeo9@cs.com), May 20, 2003.

J. Anderson; that quote is originally from the column on this forum entitled 'Aeon Flux and Ayn Rand' and I thought it was so fascinating I started the column entitled 'the manufactured experiences imposed on us'. They both contain interesting comments from Peter, and are good reading. As for your not getting tickets to the Egyptian's showing you have my deepest most heartfelt sympathies. No kidding. Only 3 blocks away.

-- Barb e (Suesuesbeo9@cs.com), May 20, 2003.

Well, as long as we're talking about the Matrix Reloaded did anyone see the commercials? They also include some of Animatrix.

-- Barb e (Suesuesbeo9@cs.com), June 04, 2003.

Just wondering... how do you make new paragraphs?

-- Joshua Aldridge (AtlantaJFNA@aol.com), May 17, 2003.

Wow Joshua, that actually sums up how I find myself drawing these days - People usually tell me I take to much acid when I show them my stuff - Its basically just total mania made accesible with an experienced drawing hand, then contained via a meagre yet confident understanding of graphics and design.

I guess, in the end they're just the visual recordings of mostly aimless thought and feeling tangents. Much of it is detail for the sake of detail, but as long I maintain a personal distinction between whimsical and intentional, I can maintain a tangent to the point I find myself unearthing aspects of my actual personna - Then it becomes not so much fun, but slightly distressing as I find myself trying to finish these things...knowing when and how to stop is an art in itself I suppose. Luckily its just doodling, so if I do manage to think myself on to the page, I've always got back doors a-plenty - the most convieniant thing I can try to get across is a sense of transformation, mabey I should shoot for animation as well?

The fun is in seeing what you find yourself drawing without having consciously intended to - Ive been genuinely amazed by whats come of it. When I want to be artistic, I dont think of it as work, or play, but simply as work and play; that balance is key, otherwise I say go crazy. And it is very clear to me now what I'm actually crazy about - I think your title is great Joshua.

Well, thats just me trying to define things for myself.

-- Sam (janecherrington@paradise.net.nz), May 18, 2003.

"total mania made accessible"... Cool!

Sam, can we see some of your art?

-- Inu (paul@nadisrec.com), May 18, 2003.

I have a lot to scan, eventually I could. Thanks for being interested though Inu, I'll email you what I've managed.

-- Sam (janecherrington@paradise.net.nz), May 19, 2003.

Hey, Sam, send me some too. I'm goin' to try to teach myself how to draw this summer, today was my last day of highschool, if I get any good I might be able to send some back. :)

-- Joshua Aldridge (AtlantaJFNA@aol.com), May 19, 2003.

Josh, I like your title. My initial reaction to it was that it was just another misplaced post by a religion pusher, and it gave me a bad taste before I even read the post. After I read what you had to say I realized how off I was, and it made me think about how and why I react to certain words (glory) and why I automatically get a bad taste when I think a religion pusher is around. So in a way, it is art! Which ties into what you and Sam were saying about creating art. You could of used a title that more would "make perfect sense to whoever is willing to sit down and" read it, but you didn't. And it's effect on me was much greater. OK, I'm probably reaching a little there, but nevertheless, you and Sam bring up a good point. That of intention and direction in creation. "Is that what you intended to get across?" "Did you start with that intention or did it form throughout the process?" "What was your intention in the beginning, to get anything across at all, or just to create spontaneously?" "Why/Where is one better than the other?" -questions in a conversations I've had with my roommate the artist. His response was similar to Sam's - he rarely tries to get something across to someone else, it's always an extension of himself in a way. It's interesting that sometimes the best way to get an idea or emotion across is not to go straight at it.

Oh ya, you can start a new paragraph by putting a the new paragraph HTML tag < p > (without the spaces) at the beginning of your paragraph.

-- scottai (scottai10@netscape.net), May 19, 2003.

I just got back from a grueling 6 days in Cannes. I attended the Reloaded premiere and Animatrix was screened on film for three days for the press. After more than 100 interviews ( I lost track after the third day), Michael Arias (producer), Mahiro Maeda (director of the 2nd Renaissance) and I had very little will left to answer any more Animatrix questions.

I'll wait until the June 3 DVD release date to post Animatrix and Matriculated comments, just to give everyone a chance to see it first. I'm going to present the Animatrix on May 31 at the Seattle Intl. Film Festival. There's also an encore screening in L.A. (the Egyptian screening was sold out weeks in advance) at the Landmark Regent in Westwood on May 31 at midnight. There is talk of doing other theatrical screenings around North America in the coming weeks.

To respond to the above topic, I'll just say that there is no randomness in my artistic choices ever. None. Animation is a very laborious, expensive, collaborative process. Nothing happens by chance. Every image has been designed (often agonized over) before being committed to film.

The tarsier in the jar in Matriculated is no exception.

-- Peter Chung (pkchung@sbcglobal.net), May 19, 2003.

YES!! I was hoping it would be playing at SIFF. For those interested, you can check out my roommates art here. Peter, what is your opinion on reloaded?

-- scottai (scottai10@netscape.net), May 19, 2003.

Reloaded spoilers ahead...

The single most striking thing about Reloaded to me was that you do need to see Final Flight of the Osiris first in order to follow the first half of the movie. At the screening I attended, people around me seemed very disengaged because they had no idea what was supposed to be happening. All the rebels are heard talking about the threat from the machines drilling towards Zion, but we don't actually see it until the end of the movie.

I didn't understand why the people of Zion regarded Neo with such reverence, since we never see them witnessing him doing any of his superhuman feats in the Matrix.

For that matter, I'm not sure what relevance the struggles in the Matrix have to the man-machine conflict in the real world. How exactly is Neo's journey to "the source" of the Matrix supposed to protect Zion from the machines' imminent invasion? I'm guessing that by finding a way to destroy the Matrix, they'd be disconnecting all the humans, thus disrupting the machines' energy supply.

My biggest criticism is that action and ideas were poorly integrated. The action scenes and dialogue scenes seemed to have nothing to do with each other. What did the freeway chase accomplish plotwise? I thought the goal was to get the keymaker to an exit point (phoneline).

I did like the suggestion that Morpheus is deluded about his faith in Neo-- but we'll have to see whether that is carried out to the end.

I also liked the scenes with the Merovingian and Persephone. (The Wachowskis had made some oblique references to them when I met with them to pitch Matriculated, so I was intrigued to find out how the idea got executed.)

Overall, a film which could be made much better with some (okay, a lot of) re-editing.

-- Peter Chung (pkchung@sbcglobal.net), May 20, 2003.

Matrix: Reloaded Spoiler Alert!!!

I was wondering myself why they couldn't just go ahead and show Final Flight of the Osiris before the movie began. I wasn't confused since they explained what was going on pretty well, but mo Matrix is always mo betta.

Regarding Neo's opening of the doorway, I think the idea was that once Neo entered the machine mainframe he would cause a total system shutdown which would somehow cause the machines to stop digging. Of course we never really question it, we just sorta follow along just like the rebells followed the prophecy.

I thought a lot of the fight scenes were gratuitous (ahem 100 Smiths), but the revelation when Neo meets the architect made the movie worthwhile for me. I also liked that we get to meet all these interesting new programs who are invariably more charismatic and expressive than any of the severely plegmatic characters from the "real world."

And lastly, is anyone else a bit disturbed by the ease with which the rebels cause mayhem and destruction within the matrix? I mean they're essentially terrorists. And supposing that Neo's arrival at the source did cause a total system shutdown which managed to save Zion, it would also cause all the peopel pods to shut down. He'd save the 250,000 inhabitants of Zion, but he'd be killing millions, if not billions of innocent people. And they seem to have no qualms whatsoever about the morality of their actions.

-- Logo (vosepherus@aol.com), May 20, 2003.

Mmmmmm, I don't believe I asked any questions. As for the little creature in the jar, that didn't seem at all random or spontanious. I was talking about the scene transitions inside the V-R where they were trying to conform the machine. But seeing how Peter craftly turned my compliment into an insult, it is probably safe to assume that those too, are analytically picked apart before putting to paper. HTMLtag

No matter, though. It appears that it does apply too few, and those of.... Sorry, I've lost interest, let me try to finish this. HTMLtag

Even though you(Peter) can rationalize everything in your work to a great extent and my rational probably doesn't even resemble what you were trying to get across, it's still very pretty. Keep it up.

-- Joshua Aldridge (AtlantaJFNA@aol.com), May 20, 2003.

Joshua,

I didn't take your description of my method as "spontaneous randomness" as criticism at all. I myself enjoy surrealism for its own sake as a viewer. But if I'm to respond to people's comments here in a revelatory way, I can only speak candidly about how I actually work.

In fact, I spent a great deal of time conceiving the structure and imagery of the mindscape sequence in Matriculated. Imagine if I'd remarked on your writings saying "Joshua's use of words is enjoyable for its irrationality and randomness". You might feel complimented, but at the same time frustrated.

And my comment about the tarsier was in response to Paul's (Inu's) question about what he called "the homunculus" in another thread.

-- Peter Chung (pkchung@sbcglobal.net), May 20, 2003.

Actually that was more of... what can I say, grasping about? In my single viewing of Matriculated, it wasn't quite clear to me what the creature was, or what function it served to the rebels (just to clarify, I called it homunculus because of its man-like appearance... I wasn't aware that it referenced a real-world animal).

Hmm... there's a bit about that ep I want to say, actually... I should really move my next comment to email. Thanks for enduring the trenches for us, Peter.

-- Inu (paul@nadisrec.com), May 20, 2003.

Barb, where did you get that quote? I wanna read the rest.

By the way, It's so awesome that your going to be presenting the Animatrix at the SIFF, Peter. It also sucks horribly as that I couldn't get tickets. It too has sold out weeks in advance, just like the showing in L.A. I have no excuse either. I live only two or three blocks away.

I know that you prefer not to discuss the techinical aspects of you animation BUT.... being a student I would love to know more. Are the any books, articles or approaches you could suggest

-- J. Anderson (ilykemath@aol.com), May 20, 2003.

Couldn't wait for the DVD (on order) and I haven't seen Reloaded yet (Thursday), could someone comment on weather one spoils it for the other?

I thought The Animatrix was ok - I'd rather comment on it after I have the DVD (feel guilty :) But I was just sooooo over-the-moon with Matriculated - a welcome fix and for someone who has been suffering Aeon withdrawl for so long. Nice one Peter :)

-- SadGeezer (tony@sadgeezer.com), May 20, 2003.

Yeah, I understand what your saying. But you don't have to be an asshole, I mean come on. Whether I be a faceless name or not I'm trying to pay you a freakin' complement here. MMMMmmmm, maybe being around people who would go out of their way to listen to someone ask you questions has put you on a nice comfortatble pedistol, but I would rather talk to you as a person, not a "creative genius".

I don't say this out of anger, wonder if the response will be the same, more annoyance. Well, talk to yah later. Oh, I hope the presentation goes alright. Have fun! :)

-- Joshua Aldridge (AtlantaJFNA@aol.com), May 20, 2003.

Joshua, biology is king. I don't know about Peter, but after 100 interviews I would be a little brusque too =)

-- Inu (paul@nadisrec.com), May 20, 2003.

Scottai, I dont know if you wanted me to actually answer any of those questions, but here goes anyway...

"What was your intention in the beginning, to get anything across at all, or just to create spontaneously?"

My honest answer is both.

From my younger years to now, I have always secretly held a candle to the fantasy that people would be able to, somehow, see what ever it was they didn't like about me in my drawings; subsequently they were supposed to like me.

At the age of 6 I was actually serious about that, and it is only until very recently I have returned to the real style that idea generated - As many things do, the idea itself had all but dissipated. Basically I became totally side tracked by the interschool phenomenon of 'good drawers', so I decided I was better off just being technically good.

So having miandered a bit through those two extremes, I find myself trying very hard to achieve both inside one, and my work ethic is inspired by the fact that I realise, whether its inherent or childish, I've always wanted both. My intention has formed throughout the process; my process has also formed throughout the intention. I simply use my greater confidence of the process to question my lesser confidence of the intention, some times vice versa - it usually depends on what I'm bridging to. I guess what I cant dispute is that its intended creation no matter how I look at it. Ultimately, when I'm creating something I want to keep my options open - I guess its because what I draw is self-examining, and I do try to indicate that. I say 'a sense of transformation[ing]' would be convenient because I think it ties in with my attempts at depicting explored options - Covering cause and effect, at the same time, is hard.

I feel pretty blues droneing on about this personal crap, especially with whats on topic... Dont mind me. I'm aching like crazy to delve into Matriculated, and especially aching to here about the delving. Wheres the green light already! Although I know have to see it again and again n again... When I watch your work Peter, I'm consistently electrified by what I see, its very swooning. Part of what makes it more compelling to me, is what I'm sure should be obvious to anyone: the madness is so very consumate - I cant fathom so quickly, acquiesence comes naturally.

As for Reloaded... Given that the first movie was made without confirmation of sequels, it stands well on its own. I want to see how the last two stand together before I try to judge what may be resolved - I'm going to leave the plot alone for now. But good god, I loved Reloaded's over done action, I never recieved it as gratuitous, it was just too well pulled off - Super insane hero vs Super insane villain = Super insane insanity!! So far people I've talked to about Reloaded, complained of either, their appoval of the talking and dissaproval of the fighting, or vice versa, its as though the two conflict and isolate. Personally I found these aspects distinguished and complimentary, its all very edgy and sophisticated, the action is smart too right?

-- Sam (janecherrington@paradise.net.nz), May 20, 2003.

Joshua,

You admit to grabbing a rip of my film, and you're calling ME an "asshole"? I still don't see anything in what I've said above that could be construed as offensive to you.

I disagree emphatically with your characterization of my creative methods. That's all.

For those interested in the process we endured to make Animatrix, I recommend the current issue of Starlog.

-- Peter Chung (pkchung@sbcglobal.net), May 21, 2003.

That's an interesting point you make about peoples' reaction to either the action or the dialogue Sam, and it's what Chung already pointed out; the action sequences and the dialogue don't really complement eachother that well. In fact, you could easily remove all the actions sequences and not miss any of the story, unlike in the first movie where they were better integrated. I also hate that it was so blatantly obvious when they were using a CG Neo as opposed to the real Keanu. But all criticisms aside, I still liked the movie. I'm a martial arts junkie so I don't really need a story (any excuse to lay the smack down). And the revelation with the Architect made the whole thing worhwhile for me, even though most of what he said was arcane technobable to this philistine.

-- Logo (vosepherus@aol.com), May 21, 2003.

Sam, I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "that people would be able to, somehow, see what ever it was they didn't like about me in my drawings". Are you saying that was the route of drawing for others, to get recognition, so that people would like you? versus drawing just to get technically good?

Spoilers . . . . Here's a transcript of the scene with the architect. I found it odd that the machines have this flaw in the matrix where this certain anomolous person must make it back into the mainframe and make the right decision to "return to the source" once every 100 years or so or else somehow ALL the people attached to the matrix die and their whole power supply is pretty much shot. Also, the big zion dance scene went too long and seemed like a commercial. Is everybody in zion gorgeous and in their 20s? Where are the old people and kids? I wasn't too sure how I felt about the explanation and inclusion of vampires and werewolves at first, (you actually have to stake the vampires in the game) but I guess I don't mind it. I wonder if there'll be more of them in revolutions. These are all small complaints though, as I loved it for the most part. It will be the first movie I've seen more than once in the theaters in a long time. (since the first one actually)

I am so bummed the SIFF showing is already sold out!

-- scottai (scottai10@netscape.net), May 21, 2003.

Scottai, its a tricky one for me - I'm trying to fathom childhood memories. But yeah, I think that's basically why I did it in both cases; for recognition - I have to stress my use of the word fantasy though, in relation to that quote I mean. The honest truth is my childhood was pretty nightmarish, It doesn't bother me to talk about why, but I don't really care anymore. Come to think of it, the getting others to like me thing would've been more pertinent to the route of my work ethic all together - Many school time hours have been spent trying to become a better drawer.

Although I do like to acknowledge that I can actually remember the very first time I ever attempted a serious picture: Basically, I had a nightmare and my mother tried to calm me down by having me draw it, so I tried to draw what I thought it was about - I drew, or rather attempted drawing, "the devil" - Thanking school bible classes for that one.

I like that rather than simply being told, "its just a nightmare, go back to bed", I was encouraged to extrapolate. If that makes my initial approach, about self-communication, it stands in stark contrast to my latter approach, which I know, went straight for self- justification, by that I mean the two different intentions produce very different visual results for me. As of lately I have been attempting to do both on one page, its been mostly totally self- interested, I'm only trying to justify me too me. Self-examining is very much a process, the self itself is a process, if I give a strong sense of process do I do better to indicate mercurial options, hence transformation? Or something.

As for Reloaded, what about Smiths comments on the human species being a virus? Neo's effects on the system seem typical if he succeeds in being a computer virus. I bet its related to some binary technicality or something like that.

-- Sam (janecherrington@paradise.net.nz), May 22, 2003.

Sam - thanks for the clarification on something so personal. Your mom sounds like a smart cookie, I like that story. I came across this great little exposition by Peter on the creative process and interpretations.

Thank you Peter for answering my question. We have something pretty special and unique going at this forum, with you being so accessible and all. Even after some unpleasant times you have still returned. Thank you. It's funny, I was/am bummed about SIFF selling out already, and when I read you would be doing a Q n A there, I thought "Man, now I'm really bummed" but then I realized what we have here, and that you already have answered a question of mine. Hopefully it wont get overboard once Matriculated comes out.

-- scottai (scottai10@netscape.net), May 23, 2003.

Having just seen Reloaded yesterday:

I liked the scene with the Oracle (that lady can act!), the convergent/divergent Neos in the Architect's chamber, and the conversation with the Zion governor. I also liked the suggestions that Zion is exactly what the machines want: a subculture, as opposed to a counterculture. The exception that proves the rule.

The martial arts choreography was gorgeous, and THE reason to see the film; Keanu may not be a wonderful actor, but his blue-screen kung fu is strong. And the shades-and-trenchcoat look helped obscure most of the transitions from "actor" to "cartoon".

However, on the whole it was a disappointment. And here's where I begin bitching about Reloaded:

First of all, the action scenes were beyond contrived -- you mean to tell me the ONLY available exit from the Matrix is at the end of a stretch of freeway? What if they took surface streets? Next thing, they'll place the exit in Pan's Diner for a Tarantino-esque shootout. The gun battles were as bad as the first Matrix. Okay, you can slow down bullets, we get it! Now do something creative with them, or stick to the chop-socky. And why even slow down to fight on the ground when you can FLY? Hello? Neo? Anybody in there?

Second, the plot was incredibly clunky. There's little of what Peter would call "visual narrative"; much of the film was just fight- talk-fight-talk-fight-talk. Someone needs to teach the Wachowskis how to tell a story without resorting to intentionally obfuscatory dialogue (Wow, the Architect's lines were SO DEEP! No, they were just badly written).

Third, what happened to the humans being used as energy sources? You know, the part that made Matrix 1 so cool and creepy? Is there any effort being made to free them? Or is the focus strictly on Zion now?

Fourth, albino vampire villians? WTF? I swear I saw those characters in an Albert Pyun film; seeing them again in a Hollywood blockbuster isn't pretty.

Fifth, I didn't pay nine dollars for a cliffhanger ending. And who the hell is that bad guy, anyway? I thought the guy who sold himself out to the Matrix died in the first one?

I'm still seeing Revolutions (after a two-hour teaser, I kind of have to), but the Bros. have a lot to make up for. Sigh. At least there's Animatrix...

-- Inu (paul@nadisrec.com), June 01, 2003.

I really figured that the only reason they took the freeway was because there was no other choice, not because it was they only way to get to a specific exit point - Did they not just want to get away so they could talk to the Key Maker? I know they werent trying to get him to an exit point because he's a program not a person?

I also figure that Neo fights on the ground in order to be helpful and kill who he's dealing with, hence he flies off if he cant kill them.

Inu, that bad guy is Smith, remember when he answerd the phone after overwrighting the same actor?

And i thought the Ghost twins were cool!

-- Sam (janecherrington@paradise.net.nz), June 02, 2003.

I meant the "sole survivor" at the end of the film. Who was he?

-- Inu (paul@nadisrec.com), June 02, 2003.

You mean before he became Smith?

-- Sam (janecherrington@paradise.net.nz), June 02, 2003.

The sole survivor is Bane, whose body was possessed by Smith before exiting the Matrix thru the phone line. The guy who stalks behind Neo with a knife earlier, and who sabotaged the rebel hovercrafts.

Having now seen Reloaded a second time, the real let-down is the depiction of Zion. According to the first movie, escaping from the Matrix is to be freed from the control of all the phony institutions and rules which stifle human potential. Well, it turns out that real life in Zion's just more rules, hierarchy and bureaucracy. There are rules of seniority, a council of elders, crew captains, military age restrictions, and nagging spouses. You get thrown into the brig for disobeying orders. When the preacher proclaims you must dance, you dance.

I also find it hard to accept that these rebels, whose virtual personas choose to dress in the ne plus ultra of cutting-edge chic style while in the Matrix are the same people walking around in the real world in hippy beads and burlap bathrobes.

I can definitely understand why Cypher was so desperate not to go back to that place.

-- Peter Chung (pkchung@sbcglobal.net), June 02, 2003.

It makes perfect sense to me. They're a small society that's been fighting an impossible war for 100 years. Of course they have strict rules on behavior. Organization requires hierarchy. Anyway, I don't think people were forced to dance. Trinity and Neo got away easily enough. And those stayed sure looked like they were enjoying themselves.. As for their clothing, I'm sure if they had a Rayban store and leather fetish shops down there, they'd be wearing those things. Then again, it IS pretty hot down there and I hear leather doesn't really breathe too well. Really, my only question is why they bothered showing Zion at all. It lent nothing to the plot and it wasn't even the least beat aesthetically pleasing.

-- Logo (Vosepherus@aol.com), June 03, 2003.

Oh, so that's why he went after Neo. Blame my memory, then; after two hours of blowing shit up, I kind of lost track of the storyline.

I thought they had shown up to dance? It's true though, Zion wasn't all that great. I hope the next film reveals it to be a backup program in the Matrix or something.

-- Inu (paul@nadisrec.com), June 03, 2003.

Bane, thats right, forgot the name.

Yeah, Zion didnt strike me as being compelling enough at all, I figure thats what its relevance ought to have come from, that like like so many aspects of this film, it could be appreciated on its own. Zion just wasnt funky enough, uninspired really - reminded me of a StarWars backdrop.

-- Sam (janecherrington@paradise.net.nz), June 03, 2003.

"I also find it hard to accept that these rebels, whose virtual personas choose to dress in the ne plus ultra of cutting-edge chic style while in the Matrix are the same people walking around in the real world in hippy beads and burlap bathrobes." --HAHA!

Now that I think about it, they do seem to have quite a bit more freedom while in the Matrix than in Zion. I imagine that if I were in their situation, I'd be spending all my time there despite the danger. Pushing reality's limits, playing in a lucid dream -- better than eating mush and wearing hemp, and being subjected to no doubt stringent rules concerning conservation and other things. I imagine the hovercraft crews would enjoy being away from Zion.

However, I really enjoyed the dance scene. I caught a glimpse of it in the commercials before the movie came out, and I was excited at the possibility of a pagan flesh-romp. It seemed to be the perfect alternative to cold machine domination. If anything, I would have upped the debauchery -- in one magazine I saw a still photo showing a man-on-man couple in the crowd. Stuff like that... more boobs flying, that sort of thing. But anyway, the scene worked. Hedonism in the face of steel. True freedom is always anarchy and chaos.

-- Mat Rebholz (matrebholz@yahoo.com), June 05, 2003.

Mat you would betray your friends, for a damn good steak!

-- Mark (nadar@BigPoppaPump.zzn.com), June 10, 2003.

Ha! I would've liked to see Zion portrayed as more a repository of human knowledge, come to think of it. The transparent computers (like Minority Report, but ten times cooler) they used guiding the Nebuchanezzer (?) in were so slick; I just wanted more of that techno-fetish stuff liberally sprinkled throughout. Instead, we get: a cave. I guess to constrast with the harsh urban landscape of Melb... I mean, the Matrix. Yaaaaawn.

The clothing was cool though... hey, high tech doesn't have to mean PVC. Hemp's probably the most resource efficient fiber on the planet. Only makes sense.

-- Inu (paul@nadisrec.com), June 11, 2003.

Not for a steak... just for the opportunity to play with reality's rules. And maybe a really good smoothie or something.

-- Mat (matrebholz@yahoo.com), June 12, 2003.

Glitches Reloaded

The most interesting analysis of Matrix Reloaded I've yet to see. The only way I can enjoy the portrayal of Zion is as a meta-Matrix. (I wish Peter Lloyd's speculations will be fulfilled in Revolutions, but I'm somehow doubtful... Nothing in what the W bros. or Joel Silver have said seem to point that way. If the meta-Matrix interpretation is true, then I doubt my proposal for Matriculated would have been accepted.)

The discussion on the message board following the text is the best part. The discussion on the possibility of consciousness and free will in an A.I. entitiy is particularly relevant to Matriculated.

-- Peter Chung (pkchung@sbcglobal.net), June 17, 2003.

I should mention that the page I linked to is very long. It will take a while to load.

-- Peter Chung (pkchung@sbcglobal.net), June 17, 2003.

Good lord, that's a long discussion.

I still think people are taking the "human battery" angle, among other things, WAY too literally. Does everything have to be judged as hard SF? Can't the Matrix films simply be allegorical fantasy?

-- Inu (paul@nadisrec.com), June 18, 2003.

Yeah, I reckon huh?

And I had no problem at all with what people keep calling, crass dialouge. Obfuscatory should be good at this stage. Although I love that kind of dialouge, like in Altered States.

And, I am pretty adament the Twins are sposed to be ghosts, not Vampires...

-- Sam (janecherrington@paradise.net.nz), June 18, 2003.