The Fantastic World Of
M.C. Escher (Art Documentary)
Picture: C+
Sound: C+ Extras: D Documentary: B
Dutch artist Maurtis Cornelis Escher (1898 – 1972) is one
of unnatural geometric structures and filling them up, including a cross
between the natural and unnatural.
Michele Emmer’s 1980 documentary The Fantastic World Of M.C. Escher
shows us how mathematics and surreally distorted images and warping that
nothing in the image was immune to, had more to it that just the simple
twisting of that image. Faster than you
can say DaVinci Code, there is more detail to his work than meets the eye.
That included the idea of advancing the idea of
three-dimensional images in as two-dimensional form, but many physical objects
followed following the same principles of this design. The result is an amazing combination of
artistic and scientific innovation that includes aesthetics and architecture
itself. Many experts, friends and even
his sin are interviewed to tell the full story, but the images speak for
themselves. If you need an immediate
reference for his kind of work, just see the cover of the original 1968 version
of The Who’s classic Rock Opera album Tommy (1968) on SACD reviewed
elsewhere on this site.
The 1.33 X 1 image is interesting, with the artwork
looking sharper and clearer than the video or film footage, but it is a decent
presentation to go along with the Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono. There is slight, brief distortion and
warping in parts, but the score by the great Ennio Morricone is a plus. We sadly get no extras, but there is much
more to this man’s work than even this fine program offers, but it is a good
start for the majority unfamiliar with his amazing accomplishments.
- Nicholas Sheffo
