M.C. Escher: Journey to Infinity

I love Escher and his work and the trailer for this movie looks really great. However, the movie is quite a bit dull with showing history instead of going deep into the thematic of Escher's work with connections to the math and interpretation as well as extrapolations from his work. In essence, it is a dry series of Escher's remarks from letters, ordered chronologically, with few interview fragments here-and-there with his children. This movie certainly does fill some space, but it is not what I hoped for. It describes Escher's life, more than his ideas, work, and their meaning.

I grew up admiring the works of Escher. His designs inspired much of my art. I saw the trailer for this movie and instantly purchased it. What a mistake that was?!? I give props to the person who edited the trailer together because that is the best part of this entire documentary. The movie itself is so slow and boring. Why on earth would you have the documentary narrarated by Escher? It turned me off completely. The entire movie is just reading Escher memoirs about general life and putting scenes behind it. For an artist with such amazing works and skills in mathematics, this movie is a complete disappointment.

Excellent documentary on the life of Escher, in great part based on his own memoirs, and commentary from two of his sons. Striking visuals (of course), enhanced by excellent CGI. This could have been a 5 star film, if not for the overly dramatized, over-embellished, pompous, pretentious and puffed up narration of Stephen Fry, which unrelentingly gnaws at the listener's ears and brain from beginning to end. A really poor choice by Robin Lutz, when he could have chosen a competent, less strident voice out of a universe of superior talents, like Peter Coyote or Martin Sheen.

I confess to not knowing much of the graphic artist M. C. Escher, but this documentary was to put it simply - a lot of FUN. And it gives us some insights on the life and work of this unique artist and his visual viewpoint.

It provides an alternative perspective!

He is not a poor choice because he cannot pronounce the Dutch words, which are indeed almost impossible for non native speakers, but because of the way he talks.

Why was not a Dutch narrator chosen?

I have admired Escher for over fifty years and have his works hanging in my house.

When I took one in for framing here in Canada after a visit to the home country I discovered that he was not well known here. Hence my surprise when I met my son's, then girlfriend, over twenty years ago and saw some prints on her walls which now adorn their home.

Back to the movie which I enjoyed and gave an insight in his life which I was unaware of.