Ken Turner Blog Series: Influences and Inspirations Blog Entry #7 - SMASHING PUMPKINS

"People always called the Cure gloomy, but listening to the Cure made me happy. There was something about the gloominess that gave me comfort, and I think we're the same way." 
- Billy Corgan

Without a doubt for me the Smashing Pumpkins were the band of bands growing up in the 90s.  The alternative rock band not only could play loud with the best of them but could play soft like not other and still integrate heart into each and every song.  This is a rare combination not be had in a lot of bands of that era.  They could play rock, heavy metal, dream pop, psychedelic, folk, electronica and still manage to make it all work together.

Formed in 1988 Chicago by original members Billy Corgan, James Iha, Jimmy Chamberlain and D'arcy Wretzky went on to become one of the most successful bands of the 90's.  Now in 2013, through many iterations Corgan remains along with new band members Mike Byrne, Nicole Fiorentino (who happens to be the girl on the cover of 93's Siamese Dream) and Jeff Schroeder.

 The Pumpkins music videos were iconic in that they not only artfully captured the song but took the craft of the music video to another level.  I haven't seen a string of music videos done by one band and with as much popularity as the ones the Pumpkins were involved in ever since.

The following are my favorites along with album art covers:

 GISH (1991)

"Gish was the best representation of where we were at the time." - Billy Corgan


RHINOCEROS

SIAMESE DREAM (1993)

"As dark a records as 'Siamese Dream' is, there’s a lot of fun in it, it's almost like we’re kind of laughing at how stupid the whole thing is. It’s like, here’s my pop song about suicide and here’s my epic song about child abuse, and here’s my big middle finger to the indie world." - Billy Corgan

DISARM



MELLON COLLIE & THE INFINITE SADNESS (1995)

"It's something that we've been talking about for a long time. It just seemed like something of a challenge and we wanted to bring everything that we've been trying to accomplish with the band musically to its fruition. Just put it all out and than sort of move on to a new sound the next time around. We felt we really couldn't do that with one album." - D'arcy Wretzky

THIRTY-THREE

TONIGHT, TONIGHT





1979





ADORE (1998)

"The Pumpkins record is more of a down record. It's less about rock...It's sort of half-organic, half-electric. It's sort-of hard to say what it is, actually." - James Iha


PERFECT



 AVA ADORE



MACHINA & THE MACHINES OF GOD (2000)

"We spent most of the time trying to take the songs as far as they could be taken down a particular avenue. So if it was gonna be proto-cyber metal, we tried to make it very proto and very cyber. If it was acoustic, then we tried to not fall into the typical ballad-y kind of aspects. That's where we spent most of our time. The songs were probably written in about a day." - Billy Corgan

THE EVERLASTING GAZE



ZEITGEIST (2007)

OCEANIA (2012)

"We are the most beloved and hated band in the world." - Billy Corgan

Next time on the Influences and Inspirations : The Master of Stop Motion Animation

Cheers

 Ken

"The World of Snowboy & Crow" Story Reel to Final Episode Comparison #5 & #6 videos!

You can now watch more "The World of Snowboy & Crow" Story Reel to Final Episode Comparison videos!

http://youtu.be/9oHJR6KFLfk

http://youtu.be/NbPB36_UepU

 Enjoy!

Ken Turner Blog Series: Influences and Inspirations Blog Entry #6 - GUSTAV KLIMT (1862 - 1918)

"I can paint and draw. I believe this myself and a few other people say that they believe this too. But I'm not certain of whether it's true.”
- Gustav Klimt

Gustav Klimt is another artist like Gorey whose work I came upon in college.  The Austrian born painters work was very striking and his Golden Phase was his most successful and popular.  His highly decorative style was very distinct and often depicted sensual portraits of woman with symbols/patterns as the primary subject matter.

"The Kiss" is his most famous painting.

  

"All art is erotic.” - Gustav Klimt 

"Hope II"

"Art is a line around your thoughts.”
- Gustav Klimt

Some facts about Gustav Klimt:

1. Klimt was a leader in the Vienna Secession movement. Also known as the Union of Austrian Artists, the Vienna Secession was a collective of painters and sculptors that was founded in 1897. Klimt acted as the first president of the Vienna Secession and sought to unite Viennese artists in all styles for the purpose of inspiration. Even though he left the union after eight years due to differing artistic opinions, Klimt was instrumental in creating a place where brilliant young artists of the period were nurtured.
   
   
2. Femme fatales were a main focus for Klimt. Although Klimt was extremely private about his love life, women were the inspiration behind some of Klimt's most famous pieces. His focus on the female form and penchant for creating racy paintings drew criticism from both political and religious leaders. The disapproval of his work led Klimt to experiment with painting landscapes in addition to abstract portraits.
   
   
3. Egon Schiele was heavily influenced by Klimt. After he left the Vienna Secession, Klimt was still eager to mentor young talent. He saw talent in a young Austrian artist named Egon Schiele and spent many years mentoring him and assisting him with exhibitions. Schiele became a successful artist in his own right and even helped usher in the Expressionist movement, but much of his emphasis on the human form can be traced back to Gustav Klimt.
   
   
4. Iconic Klimt paintings have sold for record prices. Klimt achieved relative success while he was still alive, but posthumously became one of the most recognized artists in the world. His iconic artwork is in high demand, with prints still being produced today. Klimt's paintings even set a record when "Frau Adele Bloch-Bauer" was sold for $135 million in New York City in 2006.
   
   info via http://www.overstock.com/guides/facts-about-gustav-klimt
   

  "The Tree of Life" heavily influenced the design of the tree in my short film "TIM" (see below)

Below is a small selection of his works:

"I'm a painter who paints day in day out, from morning till evening - figure pictures and landscapes, more rarely portraits.”
- Gustav Klimt

 In 2006, a film about Gustav was released simply titled "KLIMT".  It starred John Malkovich as Klimt and has some great scenes in the film with Egon Schiele played by Nikolai Kinski.  Klimt's work had a strong influence on the paintings of Egon Schiele, with whom he would collaborate to found the Kunsthalle (Hall of Art) in 1917, to try to keep local artists from going abroad.

 

 

 

 

(photo of Egon Schiele)

Egon Schiele's portrait of Gustav Klimt in a light Blue Smock, 1913

Here is the trailer for KLIMT:

Klimt Movie Trailer from Outsider_Pictures on Vimeo.

"Whoever wants to know something about me – as an artist which alone is significant – they should look attentively at my pictures and there seek to recognize what I am and what I want.”
- Gustav Klimt

Next time on the Influences and Inspirations : *Hint "The Pumpkin Smashers"

Cheers
 Ken

VIMEO on DEMAND featured The World of Snowboy & Crow!

https://vimeo.com/ondemand

The VIMEO on DEMAND homepage now features "The World of Snowboy & Crow" along with other great films!

*The World of Snowboy & Crow is even featured in the "Weird and Wonderful" Category.

Check it out!

Ken Turner Blog Series: Influences and Inspirations Blog Entry #5 - THE GOONIES

"The next time you see sky, it'll be over another town. The next time you take a test, it'll be in some other school. Our parents, they want the bestest stuff for us. But right now they gotta do what's right for them, 'cause it's their time. Their time, up there. Down here it's our time. It's our time down here." - Mikey

 The Goonies is a film about a group of children living in Astoria, Oregon who go off in search of pirate One Eyed Willie's treasure. Directed by Richard Donner (Superman & Superman II) and written by Steven Spielberg (E.T.) and Chris Columbus (Home Alone & Harry Potter).  This 1985 movie has become a cult classic for myself and a generation of kids growing up in the 80's.

  TRAILER:

"Yeah, but you know what? This one, this one right here. This was my dream, my wish. And it didn't come true. So I'm taking it back. I'm taking them all back." - Mouth

One-Eyed Willie’s pirate ship was a real set that was built to look like Errol Flynn’s ship in The Sea Hawk. While it was being constructed, the kids were not allowed to see it; the ship was hidden on another set behind tarps. Donner was hoping to get a real reaction from the cast for their first take seeing Willie’s ship, but when he rolled the camera and revealed it, the whole gang was so shocked by the sight that they started cursing up a storm, and the scene had to be re-shot. Once production wrapped, the crew tried to find someone who would take the ship, but no one wanted it, and the entire set was scrapped. (via 10 Things You Might Not Know About The Goonies http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/08/10-things-you-might-not-know-about-the-goonies)

The Goonies Movie CLIP - "It's Our Time Down Here"

And finally we can't forget Sloth, the deformed Fratelli brother who becomes the unlikeliest of heroes in the adventure.  He also has one of the unforgettable catchphrases of the film:

"HEEEY YOU GUYS!" - Sloth

"I can't tell... if it's an "A sharp" or if it's a "B flat"!" - Andy
"Hey, if you hit the wrong note, we'll all "B flat!"" - Mikey

Spielberg sums up just who the Goonies are: They are often a ridiculous, rag-tag, junk-food bunch of American kids whose biggest enemy is, besides the local bullies and snobby girls, weekend boredom. Never bore a Goonie or you'll be facing an adventure bigger then the entire neighborhood.

The pirates map, The villainous crooks, The underground caverns, The booby traps, the skeletons, The monster, the lost treasure, and the magic that is... THE GOONIES.

Next time on the Influences and Inspirations : A painter who locals nicknamed "Forest Demon"

Cheers
 Ken

More - "The World of Snowboy & Crow" Story Reel to Final Episode Comparison videos!

You can now watch more "The World of Snowboy & Crow" Story Reel to Final Episode Comparison videos!

  

http://youtu.be/riQcSCM3u4o

http://youtu.be/Gj5ke1Dn7vA

http://youtu.be/htyUU3roVPY

Enjoy!

Ken Turner Blog Series: Influences and Inspirations Blog Entry #4 - EDWARD GOREY (1925 - 2000)

 

 “I really think I write about everyday life. I don't think I'm quite as odd as others say I am. Life is intrinsically, well, boring and dangerous at the same time. At any given moment the floor may open up. Of course, it almost never does; that's what makes it so boring.”
― Edward Gorey

I first came upon the work of Edward Gorey at some point during my college years.  Ever since I was hooked and I've been collecting his work ever since.  Gorey's distinct style was often described as "whimsical" and "grim".  Gorey's pen and ink illustrations often depicted animals.  He also has a connection to animation, his work was animated for the intro in the PBS mystery show called MYSTERY!.

  

*A photo of my Edward Gorey book collection

*The mini-comic and the animated web series "The World of Snowboy & Crow" was heavily influenced by the art of Edward Gorey.
- Link to EPISODE #2

 Edward Gorey artwork from "War of the Worlds"

“My mission in life is to make everybody as uneasy as possible. I think we should all be as uneasy as possible, because that's what the world is like.”
― Edward Gorey

 

MINI-BIO:
Edward Gorey, who was an American writer and artist noted for his illustrated books, was born in 1925, Gorey illustrated book covers before moving on to illustrate about 90 books and write 60 of his own before his death in 2000.  Gorey's most famous book, The Gashlycrumb Tinies, depicts the deaths of 26 children, each representing a different letter of the alphabet.  Gorey's home in Massachusetts was turned into a museum showcasing his work.  Gorey himself was an animal rights advocate so he left the bulk of his estate to a charitable trust benefiting cats and dogs, as well as other species, including bats and insects.

  

 

“I am a person before I am anything else. I never say I am a writer. I never say I am an artist...I am a person who does those things.”
― Edward Gorey

 

  

“Books, Cats, Life is Good.”
― Edward Gorey

Next time on the Influences and Inspirations :

*Hint
"Pinchers of power! You guys! I've been saved by my Pinchers of Power!"

Cheers

 Ken