Time Piece: Film Study

As part of Geo. A. Pflaum's "Films in Depth" series, which presented detailed analysis, questions, and film art discussion for specific short films, 'Jim Henson's 'Time Piece'' was scrutinized, in a study of "art and the film, the use of symbolism in film." The 20 page booklet, liberally illustrated with black and white stills from the short, begins by asking "What is Art?" and examining art as work and film as art, before moving on to a discussion of the history of surrealism. The study includes a range of questions about the film's visual style and set pieces. Sample questions include the following:
 * "The man crosses a street many time,s finally on a pgo stick. Why the inclusion of this repetitious action?"
 * "'What does the reverse mortion of the table-setting scene say about our "instant" society? How is it related to the cooking of the meal."
 * "Define the role of the TV chase, the painting of a pink elephant, running through the cemetary."
 * "The use of a toilet bowl is a cliche. Is it humorous? Is man really 'flushed away'? Do you consider the appearance of a toilet bowl crude? Why? Does it fit the surrealistic approach?"