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Zorns Lemma

Not RatedDocumentaries • 1970IMDB 6.5/10

A voice is heard reading a series of couplets from the Bay State Primer, before there begins a series of shots. A visual alphabet, composed of street and shop signs is gone over again and again in a loop, using new signs and words each time. As the film progresses, each letter of the alphabet is slowly and progressively replaced using a new image for each letter, including a man painting a wall, a woman speaking, a clementine being peeled, etc. As each letter continues to be gradually replaced, the images for the letters already replaced progress in action: the man finishes the wall, the peeling of the clementine is completed. At the end, a shot of a couple with their dog is shown to be walking into the woods in a single long shot, whilst six women take turns speaking Grosseteste′s "On Light, or the Ingression of Forms" to a rhythm, each speaking a different word every second.read more

This film was Produced in United States.

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Cast

Rosemarie Castoro

Ginger Michels

Marcia Steinbrecher

Crew

Hollis Frampton

Director

N/A

Writer

Story

Directed by Hollis Frampton, this 1970 experimental film stands as a landmark in structuralist cinema. The film is an exploration of the abstract relationship between language, imagery, and narrative structures, where Frampton uses the alphabet as a point of departure. It unfolds over three distinct sections. The first section presents a series of words with each letter of the alphabet displayed in succession. The second section is a 24-minute segment where the letters of the alphabet are gradually replaced by images, while a voice-over recites a children’s primer. In the final segment, a single-take meditative walk through a snowy landscape is accompanied by a female voice reading a 17th-century poem in Latin.Hollis Frampton was a pivotal figure in the American avant-garde film movement. Having initially started his career in painting and photography, he transitioned into filmmaking in the late 1960s. Known for his intellectual rigor and the theoretical foundations behind his works, Frampton’s films often combined elements of visual art with mathematical and linguistic structures. "Zorns Lemma" is considered one of his most important works, influencing a generation of experimental filmmakers who followed. Though he continued to create innovative films until his death in 1984, this particular film is often cited as one of his definitive achievements.The film doesn’t feature traditional cast roles, as it is more focused on the interplay of visual and auditory elements rather than narrative or character development. Nonetheless, the voice recitation of the poem in the final segment is noteworthy, adding a layer of contemplation and philosophical depth to the viewing experience. The film has been the subject of extensive academic analysis and is frequently included in discussions of structuralist and experimental cinema. Despite its unconventional approach, it has received critical acclaim and remains a seminal piece in film studies programs around the world.