Zorns Lemma
Zorns Lemma is a 1970 American structuralist film by Hollis Frampton. It is named after Zorn's lemma (also known as the Kuratowski–Zorn lemma), a proposition of set theory formulated by mathematician Max Zorn in 1935. Zorns Lemma is prefaced with a reading from an early grammar textbook. The remainder of the film, largely silent, shows the viewer an evolving 24-part "alphabet" (where i & j and u & v are interchanged) which is cycled through, replaced and expanded upon. The film's conclusion shows a man, woman and dog walking through snow as several voices read passages from On Light, or the Ingression of Forms by Robert Grosseteste.
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📋 Film Details
| Year | 1970 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Director | Hollis Frampton |
| Runtime | 60 min. |
| Rating | TMDB: 6.3/10 (31 votes) |
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🎬 MovieFinder's Take
Hollis Frampton constructs the film as a formal experiment, relying on Zorn's lemma and the alphabet's structure. It explores the relationship between language, image, and time, using editing to create a rhythmic and conceptual pattern.
Those who tire of narrative convention will find a rigorous, mesmerizing work of pure cinema. What lingers after viewing is the sense of time itself being parsed and rearranged. — MovieFinder Editorial
Director: Hollis Frampton
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Watch in complete silence, with focused attention, as a visual lecture or meditation.
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