Zorns Lemma: Hollis Frampton

And so I come once again to the bane of my cinematic existence: structuralism. Unlike many films of its ilk, Hollis Frampton's Zorns Lemma has an actual point--or at the very least an underlying intention: to reveal language as an arbitrary system of ontological building blocks. The nature of its alphabetic cycling lulls one into contemplative meditation. Unfortunately, like most structuralist films it collapses under the weight of its own importance. Why the bizarre prologue and epilogue? Why was the alphabet quickly reduced to twenty-four letters? The likely answers are because and why not? I think I'll give the same answers when I'm next asked why I don't like structuralism.