The Riddle of Lumen(1972)
“The Riddle of Lumen” presents an evenly paced sequence of images, which seem to follow an elusive logic. As in “Zorns Lemma” the viewer is called upon to recognize or invent a principle of association linking each shot with its predecessor. However, here the connection is nonverbal. A similarity, or an antithesis, of color, shape, saturation, movement, composition, or depth links one shot to another. A telling negative moment occurs in the film when we see a child studying a didactic reader in which simply represented objects are coupled with their monosyllabic names in alphabetical order. –P. Adams Sitney. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2007.
Movie: The Riddle of Lumen
HomePage
Overview
“The Riddle of Lumen” presents an evenly paced sequence of images, which seem to follow an elusive logic. As in “Zorns Lemma” the viewer is called upon to recognize or invent a principle of association linking each shot with its predecessor. However, here the connection is nonverbal. A similarity, or an antithesis, of color, shape, saturation, movement, composition, or depth links one shot to another. A telling negative moment occurs in the film when we see a child studying a didactic reader in which simply represented objects are coupled with their monosyllabic names in alphabetical order. –P. Adams Sitney. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2007.
Release Date
1972-11-10
Average
5.5
Rating:
2.8 startsTagline
Genres
Languages:
No Language
Recommendations Movies
Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don't Know Me(en)
The untold and ultimately inspiring story of legendary singer, Teddy Pendergrass, the man poised to be the biggest R&B artist of all time until the tragic accident that changed his life forever at the age of only 31.
Tacoma(en)
On their last night of spring break, four old friends, now all college freshmen, realize their small town has more meaning than they ever imagined.
Acting and Reacting(en)
An early Josh Becker short starting Bruce Campbell with appearances by Ted Raimi, Sam Raimi and Scott Spiegel.
Faces of Death III(en)
The third installment of the infamous "is it real or fake?" mondo series sets its sights primarily on serial killers, with lengthy reenactments of police investigations of bodies being found in dumpsters, and a staged courtroom sequence.
Pirates: Dead Men Tell Their Tales - The True Story of the Pirates of the Caribbean, A Documentary(en)
Step back in time and sort fact from fiction and discover the magic of the real Pirates of the Caribbean - investigating the stories of Blackbeard, Sir Henry Morgan, Captain Kidd, including the notorious women Pirates, Anne Bonny and Mary Read.
The Girl Who Stayed at Home(en)
Ralph visits France with his father, a shipbuilder, and falls in love with Blossom, the granddaughter of his father's friend, a Civil war veteran not reconciled with the Union. Blossom, however, is engaged to a French nobleman. When the war breaks out, Ralph enlists, while his brother Jim, a heartbreaker, is drafted.
Juicio de faldas(es)
A Christmas Fumble(en)
An ambitious crisis manager is assigned to a sports anchor who turns out to be her ex-boyfriend. She's determined to stay professional, but old feelings resurface as they work together to rebuild his tarnished image before Christmas.
Similar Movies
A Grand Day Out(en)
Wallace and Gromit have run out of cheese, and this provides an excellent excuse for the duo to take their holiday to the moon, where, as everyone knows, there is ample cheese. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive.
The Wrong Trousers(en)
Wallace rents out Gromit's former bedroom to a penguin, who takes up an interest in the techno pants created by Wallace. However, Gromit later learns that the penguin is a wanted criminal. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive.
A Close Shave(en)
Wallace's whirlwind romance with the proprietor of the local wool shop puts his head in a spin, and Gromit is framed for sheep-rustling in a fiendish criminal plot.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid(en)
As the west rapidly becomes civilized, a pair of outlaws in 1890s Wyoming find themselves pursued by a posse and decide to flee to South America in hopes of evading the law.
M*A*S*H(en)
The staff of a Korean War field hospital use humor and hijinks to keep their sanity in the face of the horror of war.
All About Eve(en)
From the moment she glimpses her idol at the stage door, Eve Harrington is determined to take the reins of power away from the great actress Margo Channing. Eve maneuvers her way into Margo's Broadway role, becomes a sensation and even causes turmoil in the lives of Margo's director boyfriend, her playwright and his wife. Only the cynical drama critic sees through Eve, admiring her audacity and perfect pattern of deceit.
The Man with the Golden Arm(en)
When illegal card dealer and recovering heroin addict Frankie Machine gets out of prison, he decides to straighten up. Armed with nothing but an old drum set, Frankie tries to get honest work as a drummer. But when his former employer and his old drug dealer re-enter his life, Frankie finds it hard to stay clean and eventually finds himself succumbing to his old habits.
Rashomon(ja)
Brimming with action while incisively examining the nature of truth, "Rashomon" is perhaps the finest film ever to investigate the philosophy of justice. Through an ingenious use of camera and flashbacks, Kurosawa reveals the complexities of human nature as four people recount different versions of the story of a man's murder and the rape of his wife.
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans(en)
A married farmer falls under the spell of a slatternly woman from the city, who tries to convince him to drown his wife.
The Music Room(bn)
An aging, decadent landlord’s passion for music becomes the undoing of his legacy as he sacrifices his wealth in order to compete with the opulent music room of his younger, richer neighbour.
The Cardinal(en)
A young Catholic priest from Boston confronts bigotry, Nazism, and his own personal conflicts as he rises to the office of cardinal.
Bambi Meets Godzilla(en)
Bambi is nibbling the grass, unaware of the upcoming encounter with Godzilla. Who will win when they finally meet? Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2009.
Pather Panchali(bn)
A depiction of the life of an impoverished early twentieth century rural Bengali family.
Not a Pretty Picture(en)
Mixing narrative and documentary, the film retells a 16 year old girl's experience of a date rape.
Sikkim(en)
Satyajit Ray's poetic documentary was commissioned by the Chogyal (King) of Sikkim at a time when he felt the sovereignty of Sikkim was under threat from both China and India. Ray's documentary is about the sovereignty of Sikkim. The film was banned by the government of India when Sikkim merged with India in 1975. The ban was finally lifted by the Ministry of External Affairs in September 2010. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2007.
The Big Country(en)
Retired wealthy sea captain Jim McKay arrives in the Old West, where he becomes embroiled in a feud between his future father-in-law, Major Terrill, and the rough and lawless Hannasseys over a valuable patch of land.
The Town(en)
The Town was a short propaganda film produced by the Office of War Information in 1945. It presents an idealized vision of American life, shown in microcosm by Madison, Indiana. It was created primarily for exhibition abroad, to provide international audiences a more well-rounded view of America, and was therefore produced in more than 20 translations. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2012.
I Be Done Been Was Is(en)
A documentary about four African-American comediennes set in 1984. Restored in 2021 by the Academy Film Archive.
God Respects Us When We Work, But Loves Us When We Dance(en)
Les Blank's poetic documentation of 1967's Los Angeles Easter Sunday Love-In. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2002.
Once Upon a Time in the West(it)
As the railroad builders advance unstoppably through the Arizona desert on their way to the sea, Jill arrives in the small town of Flagstone with the intention of starting a new life.