Hapax Legomena III: Critical Mass (1971)

Drenched in a void of blackness, "Hapax Legomena III: Critical Mass" unravels, with the only sensory guide being the intense bickering of a man and a woman. Their words tumble and clash, stuttering and looping in a rhythmic dance of repetition, punctuating the silence with beeps and discordant noises. As the narrative unfurls, the couple emerges from the auditory shadows, their dialogue painting a picture of a heated dispute. The bone of contention is a mysterious two-day absence of the man, a puzzle that the woman yearns to unravel, but a secret that the man adamantly declares doesn't concern her. Their argument, mirroring the cyclical nature of their words, spirals on an endless loop, culminating in a climax that leaves the mystery of the man's vanishing act tantalizingly unresolved. This film, in its essence, is a dynamic interrogation of communication and secrecy, where the answer is as elusive as the question.

Hapax Legomena III: Critical Mass is a short movie directed by Hollis Frampton.

Hapax Legomena III: Critical Mass is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.