The New Math(s) (2000)

Two students and their teacher seem to be literally fighting over the proper solution to a complex mathematical equation. Is it the key to time and space or a coded instruction manual about their own secret urges?

Director:

Hal Hartley

Stars:

D.J. Mendel, David Neumann, Miho Nikaido

Cast

Credited cast:
D.J. Mendel	...	Teacher
David Neumann	...	Student
Miho Nikaido	...	Student

Storyline

Two students and their teacher seem to be literally fighting over the proper solution to a complex mathematical equation. Is it the key to time and space or a coded instruction manual about their own secret urges? An alchemical action movie? A real life cartoon with original music by Dutch heavyweight Louis Andriessen. Hal Hartley fashioned this whimsical piece of fight choreography with three of his recent performer/collaborators: Miho Nikaido, David Neumann and DJ Mendel.

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Genres:

Short

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Certificate:

Not Rated

User Reviews

Slapstick math

Of all of Hal Hartley's short films I know, this one is the is the funniest. A professor and his two students (male and female) seem to be at odds about the result of a long calculation written on a chalkboard and on a mirror with lipstick. They express their disagreement in rather forceful ways, not commonly practiced by mathematicians.

The formulas, intentionally or not, contain some strange terms, such a summation with lower limit infinity + 1 and upper limit infinity, or another summation sign with the same lower and upper limits.

Eerie music by Dutch composers Louis Andriessen and Michael Van der Aa.

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 July 2007 (Poland)

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), True Fiction Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

15 min

Color:

Color