Review of Alphaville (1965) by Blake P — 01 Feb 2012

Lemmy Caution (Constantine) is a secret agent from the "Outer Countries" sent to the dark Alphaville to solve a series of dilemmas that his government wants to know. Posing as a journalist named Ivan Johnson, Caution begins to get deeper into the center of Alphaville's secrets, and along the way meets Natacha (Karina), who desperately wants to break out of the isolated galaxy.

"Alphaville" was made when French New-Wave pioneer Jean-Luc Godard was at its peak, and it definitely ends up being one of his best, and most thought-provoking films. Alphaville is basically a futuristic galaxy controlled by computer Alpha 60, who bans any emotion or individuality from any human, causing the entire country to be mindless drones.

The older the film gets, I think it will become more relevant. The computer age has really taken over just in the past five years, and because the film revolves around an evil computer leader almost makes it a scary prediction, and with all of the control going on now, "Alphaville" will just get better and better.

As a sci-fi noir, "Alphaville" oddly enough doesn't use any special effects, but it somehow succeeds, and when you get super dark and claustrophobic cinematography, the movie becomes a nighmare.

Godard still uses his usual effects like having an odd score, jump cuts, and random signs, but in a sense this doesn't feel like a Godard film-- and that's one of the reasons I like it so much.

"Alphaville" is an ultra spooky, but very relevant sci-fi thriller that should be in the ranks of "Brazil" or "Metropolis". Highly recommended.