Alphaville

Jean-Luc Godard

Jean-Luc Godard wanted to originally name ALPHAVILLE as "Tarzan vs. IBM" and as a title that encapsulates the essence of the film splendidly. Tarzan is the rugged, individualistic caveman competing against a faceless, massive and technological army of like-minded drones. It is one of the most fundamental concepts in postmodern theory; the issue of a person's displacement amongst time and space through technological means.

A science-fiction marriage with Godard was never going to prove a pleasurable cinematic voyage, and ALPHAVILLE, despite being set in the future, is filmed completely using nineteen-sixties' Parisian sets and props and without any special effects. Granted, the film contains an approximate beginning, middle and an end, but is still a painful viewing exercise in the best Godard tradition. Images are displayed (seemingly) with a lack of context, editing is far from linear and sequences seem out of place and rambling, and yet in hindsight Alphaville effectively conveys its argument, and remains a New Wave sci-fi classic.

ALPHAVILLE tells of a French agent from the 'Outlands' called Lemmy Caution (Eddie Constantine) who seems a retrogressive take on the American private-detective of the thirties and forties. Caution is direct and fully in charge of his actions - he uses his accompanying handgun to prove this. However, upon visiting the land of Alphaville, on a mission to assassinate the scientist in charge Professor Von Braun (Howard Vernon), Lemmy is repulsed by the way of life, where creativity and individualistic expression has been replaced by total logic, expressed ruthlessly by Alphaville's main think-tank computer Alpha-60.

Raphael Pour-Hashemi, DVD Times

Jean-Luc Godard

Born in 1930 in Paris, France. Spent his childhood in Switzerland. Studied Ethnology in Paris. Critic for “Cahiers du Cinéma”. One of the founding members of “Nouvelle Vague”.

2010 FILM SOCIALISME
2004 NOTRE MUSIQUE
2000 ELOGE DE L'AMOUR
1999 THE OLD PLACE
1988-98 HISTOIRE(S) DU CINEMA
1996 FOR EVER MOZART
1995 2 x 50 ANS DE CINEMA FRANÇAIS
1994 JLG/JLG
1993 HELAS POUR MOI
1993 LES ENFANTS JOUENT A LA RUSSIE
1991 ALLEMAGNE NEUF ZERO
1990 NOUVELLE VAGUE
1987 KING LEAR
1987 SOIGNE TA DROITE
1986 DETECTIVE
1985 JE VOUS SALUE MARIE
1983 PRENOM CARMEN
1982 PASSION
1981 LETTRE A FREDDY BUACHE
1980 SAUVE QUI PEUT (LA VIE)
1978 FRANC-TOUR-DETOUR-DEUX ENFANTS
1976 SIX FOIS DEUX
1975 NUMERO DEUX
1975 ICI ET AILLEURS
1971 TOUT VA BIEN
1969 LE VENT D'EST
1967 WEEK-END
1967 ONE PLUS ONE / SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL
1966 MASCULIN - FEMININ (D)
1966 DEUX OU TROIS CHOSES QUE JE SAIS D'ELLE (Livre)
1966 MADE IN USA
1965 ALPHAVILLE
1965 PIERROT LE FOU
1964 BANDE A PART
1964 UNE FEMME MARIEE
1963 LE PETIT SOLDAT
1963 LES CARABINIERS
1963 LE MEPRIS (DIE VERACHTUNG)
1962 VIVRE SA VIE
1961 UNE FEMME EST UNE FEMME
1959 HISTOIRE D'EAU
1960 CHARLOTTE ET SON JULES
1959 TOUS LES GARÇONS S'APPELLENT PATRICK
1959 A BOUT DE SOUFFLE (AUSSER ATEM)

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Alphaville