Alphaville

"Godard plucks a private eye right out of a Raymond Candler novel (Eddie Constantine) and drops him on a foreign planet (Alphaville) in this strange noir/sci-fi/French New Wave hybrid. He soon comes into conflict with the founder of Alphaville and his super computer, which coldly governs the planet. Godard’s use of 1960s Paris to double as this dystopian setting seems to be equal parts practical and a statement. He is able to create a very alien feeling world using mostly score and sound effects. The film has almost no visual special effects (the super computer literally seems to be made with a box fan and a flashlight). All the hallmarks of Godard’s work are here, for better or worse. The distain for tradition story structure and the mastery of tone and style. The philosophical voiceover, the wry sense of humor and the political undertones are all apparent. His on again/off again wife/muse Anna Karina has a key role in the film. This is a unique film and is my favorite Godard movie (mostly due to my understanding of the genres he’s playing with here). However, it would be a strange entry point for most people, who would probably feel more at home with something like Breathless. 4 out of 5 stars"