Oftentimes, modern audiences overlook older films, but French New Wave cinema proves that this could not be further from the truth —- older films are anything but boring. Emerging in the late 1950s, this French New Wave cinema movement helped push for innovation. Before Old Hollywood films, filmmakers followed strict rules and guidelines. American filmmakers were limited to indoor soundstages, whereas French New Wave directors, due to technological advances, were able to film outside.
Jean-Luc Godard’s 1965 “Alphaville” was shot on location in Paris, France. This film took advantage of newer technology that allowed them to experiment with different mediums. Rejecting traditional cinematic techniques, French New Wave cinema directors broke free from the standard dialogue shots of person A speaking to person B, embracing new, unconventional storytelling techniques.
Jean-Luc Godard, a French-Swiss director, was responsible for defining the movement. Godard’s “Alphaville” is a sci-fi noir film about a dystopian, futuristic city under the mind control of a computer named Alpha 60 that forces citizens of the city to act logical and suppress all displays of emotions – an act punishable by death.
Anna Karina and Eddie Constantine co-star in this film. The film follows Lemmy Caution, played by Constantine, an American secret agent from the outer countries posing as Ivan Johnson, a journalist, as he enters the strange, futuristic city of Alphaville. Lemmy goes on a series of missions, keeping viewers on their toes and questioning what is happening. This is a place where the meaning of love is lost and where poetry is forbidden.
Godard’s choice to use black-and-white film to his advantage added depth to the film’s world, making the film seductive and enticing as it dives into the strange suburb. There seem to be parallels between this world and a dictatorial regime, with odd and oppressive rules. This is highlighted in a scene where Caution gets interviewed by Alpha 60, whose artificial voice looms over the shots and emphasizes control over the city.
With each watch of the film, more and more questions arise regarding worldbuilding. There’s a number of unsettling moments in this film, such as the objectification of women, whose bodies are marked with tattoos of numbers. There’s a picture of a mysterious man, Scientist von Braun, everywhere Johnson goes. In another disturbing scene, people by a pool are shot for expressing their emotions. Natacha von Braun, played by Anna Karina, a programmer for Alpha 60 whom Caution enlists in his mission, gets questioned about her apparent sadness when Caution is ambushed and beaten.
In the city of Alphaville, citizens are encouraged to act logically and reject emotions. This is especially evident when Natacha doesn’t know the difference between a bible and a dictionary. There seems to be no freedom in Alphaville, with Natacha ordered to not see Caution anymore, presumably because she’s grown too attached to him.
The cinematography adds to the sci-fi world. Beautiful clips are revealed piece by piece. There is never a boring second of film wasted. Alphaville is a captivating film that uses the most out of its low budget, to draw in its audiences in, using the tools of cinema: editing, mise en scene, acting and narrative.