Alphaville

Alphaville, another film from Godard, released in 1965, is a quirky and science fiction story of the secret agent character, Lemy Caution. To the modern viewer, this film is especially strange. The special effects are somewhat comical and reflect a sort of Twilight Zone feel, displaying themes of opression, darkness, and claustrophobia. This is one of Godard's film that sets itself apart from all the others. Alphaville is his only film that delves into the world of science fiction. The city, Alphaville, is ruled by a computer which is the object of Lemy's mission. Lemy Caution's character remains the only one who displays true human-like abilities. All of the girls at the hotel Lemy stays at have been brainwashed by the computer. One could argue that the objective of the computer is to rid the world of humanity. Another plot in the movie revolvs around the destruction of language. The inhabitants of Alphaville must only speak words that appear in their "Bible," that acts as a dictionary, offering literal meanings of words. At the end of the film, the main female character, played by Ana Karina, seems to come to her senses as her and Lemy Caution depart from Alphaville. She says "I love you" to Lemy, the first time in the film where we see her character express true emotion. This ending can be percieved as cliche and too emotional, and also reflects the gender stereotypes presented. The male arhetype character is seen as tough and rational, while the female character is too emotional and robotic. Overall, the film is comedic and strange, yet it still remains one of Godard's most memorable.