Alphaville - a science fiction film noir

Over the last few years I have been slowly working my way through the 'canon' of 50 great science fiction films as recommended to me by the 'Rough Guide to Science Fiction' - cheers Mum for that gift, it has been enlightening. Such films have included Soylent Green and - now - Alphaville.

A French, black and white science fiction thriller from the 1950s, Alphaville immediately feels like a film noir detective story. However it also feels confusing and disturbing as it paints a picture of a world that has succumbed to the nightmare of authoritarianism through machines. Alphaville the city is introduced to us through a series of confusing scenes in which a reporter from the 'outer countries' arrives in the city and is greeted by emotionless individuals and a harsh, grating, mechanical disembodied voice that emanates from Alpha-60 - the machine that controls the city. There is no introductory montage that explains what this city is, no news reel that explains how Paris of the modern era became this heartless place of the future, instead we get a confusing experience in which people greet each other with the same banal phrases and fear any expression of humanity. From this we piece together a picture of a nightmare future.

It is never completely clear how far in the future this film is set or indeed where in the universe it is set. Telephone operators talk of making 'galactic calls', while the film looks firmly set in an Earthly city. Far from being confusing though, this is actually quite satisfying since it makes the world even more strangely alien.

Our main character - the reporter - is a man named Lemmy Caution, who is possibly a spy from the outer countries. Is he investigating the machine that is Alpha-60, or is he trying to destroy it? Alpha-60 runs Alphaville by implementing a strict authoritarian regime of zero emotion and devotion to the state. Caution is shown people being executed for demonstrating feelings, he talks to his female aide about the use of words and how there are certain phrases that have lost all meaning in this world. They discuss how Alpha-60 is the creation of scientists in Alphaville and has realised that it can only survive by imposing its regime on the other countries. Caution then resolves to fight against Alpha-60 and try to save humanity from its influence.

Hugely confusing at first - deliberately so as the world Alphaville portrays should be confusing and disturbing - Alphaville is ultimately very satisfying. Another classic science fiction film that's worth checking out, not for the easily-confused though.