Being my third Godard film, I was very excited to delve into this one, as I had liked the previous two I had seen (Breathless, and A Woman is A Woman). After all, the idea of combining Godard's French New Wave style with science fiction is very compelling. I had also read nothing about the plot or theme of the film beforehand, so it was a truly raw experience. That being said, I am very disappointed.
I rarely call a film boring, because that's too easy of a response and usually not the case for most films. Nonetheless, "Alphaville" bored me. I didn't connect to the story or any of the characters, and was lost most of the time. The style was cool, but that's about all I found interesting about the film. Also, the voice of Alpha 60 is like nails-on-a-chalk-board; I was literally pulling on my hair when it gave those long monologues.
I don't want to give the wrong impression, though. I can see how it influenced future sci-fi cinema (i.e. Blade Runner, 2001: A Space Odyssey), and it's a strikingly unique and original (albeit unconventional) piece, but it simply failed to engage me as a viewer. Whether or not this was Godard's intention, I don't know. Watch it only if you have a great passion for cinema and film history. All casual moviegoers beware.
I rarely call a film boring, because that's too easy of a response and usually not the case for most films. Nonetheless, "Alphaville" bored me. I didn't connect to the story or any of the characters, and was lost most of the time. The style was cool, but that's about all I found interesting about the film. Also, the voice of Alpha 60 is like nails-on-a-chalk-board; I was literally pulling on my hair when it gave those long monologues.
I don't want to give the wrong impression, though. I can see how it influenced future sci-fi cinema (i.e. Blade Runner, 2001: A Space Odyssey), and it's a strikingly unique and original (albeit unconventional) piece, but it simply failed to engage me as a viewer. Whether or not this was Godard's intention, I don't know. Watch it only if you have a great passion for cinema and film history. All casual moviegoers beware.