Iconic Sci-Fi Detective Thriller That Changed Movies Gets Long-Awaited Upgrade
A classic sci-fi, neo-noir feature is making its way onto dazzling 4K UHD as Jean-Luc Godard’s beloved 1965 black and white flick, Alphaville, has landed a restoration. The movie would go on to inspire generations of filmmakers and writers as it perfectly blended science fiction with spy thriller as one man holds the responsibility of preventing a futuristic technology from destroying an entire city and all the people in it. With its top-tier acting, incredible use of real filming locations, and vision by the legendary Godard, the upgraded version of Alphaville will be a must-own for cinephiles to add to their at-home collection.
Lemmy Caution Is Undercover
In Alphaville, audiences are introduced to the trench coat and fedora-wearing Lemmy Caution (Eddie Constantine), an undercover agent who has been sent by his bosses on a top-secret mission to the titular dystopian city. Something is terribly wrong with the bustling metropolis and Caution has been tasked with finding out what it is and putting an end to it. Along his way, he crosses paths with a young woman named Natacha (Anna Karina), with whom he ends up working alongside.
No Turning Back
As audiences will come to find out, Natacha is the daughter of the man causing all the problems in Alphaville, Von Braun (Howard Vernon), a scientist bent on ruling the city behind the screen of a computer dubbed Alpha 60. Together, Natacha and Caution track down a flipped agent named Henri Dickson (Akim Tamiroff) who is in cahoots with Von Braun, and try to slow down Alpha 60’s hold on Alphaville before there’s no turning back.
Classic On-Location Charm
Packed with all the action, intrigue, and music that one would expect from your typical spy neo-noir production, Alphaville is made only that much more intriguing as it’s a French-language film. This should come as no surprise to anyone who knows the works of French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard, but it’s worth noting for first-time viewers. The extra cool thing about how Godard approached the creation of his computer-governed city is that he didn’t use sets for the backdrop, instead relying on the mystery and magic of Paris to whisk audiences away on this fantastical adventure with Agent Caution.
Alphaville Was Ahead Of Its Time
When it comes to how critics received Alphaville, the movie was certainly ahead of its time when it first graced screens nearly six decades ago. It currently sits on Rotten Tomatoes with a 91 percent approval rating, a notable feat, proving that the film has done nothing but age like a fine wine over the last 60 years.
Influence
Even if you’ve never seen Alphaville, heard of Jean-Luc Godard, or any of the film’s notable leading cast members, you’ve likely caught references to it in TV, music, and writing, even if it went over your head. A Season 1 episode of Star Trek: The Original Series makes a reference to the movie, while the beloved song “Linger” by The Cranberries pays homage to the flick in its music video, and a suburb outside of São Paulo, Brazil even gave itself the name Alphaville after the film.
So now, whether you’re a longtime fan of the classic neo-noir sci-fi flick or a first-time viewer, you can check Alphaville out in the way that it was intended – on 4K UHD.
Source: Kino Lorber
