Sunday, November 16, 2008

Alphaville

  The story begins with Lemmy Caution a double agent spy from what's referred to as The Outlands, he's posing as a reporter.  He is sent to a faraway planet Alpha, to bring back Henri another agent, and to change professor Vonbrauns' ideals with Alpha 60.  Once Lemmy gets there he is greeted by robotic/Geisha like women who seem to only want to please Lemmy sexually.  He is also told that Alpha 60 is a giant computer calculating rules for the people of Alpha 60.  Professor Vonbraun is the creator of Alpha 60, and has the machine calculate what a utopic civilization needs to be, and sets their laws accordingly in order for people to follow.
  In his search for Professor Vonbraun, and Henri he discovers that Alpha 60 is against any kind of real love, or true emotions.  Instead they show people being executed because their emotions get the better of them, like when a man's wife died, he cried, and was subsequently executed because of shedding tears.  Their people are programed to only learn and use words that are practical, and have no emotional backing to them.  He is lead to Professor's daughter, whom he falls for.  When he tries to bring back Henri, he is killed.  And once Caution talks to the Professor his efforts to change his mind are futile.  Caution confronts Alpha 60 (the computer) to pose a riddle, that would in return destroy it's own way of thinking.
  In the end Caution destroys the computer, the Professor, and rescues Natacha (the professors daughter) to take her to the Outlands where they can be free and in love.  
  As with a lot of Godard's films there is a underlying subtext, that's being presented.  The idea of poetry, emotions, and love are forbidden.  A social commentary about the word "Consequence." Showing that if we live in a world without love, and art that there will be consequences.  The conscious of a world will weight heavy without love, and creativity.  If a world is ran without any possibility of flaws, than there is no way to really enjoy life.  You can't enjoy the sweet, without the sour.
  The evil computer, is guided by the professor like a dictator (or Gestapo).  Exhibiting a comparison to Hitler, with lingering WWII principles.  Escaping to the outlands of freedom (Democratic lands).

SuAnn  

No comments: