The Cinematheque

“For all its influence, Alphaville still looks and feels like no other movie. More than a prophecy, it is poetry.”

Bilge Ebiri, Vulture

Godard’s hugely influential mix of science fiction and film noir was originally called Tarzan vs. IBM, a title suggestive of its theme and its pop-art/pulp-fiction sensibilities. Secret agent Lemmy Caution (Eddie Constantine) travels through space in a Ford Galaxie to Alphaville, the city of the future, where love, art, and individuality are outlawed. His mission is to neutralize dictatorial Professor Von Braun and destroy the ruthless Alpha 60 computer. Cartoon dialogue complements the comic-book plot, while the amazing visuals of cinematographer Raoul Coutard render the city of the title as a shadowy, menacing world of concrete and glass. In fact, Alphaville was shot entirely on location in contemporary Paris, underscoring Godard’s point that the sterile, soulless world of Alphaville had already arrived. Anna Karina plays Von Braun’s daughter. This stunning new restoration premiered at MoMA (New York) in 2023 and screens here in a crossover with our international noir sidebar.

In French with English subtitles

“Digitally restored, Alphaville not only looks but feels brand-new … Alphaville could have been made in 2023. If by some time-travelling Borgesian twist of fate it were, Godard’s film would have been my candidate for the year’s best.”

J. Hoberman, New York Times

“Dazzling … One of Godard’s most sheerly enjoyable movies.”

Tom Milne, Time Out