Alphaville

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Film Description

Compelling viewing for students of science fiction and film noir. Imagine a gallic Sam Spade, call him Lemmy Caution, place him on the rim of the known universe populated by characters as expressionless as Thunderbirds puppets, place a computer with a voice so sonorous as to make your teeth grind and so powerful as to make Hal 9000 seem like a Casio calculator, add a labyrinthine plot, some rather cliched but apposite morals and film in a very low key, angles and edges 60s way with the most sparing of dialogue. That is Alphavillle. Its working title by the way, was Tarzan vs IBM.

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Review by P F Holmes on 9th June 2000

Dear reader, let me tell you of a potential problem I have with Jean-Luc - that with so much of his work unavailable on video in the UK, the sense of excitement and longing that comes when awaiting a new release is often so overpowering that one recognises the danger of a reduction in one's critical faculties.
That notwithstanding, Alphavillle is compelling viewing to both student of science fiction and film noir. Never an easy ride, it feels at first like a slightly higher budget version of Russ Meyer schlock and then takes on an unearthly nightmarish quality. I challenge anyone to remain unaffected - this is a love it or hate it experience.
Imagine a gallic Sam Spade, call him Lemmy Caution, place him on the rim of the known Universe populated by characters as flat and lacking expression as a Thunderbirds puppet, place a computer with a voice so sonorous as to make your teeth grind and so powerful as to make Hal 9000 seem like a Casio calculator, add a labyrinthine and not entirely convincing plot, some rather cliched but apposite morals and film in a very low key, angles and edges 60s way with the most sparing of dialogue. That is Alphavillle.
Recommended.

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Review by anonymous on 15th June 2000

At last available on video again. Alphavillle is compelling viewing to both student ofscience fiction and film noir. Never an easy ride, I challenge anyone to remain unaffected - this is a love it or hate it experience. Imagine a gallic Sam Spade, call him Lemmy Caution, place him on the rim of the known Universe populated by characters as flat and lacking expression as a Thunderbirds puppet, place a computer with a voice so sonorous as to
make your teeth grind and so powerful as to make Hal 9000 seem like a Casio calculator, add a labyrinthine and not entirely convincing plot, some rather cliched but apposite morals and film in a very low key, angles and edges 60s way with the most sparing of dialogue. That is Alphavillle. Recommended.

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Article - "Tragic Muses - Monica Vitti and Anna Karina" by Alan Boshier
Wednesday 2nd April 2003

In the golden era of European art cinema, two actresses came to embody the work of the directors that they were associated with on both a personal and professional level to an extent that it is hard to separate one from the other. They are Monica Vitti and Anna Karin...  View article in full

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Mirrors, echoes, precursors and influences by Gavin Oakes

Every writer creates his own precursors, writes Borges. So too with filmmakers. These paired films are not remakes, but films that make me think of other films. Whether the film makers thought of them too I don't know.

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