As an Earthbound alien in 1976’s The Man Who Fell To Earth, David Bowie assimilated quite well to human life, masquerading as the head of a tech corporation to create the means to return home…well, at least just long enough to be doomed by his own belief in the inherent goodness of man. (Sucker.) Conversely, Electroma follows robotic duo Daft Punk’s tragic misadventures through a bizarro California where everyone is a robot—Daft Kids on swing-sets, Daft Cops, Daft Preggers with strollers, Daft Lawn-Mowing Dads—but Hero #1 and Hero #2 just want to be human after all.

Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel De Homem-Christo directed this dialogue-free feature, with the former also turning in a capable debut effort as the director of photography, eschewing cheaper DV to shoot the entire feature on rich 35mm Kodak stock. Permeating through the film’s emulsion is Daft Punk’s clear homage to ’70s filmmaking: Kubrick’s patient establishing shots, The Andromeda Strain’s disquieting use of silence and sound effects, the music of Todd Rundgren, Brian Eno and Curtis Mayfield (our robot protagonist’s ride, a 1987 Ferrari 412, notwithstanding). Daft Punk’s own music does not appear in Electroma, but the metal-encased DVD release, courtesy of Vice Records, contains a 40-page booklet of production stills, making their misadventures in Electricrobotland a must-have for your favorite Daft Punker (who, ironically, wishes to be a robot).