HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT – The Review

HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT screens in St. Louis Friday through Sunday at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium at 7:30pm

Review by Stephen Tronicek

A great alternative name for Kent Jones’s explosively entertaining HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT would be “Reasons Why Alfred Hitchcock was Awesome.” It may seem unprofessional to go about it like that, but that’s what the film truly is. It’ll play better to those who actually care about why Hitchcock was awesome, but to those that do it’s a slice of encouraging and fulfilling documentary filmmaking.

HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT is a film buff’s movie but the blend of analysis, and interpretation of all of Hitchcock’s work is quite exciting. There’s an optimistic energy that fuels what makes filmmaking such a viable and entertaining craft behind HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT . On top of that the fact that interviewees like Martin Scorsese and Wes Anderson show up to share in this makes the film even more entertaining. Hitchcock clips are exciting by themselves, but when you have directors that are preaching to the choir the entire time the clips transcend their original conception. That said it’s probably better if you are a member the choir. There’s also a palpable optimism in the relationship between Alfred Hitchcock, and Francois Truffaut. The documentary is based on Truffaut’s own book on Hitchcock written off a series of interviews between the directors. They became good friends and all the synergy of filmmaking and their friendship is on camera.

It’s this warmth that fuels an otherwise low key documentary. For all the narrative and tonal jest of the film – and the pedigree that is behind it– HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT is surprisingly visually bland in its approach to documentary filmmaking. This visual style contrasts how creative Sacha Gervasi’s HITCHCOCK was in its portrayal of events and its stylistic choices. Of course the dramatic portrayal of Gervasi’s film would automatically be more compelling, but there still could have been a more creative use of imagery in HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT. The energy here is enough to hold the audience, but the visuals are not.

HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT provides some of the most satisfying Hitchcock worship that one can find. It holds the excitement and beauty of film and highlights the triumph of one of the greatest directors of all time.

4.5 out of 5 Stars