A fascinating outing for any film buff, Hitchcock/Truffaut is an in-depth insight to the research behind Francois Truffaut’s titular book, a seminal exploration of the director’s work.
Before Truffaut and Cahier’s Du Cinema, the film magazine the critic-turned-director wrote for, Hitchcock wasn’t treated seriously, described only as 'an entertainer.' But Truffaut, Bazin and Godard declared him an artist and Truffaut endeavoured to write a book about the English director, hoping to interview the man to discuss every film he’s made. That interview, a week-long discussion at Hitchcock’s Universal studios in 1963 (just after the release of The Birds), forms the basis for Kent Jones’ documentary.
Broken up by interviews with Fincher, Scorsese, Anderson, Schrader, Peter Bogdanovich (who did something similar with Orson Welles), Richard Linklater, Olivier Assayas and Kiyoshi Kurosawa among the faces (Mathieu Amalric narrates), there aren’t any fallow moments here – everything everyone has to say interests. But this is really the Hitchcock-Truffaut show and hearing the director break down his films (there are marvellous insights into sequences from Vertigo, Psycho and North By Northwest), why he would place the camera where he did and what that said about the character and the scene is fascinating. Although heavy on his more famous outings (everything after The Birds is skimmed over), there is a strong investigation of his earlier films: "The Lodger was the first time I exercised any style."
As expected it’s more Truffaut on Hitchcock than the directors discussing each other’s work. The only thoughts Hitchcock has on Truffaut’s films is a telegram expressing his delight after seeing Day For Night but a particularly magic moment has Truffaut describe ("In detail!", as Hitchcock demands) a scene from The 400 Blows where Antoine sees his mother kiss another man. As the scene unfolds, Hitchcock butts in that he hopes there is no exchange of words between mother and son… just as we see that very thing. Great minds and all that.
You wish it could be longer. A must for any film fan.