My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock Review: Analyzing the Master of Suspense

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As a lifelong cinephile who has been enthralled by Hitchcock’s masterful storytelling since my adolescence, I found “My Name is Alfred Hitchcock” to be an absolute delight. The documentary beautifully encapsulates the essence of one of cinema’s greatest auteurs, weaving together a rich tapestry of insights and anecdotes that even seasoned Hitchcock aficionados will find enlightening.

In contrast to perhaps Stanley Kubrick, no director’s work has been scrutinized as thoroughly as Alfred Hitchcock’s. Mark Cousins’ latest documentary titled “My Name is Alfred Hitchcock” might not be the ideal starting point for those unfamiliar with Hitchcock – it’s a bit too scholarly for that purpose. However, for those eager to delve deeper, this documentary offers an engaging and bold exploration of the recurring themes and visual elements found in the works of the renowned “Master of Suspense”. This exploration is daring because Mark Cousins chose not to narrate the film himself, a departure from his usual practice of providing narration in his distinctly soft and rounded Irish accent.

Instead, the document is “produced with writing and narration by Alfred Hitchcock,” skillfully impersonated by English impressionist Alistair McGowan. This risk pays off thanks to McGowan’s impressive vocal mimicry of the renowned director’s unique voice. With a sharp and insightful script from Cousins, seamless editing by Timo Langer, this documentary titled “My Name is Alfred Hitchcock” leaves you craving to delve into the vast filmography of the master himself. This is quite an accolade for any filmmaking-focused documentary.

A Master Class in Hitchcock in Only Two Hours

If you’re seeking fundamental details about Hitchcock’s life, you won’t find many here, and that’s intentional. The filmmaker, who created the almost-legendary 15-part series The Story of Film, is instead focused on exploring the roots of Hitchcock’s motivation to immerse audiences in his “dream world” and the methods he employed to accomplish this goal. The documentary is divided into six sections: Desire, Escape, Loneliness, Time, Fulfillment, and Height. While some of these thematic categories seem contrived, they do provide a harmonious structure for the film. However, at times, it appears as if he’s crafting his thesis around these headings to justify their inclusion.

In the chapters “Escape” and “Desire”, Christopher Hitchcock’s most convincing points are presented. In the chapter “Escape”, he discusses his journey from London to the United States in 1939, which was driven by a desire to free himself from conventional “dramatic structures” and traditional filmmaking methods. Indeed, as Cousins effectively argues, Hitchcock managed to accomplish this, frequently through subtle means.

Escape takes many forms. In The 39 Steps he purposely filmed his Scottish exteriors on a soundstage instead of on-location so the audience could feel like they “escaped to a parallel world.” In 1954’s Rear Window, Jimmy Stewart’s apartment is decorated with foreign tchotchkes to suggest he’s trying to escape his home life, and in Hitch’s next-to-last film, 1972’s underrated Frenzy, the retreating camera plays the role of audience members too terrified to witness the murder of Babs Milligan (Anna Massey).

A Documentary Packed With Clips from a 50-Year Career

As a dedicated cinephile, I must say that Cousins has truly outdone himself in this documentary. He’s masterfully assembled it with clips from numerous films by the legendary Hitchcock, carefully selecting these gems to support his arguments. This is no small task when you consider that Hitchcock’s illustrious career commenced during the silent era in Britain (regrettably, his debut film, 1922’s “Number 13,” is considered lost). His journey then moved to America, where he created the 1940 Best Picture Oscar winner, “Rebecca,” and continued through the Technicolor era, encompassing classics like “Vertigo” and “North by Northwest.” He concluded his career with the 1976 film, “Family Plot.” What a remarkable span of time and innovation!

In essence, Cousins remains firm with his choices, giving McGowan ample opportunity to deliver an authentic Hitchcock portrayal complete with audible gasps and a blooper. The script is detailed yet casual; it uses familiar terms like “Hank” for Henry Fonda and mentions the moment when Jimmy first sees Kim in Vertigo. There’s no footage of the director, nor any old talk show appearances. Instead, Hitchcock appears only in a series of photographs that Cousins frequently displays, but never overuses.

He smoothly incorporates tales about Hitchcock, such as the amusing anecdote of him constructing a hidden ramp for vertically-challenged actor Claude Rains to approach Ingrid Bergman in the movie “Notorious,” with a clear affection and profound understanding of Hitchcock’s mental framework. If some viewers find Cousins’ attempt to have Hitch acknowledge our era of 5G phones a bit odd, or are puzzled by the shots of the modern woman in the bright chartreuse shirt, it doesn’t significantly diminish the enhanced appreciation and insight into Hitchcock’s work that the viewer gains.

Hitchcock Loved His Leading Ladies and Wanted Us to Love Them, Too

Cousins gives only a passing nod to Hitch’s 54-year marriage to the almost-equally talented Alma, and he doesn’t address longstanding issues about the director’s treatment of his famous leading ladies. But he does remind us of the great number of terrific performances he elicited from his actresses, including Sylvia Sidney, who we see laser focused on the kitchen knife she’ll use to stab her husband in 1936’s Sabotage and, of course, Grace Kelly, whose beauty kept audiences in a “state of chaste arousal” as they awaited her next close up.

In the film “My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock,” there’s a wealth of fascinating details to captivate armchair historians. This movie joins other insightful films such as Alexandre O. Philippe’s “78/52” (focusing on the creation of Hitchcock’s “Psycho”) and Rodney Ascher’s “Room 237” (an in-depth analysis of Stanley Kubrick’s “The Shining”). The filmmaker, Cousins, describes Hitchcock as a “trickster” working within his “trickster’s medium,” which is a fitting description. By revealing the secrets behind Hitchcock’s visual and thematic illusions, instead of spoiling the magic, it only enhances our admiration for his work.

Starting on October 25, the movie titled “Alfred Hitchcock” will make its debut in both New York and Los Angeles, courtesy of Cohen Media Group. As we move forward into November and December, it will be shown in more venues across the country. To find out when and where you can watch it, click here.

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2024-10-23 02:03