-Written by Kyle Bain.
Alfred Hitchcock (Alistair McGowan) is known for his ability to bring horror films to life in ways far beyond what was often believed to be possible in the early twentieth century. Now, a fictionalized Hitchcock comes back (from beyond the grave I suppose) to teach the world of his cinematic secrets, to expose his filmmaking abilities to the world in a way that will allow them to have a greater appreciation of his works. My Name is Alfred Hitchcock is a titillating documentary that pulls us into Hitchcock’s world like we’ve never before been able.
My Name is Alfred Hitchcock is a cinephile’s dream, as we get to see into the mind of one of the greatest filmmakers and horror storytellers of all time. The world’s that he created throughout the course of his career are still unparalleled, still far beyond the means of his time–and we finally get to hear all of the incredible details and behind-the-scenes stories in one place. My Name is Alfred Hitchcock is, again, a cinephile’s dream–but beyond that group of individuals, I think that this documentary may run into some problems.
My Name is Alfred Hitchcock is incredibly slow, and part of that is due to Hitchcock’s cadence. He’s slow, deliberate in his words–and he makes sure that he touches on every little detail, everything that made him tick as a filmmaker. If you’re not into the development or technical aspects of filmmaking, then My Name is Alfred Hitchcock will more than likely bore you. That’s no particular fault of anyone at all–as the fact of the matter is that Hitchcock was a peculiar individual, meticulous in all that he did. Though, I do wish that this story, each of these pieces of a larger cinematic world, could have been presented to the world in a different way.
I do believe that My Name is Alfred Hitchcock would be better off as a mini series, focusing on specific technique and/or films in each episode. Had this been broken up into pieces, rather than presenting it as a two-hour whole, I honestly think that more viewers would take the time to watch, to analyze Hitchcock’s films along with him, and to ultimately appreciate more of what is being said throughout.
My Name is Alfred Hitchcock is simple, straightforward, meant to appeal to a specific audience–and it does everything that it sets out to do. I found My Name is Alfred Hitchcock incredibly entertaining, everything that I hoped it would be–though, I do wish that there had been breaks between specific pieces of his filmmaking journey. There are a number of ways in which the series could have been broken up: time period, storytelling, narrative, theme, etc. However, the film is just a little too long for what it is. My Name is Alfred Hitchcock certainly works, but the length and Hitchcock’s sort of droning voice will make the film challenging for some.
Written & Directed by Mark Cousins.
Starring Alistair McGowan, etc.
8/10 = WORTH RENTING OR BUYING
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