Based on a short story by Jorge Luis Borges, the film presents a speculative narrative where 1960s Alfred Hitchcock, in the midst of directing The Birds, encounters his double, a man similar to him in every respect apart from looking older and hailing from the 1980s.
The film uses lookalikes, voice impersonators, as well as rare and popular reels of Hitchcock footage that is edited, remagnified, and interwoven to tell the story. All the while, the film is reexamining the history of America's Cold War with Russia, from the late 50s up until the death of Hitchcock. Using old news and documentary footage, the director establishes an indelible allegory which illustrates how the two superpowers were essentially mirror images of themselves, wielding fear across oceans. While we are entertained by Hitchcock's brief, very personal and fearful encounter with his doppelganger (he, coincidentally, being a master of the fearful) we are made to rewitness the very public confrontations of the other set of massive doubles. And there are other "doubles" hinted at throughout the film; an infinite regression of doubles if you will, which would no doubt make Borges smile.
Some of the newer camera work doesn't gel as well as one would like with all the borrowed stuff. And even some of the Hitchcock footage seems poorly edited. But you have to give Grimonprez some credit for trying something new and fascinating.
It took a while to figure out where he was going with this project of his, but Grimonprez does go somewhere interesting filmically. Lots of homage, quirk, and eye-opening moments make this a must-see for those looking for a challenge or at least something different. A definite rarity.
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