The New Wave (Nouvelle Vague) filmmakers, who emerged in France in the late 1950s and early 1960s, had complex and varied perspectives on Alfred Hitchcock.
The New Wave directors, including François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, Éric Rohmer, Claude Chabrol, and Jacques Rivette, among others, were known for challenging traditional filmmaking conventions and bringing a fresh, innovative approach to cinema.
Alfred Hitchcock, the renowned British director, was both admired and critiqued by members of the New Wave movement. François Truffaut, a prominent figure in the New Wave, played a crucial role in shaping the perception of Hitchcock among French cinephiles. Truffaut's book-length interview with Hitchcock, titled "Hitchcock/Truffaut," published in 1967, is considered a landmark in film criticism and analysis.
In "Hitchcock/Truffaut," Truffaut and Hitchcock engaged in in-depth discussions about Hitchcock's films, techniques, and artistic vision. Truffaut expressed admiration for Hitchcock's mastery of suspense, innovative camera work, and thematic depth. The book contributed significantly to the reassessment and elevation of Hitchcock's status as an auteur, a director with a distinctive and personal artistic vision.
While Truffaut celebrated Hitchcock's contributions to cinema, other New Wave directors had more ambivalent views. Some saw Hitchcock as a commercial, mainstream director whose work was too rooted in Hollywood conventions. Jean-Luc Godard, in particular, had a more critical stance, challenging the notion of Hitchcock as an auteur and expressing reservations about the conformity of his narratives to traditional storytelling norms.
Despite differing opinions, Hitchcock's influence on the New Wave cannot be denied. Elements of Hitchcock's innovative storytelling techniques, such as his use of suspense, subjective camera angles, and meticulous attention to detail, left a lasting impact on several New Wave directors. The movement, with its emphasis on breaking away from established norms, appreciated Hitchcock's ability to push the boundaries of storytelling within the constraints of the Hollywood studio system.
Alfred Hitchcock was regarded with a mix of admiration and critique by the New Wave directors. While Truffaut and some others celebrated his cinematic achievements and recognized him as a major influence, there were dissenting voices within the movement that questioned his artistic merit within the context of their rebellion against traditional filmmaking. Despite the differences in opinion, Hitchcock's legacy and contributions to cinema have endured and continue to influence filmmakers across generations.
