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Double Take

Play trailer Poster for Double Take 2009 1h 20m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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76% Tomatometer 29 Reviews 49% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Exploring the link between Cold War paranoia and the entertainment industry, which both depended on instilling a sense of fear, this documentary examines the efforts of acclaimed director and "master of suspense" Alfred Hitchcock, and how he marketed dread to a captivated audience. Hitchcock is shown in publicity appearances and portrayed by a lookalike (Ron Burrage) and an impersonator (Mark Perry), and his masterly skills of manipulation are revealed.
Double Take

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Critics Consensus

It's neither as profound nor as enlightening as it wants to be, but this stylishly edited Hitchcock homage brims with its subject's singular spirit.

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Critics Reviews

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Jonathan Romney Sight & Sound Double Take is deadly serious in its scrutiny of politics, anxiety and the media, but it's also a witty entertainment that responds to Hitchcock with much of the master's own lightness and mischief. Jul 6, 2018 Full Review Chris Chang Film Comment Magazine Double Take is a cunning hybrid-call it a psycho-doc. Playful yet tempered with paranoia, curiously the whole thing nevertheless seems more nostalgic than cautionary. Nov 13, 2013 Full Review A.O. Scott New York Times Hitchcock was a master of mischief and misdirection, and no film so thoroughly infused with his spirit could be dull or predictable. Rated: 3/5 Jun 4, 2010 Full Review Amie Simon Three Imaginary Girls There are times when the "plot" seems disjointed - not all of the clips run smoothly, but in the end it all works. Mar 8, 2019 Full Review Sean Axmaker Turner Classic Movies Online ... more entertaining than enlightening. Mar 25, 2011 Full Review Mike Scott Times-Picayune The message is muddy, but that doesn't feel as important as the delivery method, which ends up redeeming this as a film experiment that succeeds for its sense of derring-do if nothing else. Rated: 2.5/4 Jul 23, 2010 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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andrew k A mixture of statements about the Red Scare of the 50s spilling into the early 60s, the distraction of consumerism and the rise of television beginning to cannibalize cinema. All of which are topped by a quiet encounter between the Hitchcock of 1962 and an interesting companion as they calmly talk over coffee and tea. An enjoyable piece for any admirer of the man's work. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member The juxtaposition of images of the cold war with images of Alfred Hitchcock. A confused composition makes this film look particularly goofy in drawing up its conclusion. Furthermore, it feels inadequately self-important. Nevertheless, the initial concept is quite intriguing although the project and its ambition never feels fully realised. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member An art house film of the highest order. The movie brilliantly alternates Hitchcock with footage from the cold war to show how fear and paranoia drove the arms race. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Hitchcock in the context of the Cold War--of course! And capitalist fearmongering and warmongering, and television. But rather too enigmatic when it should have been provocative. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member This cut and paste mockumentary about Alfred Hitchcock and Cold War zietgiest might be a bit too pretentious and silly for some, but film snobs like me might be amused to see Hitchcockian mischief fill the screen once again Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Audience Member A clever if impossibly-ambitious concept, using many 1960s clips to illustrate some rather odd coincidences between the life of Alfred Hitchcock, one of his London lookalikes, his films and the Cold War. As a bunch of assorted disparate clips, it's never really boring, but as a whole, it doesn't really work. Mildly educational and fairly watchable. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Double Take

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Double Take

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Movie Info

Synopsis Exploring the link between Cold War paranoia and the entertainment industry, which both depended on instilling a sense of fear, this documentary examines the efforts of acclaimed director and "master of suspense" Alfred Hitchcock, and how he marketed dread to a captivated audience. Hitchcock is shown in publicity appearances and portrayed by a lookalike (Ron Burrage) and an impersonator (Mark Perry), and his masterly skills of manipulation are revealed.
Director
Johan Grimonprez
Producer
Emmy Oost
Screenwriter
Johan Grimonprez, Tom McCarthy
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 1, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$20.2K
Runtime
1h 20m