Though deceased for nearly 30 years, François Truffaut continues to inspire a passion for cinema in ways deeper and more profound than nearly any living artist. While the root of such an influence is up for a discussion all its own — this writer’s own theory would involve The 400 Blows as an initiative text of sorts — a love of the medium is so apparent in his filmography that, once you’ve actually dived in, its hard not to relate in deeply personal ways. Unless you don’t like Day for Night, but that’s a problem of deeper significance.
Examining the life and times of Truffaut is The Man Who Loved Cinema, a 77-minute documentary complete with friend / colleague interviews and clips from a fruitful quarter-century behind the camera. It’s a nice bit of investigation, and although hearing about his exploits can never capture the magic of viewing them for oneself — what a blessing that his entire filmography is more or less physically “accessible” nowadays — what’s here serves as a reminder of what made the man so special.
The full documentary can be seen below:
Any thoughts on this documentary? What’s your favorite Truffaut film?