'Topaz': An Appreciation by Film Critic/Historian Leonard Maltin

This is the only featurette on the DVD of Topaz. It consists of Maltin talking about the work of Hitchcock(R.I.P.), especially the later ones and with a certain focus on aforementioned ill-received picture(note that all three endings for it are spoiled in this documentary), as well as covers, footage and stills from them. He analyzes them and the situations going on behind the scenes. Overall, he is very diplomatic and he does have solid arguments(...some of the time), but you can clearly tell that he is crazy about these films. It is tough to hold that against him, and the lovefest does have at least a lot of basis in Alfred's skill and effort. And it's both fun and interesting to hear him talk about "music-video-trained directors" who "think they have style", when compared to The Master of Suspense, who actually *did*. We see deleted scenes(that were restored in the version I watched) and he talks about difficulties with preview audiences. He puts words to the way the final product was different from other and more famous ones by the same man. There is disturbing content in this. I recommend it to any fan of the reviewer and/or his idol here. 7/10