The Birds [1963]

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Vacationing in northern California, Alfred Hitchcock was struck by a story in a Santa Cruz newspaper: "Seabird Invasion Hits Coastal Homes". From this peculiar incident, and his memory of a short story by Daphne du Maurier, the master of suspense created one of his strangest and most terrifying films. The Birds follows a chic blonde, Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren), as she travels to the coastal town of Bodega Bay to hook up with a rugged fellow (Rod Taylor) she's only just met. Before long the town is attacked by marauding birds, and Hitchcock's skill at staging action is brought to the fore. Beyond the superb effects, however, The Birds is also one of Hitchcock's most psychologically complicated scenarios, a tense study of violence, loneliness, and complacency. What really gets under your skin are not the bird skirmishes but the anxiety and the eerie quiet between attacks. The director elevated an unknown model, Tippi Hedren (mother of Melanie Griffith), to being his latest cool, blond leading lady, an experience that was not always easy on the much-pecked Ms. Hedren. Still, she returned for the next Hitchcock picture, the underrated Marnie. Treated with scant attention by serious critics in 1963, The Birds has grown into a classic and--despite the sci-fi trappings--one of Hitchcock's most serious films. --Robert Horton

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2008-10-07 rating:
A Must For Hitchcock Fans
I think the best thing about The Birds is that it is directed by Alfred Hitchcock, to me anything with his name fronting it is scary.
Tippi Hedren stars as an attractive woman who moves to a small town somewhere in the U.S. For no given reason 'the birds' start behaving wildly, pecking people's eyes out & doing all those things we know birds are capable of but don't expect them to do.
Amongst all this there is a blossoming romance between Hedren & Rod Taylor.
In contrast with most horror movies made in this era it is quite scary, there is more blood than most cinema goers of that decade would have been used to.
What I didn't like about the film was that there is no real reason for the birds acting so bizarrely; why all of a sudden do they start praying on children, lining up on the climbing frame outside of school? These questions are unfortunately never answered.
I like the film because its easy to watch & it is mildly scary, I mean we see birds every day, they're so unassuming, who would think up their turn in character, only the horror genious Alfred Hitchcock.
All in all a great film. Hitchcock fans will be much more appreciative of it though.

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review by: date: 2007-09-17 rating:
Hitchcock's most teasing, tantalising film
Stark, strange, and a little spooky. Based on a short story rich in symbolism and psychological in style, this movie builds the tension well, and Tippi Hedren is the right choice for the part as the woman who is seemingly attracting these unwelcome visitors. She brings mystery and the sense of a troubled past to her character. I didn't particularly like the (non) ending, the same as many others, but this is one film where this type of ending works. The film of this story could have been made by other directors to great effect, but Hitchcock got there first, and stamped his signature all over it.

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review by: carlosnightman date: 2007-09-03 rating:
Quick Reviews!
Hitchcock does it again, by taking a seemingly preposterous situation and turning it into one of the most impressive, intelligent, and tense movies ever. Tippi has often been accused of not being the greatest actress, but in this she is suitably mysterious as the outsider, at the same time seductive and vulnerable. For reasons unknown, Melanie Daniels's arrival at a cosy seaside town heralds the attack of countless birds, ending in death and chaos. It is often assumed that the birds come as a warning about overt female sexuality, as Melanie travels to Bodega pursuing Mitch Brenner (Taylor). Whatever the reason, what ensues is a gripping finale as the remaining townsfolk hide in their house, wondering when the next attack will be. After a rather slow and uneventful build up, the film shocks the viwer with successive and quick assults on the senses. The scene in the café, as the town argues over whether a recent bird attack is real or fake, quickly followed by a full scale bird assault is a famous example. We are ominously told that birds vastly outnumber people. While people fumble around, trying to escape incompetently, the birds work as an unstoppable group. If you kill one, there's a thousand more.

The stand out scenes are obvious; the birds gathering on the playground, the attack on the school children, the `don't open that door scene', and the final scene, as the humans leave, defeated. The birds themselves are truly remarkable, again making CGI seem very very stupid. Never underestimate the powers of live action, suggestion, and good old matte painting. Perhaps too slow for some modern movie lovers, especially those expecting a fully blown gore and shock fest, but for everyone else-this is another must see from The Master.

Most DVDs of The Birds contain good extras- trailers, commentary, and a suitably long and incisive documentary. The stories about the bird trainer, and the one bird which took a personal dislike to Rod Taylor are entertaining.


review by: jim date: 2006-05-23 rating:
why oh why oh why?????
The Birds was filmed in widescreen: this offering is pan and scan.junk version of a great film. Get the region one version instead.

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