When Melanie Daniels rolls into Bodega Bay in pursuit of eligible bachelor Mitch Brenner, the small California town is inexplicably and viciously attacked by thousands of birds.
Of course we know birds to not attack people, but that’s ok…let’s suspend belief and look at this wonderful Hitchcock film that was recently thrown back into the spotlight with the death of Suzanne Pleshette.
Rumors about bird care during the filming still persist today, I have read that magnet and fishing line were use to keep birds on phone wires and on roofs, also the use of birdseed in the hair of actors as well to promote the “active feeding” on the characters. I’m sure Hitchcock would have animal rights activist lurking around if the filming was today; be that as it may, sit back and enjoy the terror of The Birds, and look for Hitchcock walking his dogs for his cameo.
As I selected categories for this entry, I wondered is this movie a “classic”?
Check the WRL catalog for this movie
Some would say it’s a classic.
Of course it’s a classic. It’s a film that I made sure my kids saw at an appropriate age.
I would call it a classic as well, but when I was clicking off the categories to define my post I read “classic” and thought of classic books, for example Moby Dick.
Just wanted to throw out there the classic movie question to spark discussion.
My daughter watched The Birds with me on or around New Years and she loved it, wondered why anyone would be scared, but enjoyed the film and now knows about Hitchcock in a roundabout way.
If you had to choose 1 and only 1 Hitchcock film to call a classic, which one would it be? Psycho, The Birds, Rear Window?
Todd darling,
I am surrounded by birders. Some of my best friends are birders. All this week you’ve been writing about birds. Please, please, please– I am begging on behalf of all of us who don’t care about birds– PLEASE find another topic. You’re killing us, here.
(I will confess that, back in my movie-watching days, I watched the Birds– probably when I was about your daughter’s age. Didn’t think it was scary, but it was enjoyable enough.)