The Timeless Terror of "The Birds"

[joefilmone]

Hitchcock's "The Birds" is still a brilliant example of pure cinematic terror. A film that has aged so well that it seems timeless- it could be takin place now. Hitchcock and his screenwriters made the the wise choice of never giving an explanation for the bird attacks- is it nature taking it's revenge on man? Could it be chemical ? Supernatural- or just the end of the world

[johnm001]

One, in the trilogy that make up my favorite films. I love every second of it, and have never tired of seeing it, since its original theatrical release, when I paid to see it, many times.

 

I also like this!

 

https://vimeo.com/63041936

 

[joefilmone]

h3. [ 1963|http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Flecinemadreams.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F09%2Fthe-birds-1963.html&ei=1gxaUZ7EEpfi4AOZ64CYBA&usg=AFQjCNGy5y7pPoVOQpoq21Jw76c8CZfF8w&bvm=bv.44442042,d.dmg]

*lecinemadreams*.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-*birds*-1963.html

[johnm001]

Thanks for that link. Of course, I both agree and disagree with the writer. Evan Hunter's screenplay is my favorite dialog from any motion picture. I also disagree with it not being Hitchcock's best. It IS his best, by a mile, imo. I agree with FRENZY being an ugly film. I hate it.

[joefilmone]

When I first saw "The Birds" I thought the first part was dull - but now I appreciate Hitchchock's and Hunter's deliberate pace.

[FredCDobbs]

I first heard this story on Radio in 1953. The voice is Herbert Marshall.

 

It is here Click on this link and then scroll down and click on item # 21:

 

http://archive.org/details/Lux18

[bagladymimi]

Thanks, Fred, for the link. I saw here and listened. Thought it was terrific. Hopefully, I will be able to listen to all of the other stories on this site. I recognized all the names of the stars. It is amazing what you can do with your imagination while you are listening rather than watching it. I like to listen to books on tape. This is the same thing, just shorter.

 

And this take on The Birds was great, especially with Herbert Marshall narrating.

 

 

[FredCDobbs]

During the long years before TV, millions of people enjoyed listening to Radio dramas. We had no problems visualizing the events, and we saw them and the location and sets in our minds. This was helped by the fact that we had already seen many movies, so I guess we borrowed sets and scenes from our memories of the movies as we listened to the radio shows.

[MissGoddess]

My appreciation and enjoyment of *The Birds* increases all the time. I love this movie, and I think it's one of Hitch's best, certainly, and one of the best movies ever made.

[CineMaven]

Why.

 

Because it's never answered helps adds to the mystery, mystique and unsettling horror of "The Birds."

 

Yes, Mankind. Keep thinking you're in control.

[FredCDobbs]

>Hitchcock and his screenwriters made the the wise choice of never giving an explanation for the bird attacks- is it nature taking it's revenge on man? Could it be chemical ? Supernatural- or just the end of the world

 

In the original short story and the original radio pay, mankind was blamed for upsetting the ecology of the modern world, by abusing nature, by having wars, etc. The united attacking birds represented nature trying to take back control of nature from the abuse of man.

 

This doesn't make much sense, but you can hear the theory proposed at the very end of the radio play.

 

It is here Click on this link and then scroll down and click on item # 21:

 

http://archive.org/details/Lux18

 

The most effective part of the original story and the movie is having the protagonists in a remote isolated place, where they are being attacked but can't get any help or any answers about what is happening.

 

The same technique is used in Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

[joefilmone]

The original story is a lot more grimmer than the screenplay. There is not clear explanation given for the bird attacks either. There is a mention about the weather perhaps it's all because of climate change ( let's leave that for the remake) The story also suggest a much more catastrophic nation wide event- once can only imagine what Irwin Allen would have done with it.

 

Edited by: joefilmone on Apr 7, 2013 8:25 PM

[leobertucelli]

How unfortunate that today, not many take the time to develope a story line; the dialogue now in most films do not measure up to how it was written in movies today. 'Suppose that's why many do feel the fear in "THE BIRDS" ---This is one aspect of how todays movies do not measure up to how they were before. Now most are merely adult cartoons. And the type of actors today just don't have what POWER, GABLE and all the many with whom we grew up with. Now, they shave their hair and just seem so average. That's one of the reasons I rarely go to see a film. I do not want to see merely the average!

[bagladymimi]

I totally agree with you. Same goes for the special effects. Today they can digitally do anything. The special effects with the actual birds and fake birds in this movie is a good example of what Hitchcock could do to create what he wanted. Another example is in Foreign Correspondent with the airplane crash. Today it would be all digitally done and as a result, at least in my mind, totally unbelievable. Back then directors and actors had to use whatever props they had to make the viewer believe what they wanted to achieve. It was amazing. I also saw on TCM, the making of North By Northwest with the airplane sequence being explained. Cary Grant actually did some running and the falling at one point. Can you imagine a star doing that today? I wonder? And look what they did with Gone With The Wind - what a great achievement.

 

Edited by: bagladymimi on Apr 8, 2013 9:20 PM

[Film Fan 50s 60s 70s]

Audi Tribute Commercial

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcV71liAMwc

[petersan]

I like this movie and fully enjoyable............

[markfp2]

When I first saw "The Birds" I thought the first part was dull - but now I appreciate Hitchchock's and Hunter's deliberate pace.

I wouldn't say it was dull, it just needs a little time to set up the plot. The trouble is that most of today's audiences, especially teenagers, don't have the patience to let the story build up. If it doesn't take right  off in the first thirty seconds they don't want to stick with it. In the coming week I'm going to show THE BIRDS to my 15 year-old grandson and we'll see how that works out. At least it's in color, otherwise I'd never get him to try it.

[faceinthecrowd]

How unfortunate that today, not many take the time to develope a story line; the dialogue now in most films do not measure up to how it was written in movies today. 'Suppose that's why many do feel the fear in "THE BIRDS" ---This is one aspect of how todays movies do not measure up to how they were before. Now most are merely adult cartoons. And the type of actors today just don't have what POWER, GABLE and all the many with whom we grew up with. Now, they shave their hair and just seem so average. That's one of the reasons I rarely go to see a film. I do not want to see merely the average!

Joan Crawford, explaining why she always dressed up when she went out: 

"If you want to see the girl next door, go next door."

[faceinthecrowd]

Thanks, Fred, for the link. I saw here and listened. Thought it was terrific. Hopefully, I will be able to listen to all of the other stories on this site. I recognized all the names of the stars. It is amazing what you can do with your imagination while you are listening rather than watching it. I like to listen to books on tape. This is the same thing, just shorter.

 

And this take on The Birds was great, especially with Herbert Marshall narrating.

When TV was first becoming popular, but radio dramas were still thriving, someone said that the difference between radio and TV was that on the radio, the pictures were better.