Moody, tense and highly entertaining.

Rating: 8/10 (9 April 2002)

The Birds is a moody and entertaining delight. Possible SPOILERS ahead: Tippi Hedren plays Melanie Daniels; a free spirit that does have a serious side. Melanie wants a prank revenge with Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor) because he got the upper hand as she was playing one of her pranks. Melanie is also somewhat intrigued with Mitch. She learns Mitch has left the city for the small hamlet of Bodega Bay. She then decides to continue with her prank, and takes the coastal road to Bodega Bay. She finds out where he lives and who he lives with, and boats across the bay to continue with her prank of delivering lovebirds. Soon her charade and pranks stop when she gets more involved with Mitch and his family, and she stays in Bodega Bay longer than she planned. She meets Mitch's mother (Jessica Tandy), who seems distant, worried and somewhat cold. Melanie also meets Mitch's little sister, Cathy (Veronica Cartright), who she finds warmth from. Melanie is invited to dinner, and then to Cathy's birthday party. She takes a room at the home of an ex-girlfriend of Mitch's (Suzanne Pleshette), and they seem to awkwardly get along as it's realized Melanie and Mitch are attracted to each other. A minor bird attack has already happened to Melanie, and soon more frequent attacks happen. The characters all become involved in the attacks by the birds. The attacks seem to become more vicious. The ending of the film leaves the situation of further bird attacks, and the escape of our main characters to the viewer's imagination. The Birds is well acted, and delivers fine drama and tense bird attacks. The drama may bog down the story for those who need to have constant action, but what you might be missing is how the dramatic parts ease things until another sudden bird attack happens.-- The audience relaxes with the interactions of the characters, and suddenly there's a bird attack disrupting everything! There are some very interesting camera angles in The Birds. Some of the special effects may seem unconvincing by today's standards, but one must remember this film was made in 1963. I find this film to be highly entertaining, and the bird attacks are somewhat tense (particularly the attack on the school children as they flee the schoolhouse.) Hitchcock's direction delivers a perfect mood in every scene. The scene in which the birds attack the now boarded up Brenner house could even be thought of as claustrophobic as Melanie with Mitch and his family hear the birds all around the outside of the house during the attack. Most viewers who are familiar with films of this era will find it entertaining. Viewers not accustomed to watching older suspense/horror movies may find it very entertaining if they realize the dramatic parts are necessary to get us to know the characters, and also to present a calmness before another bird attack happens. The Birds is a film I've enjoyed several times, and will enjoy many more times.