A strange tale

Rating: 8/10 (19 August 2009)

The Birds is an early example of great special-effects work combined with a good story. Hitchcock's suspenseful cinematography adds to the mix and the ambiguous ending is the cherry on top.
Like many Hitchcock films the characters are played naturalistic which makes them interesting to the viewer. While there's quite a bit of dialogue most of it is well written and keeps the viewer invested in the film during its more quiet parts. The characters and their motivations are interesting as well.
However, where the film stands out are its special-effects. With relatively simple technology Hitchcock brings the bird attacks to reality in a compelling way. The silent crows waiting for the school children is a creepy image that stays in your head. The sparrows coming down the chimney is an impressive effect and the seagulls wrecking havoc on the town are menacing in their chaos.
Over-all the film's only weakness is that the pacing doesn't work quite well and the lack of dramatic music also takes away a little bit of the excitement. None the less, The Birds is still an effective picture.