You've seen it I bet

Rating: 7/10 (1 December 2007)

While certainly not his best film "The Birds" is without a doubt Hitchcock's one film that is most associated with him.Prehaps even more closely associated with him than "Psycho" and certainly seen by more people more often than "Psycho".While not everyone can tell you who directed "Psycho" most everyone will know Alfred Hitchcock directed "The Birds".
A small California coastal town is invaded by hordes of birds that attack the town in one nerve wrecking wave after another.Of course with Hitchcock it isn't just a straight froward bird attack,it's that but it's also the psychological impact and interactions between the people that Hitchcock deals with under the stress from the attacks.
The special effects from 1963 are pretty good.Although some of the flying shots of the birds are obviously transposed in and some of the mechanical birds don't look so great,it still holds up well.The worst part ,in regards to special effects,was when the kids were attacked at the school and run off down the road while under attack.Even as kid I never thought the kids running looked real.They just didn't move their arms or bodies like they were actually running wide open.Years later I read that the kids were actually filmed in a studio running on treadmills and the birds and outside background were added in later.
And what can you say about Tippi Hedren? She is one of the most gorgeous women ever on film.She is pure class.I fell in love with her as a young boy watching this film and even today when I see her in this film she is still stunning.Everyone in this film is great for I suppose Hitchcock would have no less.Rod Taylor is a natural in his down to earth playboy role.Jessica Tandy as his mother plays her part as an over protective jealous mother perfectly.Look for Hitchcock himself appearing early in the film.He is the rotund fellow leading the pair of poodles .
I suppose this film is more rightly called a thriller as opposed to outright horror but whatever you call it it is one of those classic movies that most everyone has seen ,and better yet,will see again.It is one of those films that I've seen a million times but on a cold winter night with not much else to do I'll gladly watch it again.