Usual Hitchcock quality shines through

Rating: 9/10 (29 April 2005)

Slightly abstract thriller/horror engrosses for the duration and shows once again how good a director Hitchcock was.
I'd heard vague references to Birds, particularly in relation to the opening scene of modern sci-fi flick 'The Core', and given my previous enjoyment of the content (If not always the endings) of other Hitchcock movies I thought I knew pretty much exactly what to expect.
The Birds is a chiller from the 60s about a young woman, Melanie, who finds herself in the middle of a battle with huge flocks of birds. Aided and abetted by her beau Mitch, his mother Lydia and his sister Cathy, the motley crew endeavour to survive these ever increasing and inexplicable attacks, attacks which it becomes apparent are for the purpose of killing humans.
The very first thing which struck me about this picture was I'd been convinced it was a black and white movie, and of course it is not. This gave the film a vibrant life not unlike Vertigo yet radically of its own ilk.
However, like all Hitchcock flicks, the direction and cinematography are out of this world. The man's genius for breathtaking scenes and stunning colour combinations continues to amaze even today, and the multiple scenes with practically thousands of birds was on a scale I doubt has been repeated. It amazed me.
Another of the qualities Birds has is that it is absolute enchanting. Undoubtedly helped by the richness of each scene, it is completely gripping all of the way and your attention never weans.
The acting is also pretty good, if not quite as remarkable as Rear Window, Vertigo et al. It still oozes class, however.
But the direction really is the main character in this, much like it is for so many of Hitchcock's other movies. The life which breathes from the celluloid never lets up, and while the ending isn't exactly conclusive, you shouldn't find yourself particularly worried or feeling hard done by. Instead feel enriched by yet another fantastic of cinematic genius at its finest.
Truly absorbing.