As groundbreaking and terrifying as 'Jaws', 12 years sooner than 'Jaws'

Rating: 10/10 (21 November 2010)

Like most Hitchcock's films, 'The Birds' is as original as it is dramatic, bizarre, dark and macabre although not as weird as such Hitchcock's films as 'Psycho', for example.
The effects are almost unbelievable for the standards of 1963, so much that it wouldn't be far from the truth to claim that even now these effects would be a surprise. Plus, the Bodega Bay scenario is so beautiful that it brings visual appeal and charm to the film.
This movie deals with unusual bird attacks against humankind. It's as if the birds had declared war against us. They develop strange and aggressive behavior. Even the innocent love birds act funny (although they don't actually harm anyone). The attacks start off as minor, but eventually increase with increasing viciousness and violence. Innovative, ground-breaking, unique, surprising, shocking, chaotic and great are some of the words that perfectly describe this motion picture. As far as I know, there's nothing quite like it. Think of "The Birds" as the "Jaws" of its day.
It kind of makes me wonder if this movie made many people look at birds differently, particularly those who had the chance to watch it in 1963. The birds responsible for the attacks are seagulls, crows and perhaps even ravens, birds known for their bad temper. Gulls are such beautiful, elegant, graceful and noble-looking and confident-looking birds that fly beautifully – even though their foul temper is another one of their trademarks.
There are many memorable scenes. In fact, all of the birds's attacks are memorable scenes. Even the birds's sounds when they make noise, peck and flap their wings are awesome. This film makes a great combination of terror and suspense in an old-fashioned way with its old-fashioned charm. It is also rich in light humor.
The cast is clever and quite interesting.
Rod Taylor is terrific and great fun as the smug but cool and charming lawyer Mitch Brenner. His chemistry with Melanie Daniels (well portrayed by Tippi Hedren) is perfect in a most unusual and, most of all, hilarious way. I love it how they keep telling lies to each other and the way they are clearly enjoying that, which results in many memorable moments of comedy. Equally hilarious is how two men kept saying that the little Brenner girl's name was either Alice or Lois when her name has nothing to do with those: Cathy.
Veronica Cartwright's performance as Cathy Brenner is extremely good and her enormous eyes are very expressive. Jessica Tandy is an interesting choice as Lydia Brenner, the overprotective mother of Mitch and Cathy. While her acting is very good, what really rings a bell on me is the fact that she looks almost exactly the same as Tippi Hedren. She looks as if she was a much older version of Tippi Hedren.
The Brenners are an unusual family. Mitch is so much older and bigger than Cathy that he looks much more as if he is her father than her brother. Lydia is elderly enough to look like Mitch's mother, but looks much more as if she is Cathy's grandmother than her mother. What a strange family...
Suzanne Pleshette is pretty natural as the teacher Annie Hayworth. Plus, she oozed sophistication and grace and had a sexy husky voice. Ethel Griffies is a very interesting choice as Mrs. Bundy, the English ornithologist, who happens to be a very interesting character with nothing more than a minor role in the movie. I don't know the name of the actor who portrayed the character who kept saying that the war of the birds against humans was the Apocalypse, but whoever he was his acting was absolutely impeccable. Even the other adults and children with minor roles are all very well chosen and do quite well in their roles.
Overall, a triumphant movie experience from the iconic Master of Suspense.
Title in Portugal: 'Os Pássaros'.