A disappointing return...

Rating: 7/10 (10 April 2000)

I've seen Hitchcock's "The Birds" several times, the last time perhaps 25 years or so ago. Recently, my brother rented it on video and I decided to watch it again. I have to say that this film has not worn well with time. The technical ineptitude of the special effects (especially the ever-obvious and oft-repeated still prop with a moving background behind it, as in the view out the rear window of a car as it's "moving") was a tremendous distraction. Perhaps I've been spoiled by advances made in special effects, but this was just too distracting - I couldn't help it, I was "pulled out of the story" again and again by the old-style "special effects." To put it mildly, they stink. Also, the hitchcockian formula has been copied and copied and copied and copied again... so many times, that it "feels like" we're watching yet another copy, although it's not the case. I found myself generally bored with "The Birds," although I loved it as a child and young teenager. It just has not stood the test of time well. Hitchcock may be a true original, but his imitators have surpassed him at this point in almost every area. Recognizing the original "master of the scare," I gave this movie 7/10... but watching "The Birds" in the year 2000, not only was I not-scared, I was not even entertained.