Beware of our feathered friends!

Rating: 9/10 (8 November 2006)

The Birds is certainly another highlight in Hitchcock's diary of directing movies after Psycho. He portrays an unusual but terrifying journey where our feathered friends do anything and everything they can to makes lives hell.
Many thrillers use extremely ominous background music to heighten the amount of tension and fear, but the lack of it in The Birds is actually more chilling than I would have first thought. The opening titles featured no music either; instead it includes an immense flapping of wings, and was an intriguing and wonderful concept which works extremely well.
A credible performance from Tippi Hedren in her film debut, and she certainly proved herself a worthy actress in the lines of Janet Leigh and Vera Miles. Melanie Daniels is a glamorous and easily likable character.
The Birds is a masterpiece in suspense and horror, and I have watched it a hundred times. The 32 different shots for the chilling final scene simply showcased Hitchcock's directing ability, but this final cut doesn't answer the question as to why the birds attack. We still have no idea why, and this unanswered question along with many others makes The Birds into an all-time classic. Some questions are just not worth answering, and The Birds proves this point very well...