Scared the stuffing out of this kid.

Rating: 9/10 (30 December 2012)

I saw this when I was about 9 years old and considered myself quite the aficionado of horror and science fiction films of the era. No Universal Studios monsters, radioactive insects or invading aliens could bother me, I had seen it all. This film absolutely destroyed my suave, calm self-assurance. I was overwhelmed by the excoriated, enucleated farmer against the bedroom wall and unnerved by murderous birds pecking through a door. I completely unraveled as Tippi Hedren walked up the stairs to investigate flapping wings and had to get up and leave the theater from stark terror (much to my utter humiliation after I settled down). I had nightmares about this movie for at least a couple of years and 50 years later think about it when I'm near crows or gulls. It looks a little dated today but any film that stays with you for for a lifetime is special. I read the original DuMaurier short story a few years ago - very creepy. I could see how a horror master like Hitchcock could have come up with this idea.