One of the Best in Horror

Rating: Null/10 (20 August 2011)

It's difficult to believe that a film about a major birds attack could even be remotely scary. Anyone else who would have directed this film could have made it unbelievably cliché. Oh, wait, Alfred Hitchcock is the director, so it has to be great! And it is.
For those of you with a short attention span, don't watch 'The Birds'. The story may seem slow-paced, but it only increases the anticipation. If you appreciate proper storytelling, this is for you.
Tippi Hendren gives a wonderful performance as the leading role. She is mainly calm throughout, though she does exactly what Hitchcock expected; Be a character people relate to. The whole point of horror is to begin in a perfect setting similar to the Garden of Eden, which gives a false sense of security. There is barely any music, which only increases discomfort during the calm before the storm of birds.
The sound effects are to perfection. The story knows the right timing to frighten its audience. The only scenes more horrific than birds attacking humans, are when the birds are simply perched, waiting. The meaning of the film is to show how we mistreat animals. Yes, revenge. Buying lovebirds toward the beginning shows us how they feel imprisoned. Animals were free once upon a time. To have all animals attack, and not only birds, would have been too obvious.
I will not spoil the ending. It is somewhat similar to the original 'Night of the Living Dead' with a twist. Although zombies are not half as threatening as birds.
Expect the unexpected from any Hitchcock film.