The Birds Overview:

The Birds (1963) was a Horror - Thriller/Suspense Film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and produced by Alfred Hitchcock.

The film was based on the novel of the same name written by Daphne du Maurier published in 1952.

SYNOPSIS

Hitchcock, the master of suspense, ventures into the realm of horror with the depiction of a world in which nature can go suddenly, terrifyingly mad. When Hedren appears in the idyllic coastal village of Bodega Bay with two lovebirds in tow, the local birds inexplicably begin to wage an all-out war on humans. Hitchcock's follow-up to Psycho tops even that landmark for shock value. Loosely based on a Daphne du Maurier short story.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

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BlogHub Articles:

The Birds - 60th Anniversary in Theaters Tonight!

By The Metzinger Sisters on Oct 23, 2023 From Silver Scenes - A Blog for Classic Film Lovers

Alfred Hitchcock's suspense classic The Birds is back in theaters for one day (this evening, October 23rd) to honor its 60th anniversary. Check out Fanthom event's website to see if it is showing in a theater near you.... Read full article


4K UHD Blu-ray Review: The Birds

By Devon Powell on Jun 6, 2021 From Hitchcock Master

Distributor: Universal Pictures Release Date: May 25, 2021 Region ? 4K UHD: Region Free Blu-ray: Region A Length: 01:59:31 Video? 4K UHD: 2160P (HEVC, H.265) Blu-ray: 1080P (MPEG-4, AVC) Main Audio ? 4K UHD: 2.0 Mono English DTS-HD Master Audio Blu-ray: 2.0 Mono English DTS-HD Master Audio Altern... Read full article


The Birds (1963)

By Beatrice on Nov 21, 2017 From Flickers in Time

The Birds Directed by Alfred Hitchcock Written by Evan Hunter from the story by Daphne de Maurier 1963/USA Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions Repeat viewing/Netflix rental One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Not my favorite Hitchcock but undeniably made by a master. Melanie Daniels (Tippi... Read full article


The Birds (1963)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Jun 1, 2017 From 4 Star Films

The Birds is about all sort of birds. The ones we are acquainted with initially?are actually a pair of humans. Lovebirds you might call them. Except they don’t know it quite yet, but the moment Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren) and Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor) meet in a pet shop, the sparks are alr... Read full article


The Birds (1963)

By 4 Star Film Fan on Jun 1, 2017 From 4 Star Films

The Birds is about all sort of birds. The ones we are acquainted with initially?are actually a pair of humans. Lovebirds you might call them. Except they don’t know it quite yet, but the moment Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren) and Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor) meet in a pet shop, the sparks are alr... Read full article


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Quotes from

Melanie Daniels: [worriedly, as she sees a man from the restaurant window lighting his cigar as gasoline is leaking around him] Look at the gas, that man's lighting a cigar!


Cathy Brenner: Mitch, can I bring the lovebirds in here?
Lydia Brenner: No!
Cathy Brenner: But Mom, they're in a cage.
Lydia Brenner: They're birds, aren't they?


[first lines]
Melanie Daniels: Hello there, Mrs. MacGruder.
Mrs. MacGruder, pet store clerk: Oh, hello, Miss Daniels.
Melanie Daniels: Have you ever seen so many gulls? What do you suppose it is?
Mrs. MacGruder, pet store clerk: Well, there must be a storm at sea, that can drive them inland, you know. I was hoping you'd be a little late because he hadn't arrived yet.
Melanie Daniels: Oh, but you'd said three o'clock...
Mrs. MacGruder, pet store clerk: Oh I know, I know. I've been calling all morning. Oh, Miss Daniels you have no idea. They are so difficult to get, really they are. We have to get them from India, when they're just baby chicks, and then we have...
Melanie Daniels: But this one won't be a chick, will he?
Mrs. MacGruder, pet store clerk: Certainly not. Oh no, certainly not. This will be a full grown mynah bird, full grown.
Melanie Daniels: And he'll talk?
Mrs. MacGruder, pet store clerk: Well yes, of course he'll... well no, you'll have to teach him to talk. My. I guess maybe I'd better phone, they'd said three o'clock. Maybe it's the traffic. I'll call. Would you mind waiting?
Melanie Daniels: Well, maybe you'd better deliver him. Let - let me give you my address.
Mrs. MacGruder, pet store clerk: Oh, well, alright, but I'm sure they're on the way... Would you mind if I called?
Melanie Daniels: No, alright, but...


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Facts about

Hitchcock's film and the original story by Daphne Du Maurier share no characters and in fact have only in common the bay-side town setting, the bird's bizarre behavior and their inexplicable tendency to launch frenzied attacks, fall dormant only to attack again later. In Du Maurier's story the main character discovers that this pattern is directly related to the rise and fall of the tides and uses this to their advantage, as opposed to the film which seems to follow the same pattern but never makes a direct connection. Also the original story takes place in Britain and centers around a man protecting his wife and two children at their isolated cottage home, as opposed to the film which centers on the spirited but troubled city dweller Melanie Daniels who travels to the California coast on a whim.
A number of endings were being considered for this film. One that was considered would have showed the Golden Gate Bridge completely covered by birds.
Cast member Doodles Weaver was the uncle of actress Sigourney Weaver, who worked with Veronica Cartwright in Alien, and with Tippi Hedren's daughter, Melanie Griffith, in Working Girl.
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