The Birds (1963)

Released in 1963, The Birds is a tense thriller from the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. Based on the 1952 short story of the same name by Daphne du Maurier, the same author behind Rebecca and Jamaica Inn, both of which have been adapted for the screen by Hitchcock. The Birds is a haunting, claustrophobic look at the dangers of nature and the vulnerability of man. Hitchcock's signature directorial style aids this feeling of constant danger, and places the reader in uncomfortable and sometimes frightening scenarios.

We follow Melanie Daniels, portrayed in her first appearance on the screen by Tippi Hedren, who, after an encounter with a mysterious man, follows him to the idyllic village of Bodega Bay, where mysterious events lead to unforeseen tragedy. Hedren portrays a staple of Hitchcock's films, the platinum blonde, and whilst her acting leaves a little to be desired in the emotion department, she does provide a good conduit for the viewer to vicariously experience the confusion of the events unfolding around her.

The wide, sweeping shots of the busy, crowded San Francisco and later the idyllic Bodega contrast with the intimate interiors of a pet shop, or the Brenner family home, creating a feeling of intrusion. The shift in colour palette from the dirty browns and greys of the city to the cool greens and blues of the countryside is refreshing and comforting, despite the events that transpire there. Overall, the cinematography is what is to be expected from Hitchcock, both brilliantly large in scale and scope and terrifyingly close and claustrophobic when it needs to be.

However, cinematography alone does not make a movie, and story wise I felt there was more to be said. As it was adapted from a short story, Hitchcock had to take liberties with his interpretation of the birds, whilst retaining the core messages of man's vulnerability and the potentially devastating effect of nature. This lack of source material did however lead to some extremely half baked characters with unclear motivations. This can be seen with the matriarch of the Brenner household, Lydia Brenner, portrayed by the late Jessica Tandy, who's sudden change in personality from stern, overbearing mother to weepy, clingy wreck seems a sharp turnaround of character in such a short period of time, and just seems lazily written. The character that I felt was written and performed best was that of Annie Haywood, played by Suzanne Pleshette, the jilted lover turned schoolteacher living alone by the school, who takes in Melanie when she arrives in Bodega Bay. Her knowledge of Melanie's interest in Mitch Brenner, portrayed by Rod Taylor, in conjunction with her own feelings towards him create an interesting and poignant story arc, and just feels more real.

Overall, The Birds is a beautifully shot and acted movie, but I cannot help but think it would have done well to have spent more time focusing on character development. For me, it's for the birds.