[Riez]

Anyone seen this? Would be interested to hear your thoughts on it!

I watched it for the first time and really enjoyed it, except the end seemed a little anti-climatic. I felt like it was building up to something, an explanation as to why the birds attacked the town but it never came. I thought it might have something to do with the lovebirds or even Melanie but it seems the birds went crazy for no apparent reason.

But I guess the ambiguous ending also adds an air of mystery to it. What are your thoughts on it? Would you rate it as one of Hitchcock's best?

[Chparmar]

The official trailer might give you an idea on why the birds attacked!
The movie is trying to tell you that humans should not take their existence for granted.

[Fear of Fours]

It's one of my favourite films.

[fmradiotuner1]

Glad its coming out on Blu Ray soon.
I bet it will look real good.

[pearlsandplums]

Its a great film becuase you never find out why the birds went crazy. Its just one of those things. If they found a magical crystal/indian burial ground etc explaining it all it would ruin the film somewhat

[Inky Binky]

It's a pretty good film. The original ending for this film would have been epic. It involved San Francisco's Golden Gate bridge. It was in the script but eventually was discarded for something more practical. I actually like the ending that was filmed. But I wouldn't have minded seeing that alternate ending that was never shot.

From IMDB:
It is said that Hitchcock wanted to end the movie with the car arriving in San Francisco, only to find the Golden Gate Bridge covered with birds, giving the foreboding impression that the attacks were not over. However, due to the logistics of filming such a scene, it was never shot. In another ending that was written but never shot, the car slowly drives through Bodega Bay, and the group sees people who have fallen victim to the birds. The birds do not attack, however, until Mitch sees a clear stretch of road ahead and accelerates. The birds then begin to attack the car, but they manage to make it out of the Bay.

[tracystapes]

I'm looking forward to seeing 'The Girl' starring Sienna Miller which is a behind the scenes look at the making of 'The Birds' and Tippi and Hitchcock's relationship. It's already aired in America.

[PunksNotDead]

Originally Posted by pearlsandplums

If they found a magical crystal/indian burial ground etc explaining it all it would ruin the film somewhat

Guess we know what to expect from a remake or a sequel then *Shudders*

[allthatyouwant]

The Birds is one of my favourite films, and I must admit after watching the film the first time I was confused about the ending.
However IMO I believe the birds are a metaphor for Lydia's life being torn apart by the much younger, more beautiful and more popular Melanie who has intruded her home and taken her way her only son, even Cathy idolises her - this is emphasized when Melanie is attacked by the birds in the bedroom
I think the ending is supposed to be confusing but I think when Mitch takes the lead and tries to drive them to safety, Lydia realises Melanie is a permanent fixture that's why there is no foreseeable ending to the birds
That's just my theory anyway!

[Fowl Fax]

Recently saw this, the little girl in this, is played by Veronica Cartwright who is also in Alien.

When I watch movies like this I do wonder things like why didn't the townsfolk just grab some swimming goggles and tennis rackets and go apeshit on the birds.

[chrisii2011]

One classic im yet to see,i wonder if they will ever remake it

[Jenzen]

Not one of my favourite Hitchcock films. Its based on a short story by Daphne Du Maurier written in 1952. In the story the birds are referred as coming in on an east wind (its set in Cornwall) which you can think is perhaps reference to the cold war and the ever-present threat from the east.

Du Maurier hated Hitchcocks version apparently. If you read the story its full of menace, the cornish landscape being a large part of that, I dont think you feel that same sence of menace and impending doom in the film. If I had never read the book I would like the movie more maybe. Prefer Hitchcocks other works though.

[allthatyouwant]

The book is completely different than the film - I'm not going to post any spoilers but you should definately read it - I read it free online with a quick google search and it's only small

[embryo]

They're both very different, but I think the short story and the film are brilliant. In my opinion, they both create an unsettling atmosphere very effectively, and both make excellent use of ambiguous endings - the attacks are much creepier when left unexplained.

[WhisperingGhost]

Love this film. Surely part of its horror is that there is never a reason as to why the birds attacked. Almost like it could happen anywhere, to any town or city. If they had explained it to us, it would have lost that part of its essence, in my opinion anyway.

[spiney2]

i like the part in the cafe with the elderly bird-like woman. nice touch of bizarre black humour.

i think the idea is to symbolise "the forces of nature" taking over, and how fragile human civilisation is. u could for example see the birds as nazis having abandoned reason and behaving as animals ......

[spiney2]

the little girl veronica cartwright was also in Alien .....

[stripedcat]

It's a difficult film to gauge. I sort of admire a bit more now than when I first saw it. It was probably the nearest to sci fi that Hitchcock ever got to.

The films iconic sequences(the dead farmer with his eyes pecked out and the bird attack on Tippi) really make are what the film.

The special effects still look pretty good for the modern age.

I suppose what could count against it was that it didn't seem to add up too much. What were the birds attacking for? I suppose there was the whole 'mother nature can bite back' message in there, but the film does feel curious.

[soundstory]

Originally Posted by Chparmar

The official trailer might give you an idea on why the birds attacked!
The movie is trying to tell you that humans should not take their existence for granted.

I've not seen the trailer, but i was under the impression that it's never explained at all

I'ts been a while, can anyone else confirm or otherwise?

[MissDexter]

Originally Posted by PunksNotDead

Guess we know what to expect from a remake or a sequel then *Shudders*

There already was a sequel:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109275/

Though the Alan Smithee name should give you an idea how good/bad it is.

[Chparmar]

Originally Posted by soundstory

I've not seen the trailer, but i was under the impression that it's never explained at all

I'ts been a while, can anyone else confirm or otherwise?

Well, nothing is gonna explain it all!

The trailer just might give you some ideas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZjaVdJt59U

[zx50]

It had me on edge a bit when watching it ages ago. The suspense is pretty good in it, but quite tame when compared to today's films. I liked it though.

[rfonzo]

I thought it was a very good film but I think I prefer Vertigo and Rear Window are better. i prefer the characterization and I think the narrative creates a slower but more tension whereas the Birds has an element of horror.