Review of The Birds (1963) by Dawdlingpoet — 24 Nov 2021

This is a typical Hitchock film in that its pretty tense and suspenseful at times, it keeps you guessing and isn't an all out horror film but perhaps more of a psychological thriller of sorts. I remember reading the story when I was in secondary school, so I had a rough idea of what to expect.

The special effects are a bit tame (the bright red blood kept making me think of tomato ketchup - it didn't look like real blood at all I think but I'm maybe a bit of a nitpick?) but of course this is a film of its time, having been released in 1963.

I thought it did quite well at making the viewer feel uneasy when faced with groups of birds stood congregating nearby, which is something I doubt anyone would normally bat an eyelid at. I imagine this was really quite a spooky and sinister perhaps even film of its time, although nowadays its hardly what I'd think of as a truly scary film (although one or two images I did find a little frightening) but I can understand why its well regarded and is a cult film.

An interesting film by Hitchcock, based on a short story by Daphne DuMaurier, I'd recommend this.