The Birds (The Alfred Hitchcock Collection)

The highlight of the entire DVD however, is the most superb "Behind the Scenes" documentary of the making of this film that I've yet seen on a DVD release. Almost everything you want to know about the making of this film, including how all the bird attacks/tricks were done, comes from interviews with Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Veronica Cartright, Patricia Hitchcock (Hitch's daughter) and many others. Simply a fantastic documentary. Even if you might not consider purchasing the DVD because you don't really care for the movie, the documentary alone makes it worth the price. Never before have I learned so much about the making of a movie, and in particular, one of Hitchcock's. Not to be missed.


A CULT CLASSIC   November 12, 2005
Highlanderthal (Massachusetts)
19 out of 20 found this review helpful

A great movie that stands true today and doesnt need the multimillion dollar special effects most newer movies rely on.What a terrific cast! Tippi Hedren is very good in it and, god, is she beautiful! The scene where she is waiting outside the school with the crows collecting on the jungle gym behind her is so damn suspenseful. Interesting that there is no music in it whatsoever. The tension and scares are created by the shrill cries of the birds (real and electronic) themselves -- it had the same heartstopping effect that the violins did in the shower scene in "Psycho."



Sure to Ruffle Your Feathers   May 10, 2000
J. Michael Click (Fort Worth, Texas United States)
18 out of 21 found this review helpful

Hitchcock's macabre classic finally gets its due on this DVD Collector's Edition. The film, which by turns thrills (the various bird attacks) and amuses (the frequently bantering dialogue), is presented in all its widescreen glory -- an important consideration for Hitchcock enthusiasts, given the director's meticulous planning of his films' visual compositions. "The Birds" features some great cinematography, a nerve-wracking soundtrack, and some finely wrought performances (particularly those of Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette and Ethel Griffies); all are well-served by the film-to-DVD transfer. There are a wealth of bonus features, including newsreel footage of Hitchcock and Hedren publicizing the film, an extensive stills gallery, and a fascinating behind the scenes production documentary. Especially intriguing are the ad-libbed screen test clips pairing Hedren with "Psycho" player Martin Balsam while Hitchcock provides verbal instructions off-camera! All in all, a most welcome addition to my DVD collection, and one I'm pleased to recommend for yours.


It gets better every time you see it...   March 27, 2000
15 out of 18 found this review helpful

Alfred Hitchcock apparently spent the better part of two years trying to find subject matter that he felt would be worthy of a follow up film after 1960's PSYCHO. He bought Daphne duMaurier's short story, "The Birds", and very quickly decided that he would only retain the title, and the bird attack plot point. Evan Hunter and Hitchcock crafted the screenplay structure, and after a staggering amount of technical pre-production, Hitchcock made THE BIRDS. It opened to huge acclaim from the public, if not critics, and is one of the master of suspense's best remembered pictures. As it should be. And with the stunning new DVD edition, this terrific movie at last gets the home video treatment it so richly deserves.

The transfer is immaculately sharp and clear, letterboxed at the 1.85:1 ratio used for theatrical exhibition, and the mono digital sound is clean and vibrant. The letterboxing actually gives the film more breathing room, and some of the sequences, especially the complex technical passages such as the attack on the school, and the spectacular attack on the town, have a visceral punch that's ratcheted up by the clarity of the digital image and sound. Don't be put off by the many sodium process shots that were necessitated by the demands of the screenplay; they are perfectly cut into the film, and give the movie a primitive realism that is perfectly in keeping with Hitchcock's stylized view of reality. His films are all designed within an inch of their lives, and the audience is all the better for it.

The extras on this collector's edition are quite valuable. A featurette entitled "All About The Birds" presents interviews with actors Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor, Veronica Cartwright, along with various technical personnel, and is lively and full of information about the film's production. Also featured are Tippi's screen test, production notes, a trailer, and web links. This is one package that beautifully showcases a film which gets better each time you see it.