The Birds
Horror
Universal Studios  (1963) 120 mins PG-13

7.9 (42,440 votes)
Nothing equals The Birds for sheer terror when Alfred Hitchcock unleashes his foul friends in one of his most shocking and memorable masterpieces. As beautiful blond Melanie Daniels ('Tippi' Hedren) rolls into Bodega Bay in pursuit of eligible bachelor Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor), she is inexplicably attacked by a seagull. Suddenly thousands of birds are flocking into town, preying on school children and residents in a terrifying series of attacks. Soon Mitch and Melanie are fighting for their lives against a deadly force that can't be explained and can't be stopped in one of Hollywood's most horrific films of nature gone berserk....

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Cast and Crew
Jessica Tandy  ......  Lydia Brenner
Suzanne Pleshette  ......  Annie Hayworth
Tippi Hedren  ......  Melanie Daniels
Rod Taylor  ......  Mitch Brenner
Veronica Cartwright  ......  Cathy Brenner
Ethel Griffies  ......  Mrs. Bundy, elderly ornithologist
Director  .....  Alfred Hitchcock
Producer  .....  Alfred Hitchcock
Writer  .....  Evan Hunter; Daphne Du Maurier
Notes
Goofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Melanie is lying unconscious after the birds attack her, Mitch gives her some brandy to 'alleviate' the pain. However, in no way should he be giving her this because any liquids given to an unconscious person could cause them to choke, and they should especially not be given any alcohol. (more)

Trivia:
The use of standard blue screen techniques for doing matte shots of the birds proved to be unacceptable. The rapid movement of the birds, especially their wings, caused excessive blue fringing in the shots. It was determined that the sodium vapor process could be used to do the composites. The only studio in America that was equipped for this process was the Walt Disney studio. Ub Iwerks, who had become the world's leading expert on the sodium vapor process, was assigned to this production. (more)

Filming Locations:
17110 Bodega Lane, Bodega, California, USA (more)

Quotes:
[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?
[...]
(more)

Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations (more)