The Birds (1963)

Watch out for The Birds!

 

The trailer is introduced by a dark voicing informing the audience, "there is no need to be afraid," but as the audience we already know that this thriller contains material that of course we are going to be afraid. Thousands of birds are seen together as if they are in a gang, awaiting their prey. They don't appear welcoming, especially because all the birds are black; he black could potentially suggest danger, death and destruction. Next, they swam like hungry animals, attacking the children viciously. If they are able to attack children, then most defiantly they are able to attack anything, no matter what the humans have nothing against these cruel birds. "I hardly think a few birds are going to bring about the end of the world," is that so, lady? Her naivety caused her to doubt the capability of these menacing birds. More and more birds are seen, and a woman who seems her anxiety is eating her alive screams in panic and worry. The birds continue to flutter and screech while they attack.

The film stars Tippo Hedren, Jessica Tandy, Rod Taylor.

The Plot

The young socialite, Melanie Daniels agenda is to fool her love interest Mitch Brenner by playing a joke on him. She gives him the gift of lovebirds which is for his younger sibling’s birthday. This encourages the unexplainable attack of birds.  As time continues, the numbers of birds increase.

In what ways is this an archetypal thriller?

Threat? Nature.

There is nowhere to escape commonly in Hitchcock films, in this case you cannot run away from “The Birds.”

Here is a teeth grinding scene from The Birds

In this clip, the woman shouts for Danny but he’s not home. There is silence, which introduces suspense. She looks around in anxiety making the audience also feel her anxiety, wondering what might occur next. There is a suspicious, eerie atmosphere present; she enters a room full of destruction and mishap. He face increases in worry as she looks around the room and spots bloody legs, then the whole body. It terrifies her, leaving her in absolute shock that she’s not able to even scream. The woman runs to another man, unable to speak; traumatised.

“Thrillers are characterized by fast pacing, frequent action.”

Children running away frantically away from the birds

The birds smashing into the windows

A swam of birds attack Melanie Daniels

Is there an actual hero in the thriller?

The external threat comes from nature, and there no actual mugiffin in the film. On the other hand, you could assume that the birds have a reason for attack. Perhaps nature treated badly, or humans themselves. Hitchcock commonly uses a macguffin in his thriller to make them more exciting.

Therefore, who is the real enemy here?

“Devices such as suspense, red herrings and cliff hangers are used extensively.”

Suspense

Expecting a friend, Mitch’s mother enters the house but she was not expecting what she saw. She inspected the house anxiously and found it in ruins, which created tension and suspense. Suspense is at it’s zenith when she sees the dead body.

Even more suspense…

Melanie wants to pick up Mitch’s sister to make sure she is safe from the birds. Suspense rises as more and more birds gather the school playground, illustrating entrapment. The birds show their dominance by being appearing superior to the humans.

The end of the thriller, there is no conclusion, which can be regarded as a cliffhanger. He wanted to leave terror in the audience.