IMDb > The Birds (1963)
The Birds
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The Birds (1963) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 52 | slideshow) Videos (see all 10 NEW)
The Birds (1963) -- A wealthy San Francisco playgirl pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people there in increasing numbers and with increasing viciousness
The Birds (1963) -- The birds amass on the monkey bars behind Melanie.
The Birds (1963) -- A wealthy San Francisco playgirl pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people there in increasing numbers and with increasing viciousness
The Birds (1963) -- ZuGuide.com - Trailer (Flash)
The Birds (1963) -- MyMovieScripts.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.9/10   47,946 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 43% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Alfred Hitchcock
Writers:
Daphne Du Maurier (story)
Evan Hunter (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Birds on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
28 March 1963 (USA) more
Tagline:
Suspense and shock beyond anything you have seen or imagined! more
Plot:
A wealthy San Francisco playgirl pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people there in increasing numbers and with increasing viciousness. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(72 articles)
Geek Deal: Alfred Hitchcock Masterpiece DVD Collection for $54
 (From Slash Film. 28 October 2009, 9:32 AM, PDT)

50 Influential Scream Queens: Part 2
 (From Fangoria. 27 October 2009, 10:57 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
"They're coming! They're coming!" more (339 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (UK) (complete title)
more
Runtime:
119 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:
Australia:M (TV rating) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1963) | UK:15 (1987) | UK:X (1963) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Spain:T | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-15 (uncut) (2002) (DVD) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | France:-12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:16 (1976) | Norway:18 | Peru:14 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (certificate #20385) (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (new rating) (1984) | West Germany:16 | Singapore:PG | Iceland:16

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Dinar, France, hosts a British Film Festival, with a Golden Hitchcock as the prize. There is also a statue of Alfred Hitchcock (standing on what appears to be a very large egg, and with birds on each shoulder) near the beach in Dinard. The statue is moved down to the beach for the actual festival. more
Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: After Melanie delivers the lovebirds to the Brenner home, the camera follows her as she walks back along the jetty to her boat, with the dolly track clearly visible. 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
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "The Simpsons: Itchy & Scratchy Land (#6.4)" (1994) more
Soundtrack:
Arabesque nr. 1 more

FAQ

Where is Bodega Bay located?
What was causing the birds to attack?
Does Alfred Hitchcock have a cameo in "The Birds"?
more
37 out of 54 people found the following comment useful.
"They're coming! They're coming!", 17 June 2000
9/10
Author: jhaggardjr from Chicago, Illinois

"They're coming! They're coming!" were the words said by Tippi Hedren at the end of the coming attractions trailer for Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 film "The Birds". And boy did they come when the movie opened. This is a terrifying story about what could happen if our fine feathered friends turned on man. "The Birds", like the Master of Suspense's 1960 masterpiece "Psycho", has the ability to give people the chills. I found "The Birds" to be just a tad below "Psycho" (it starts a little slow), but it's still a pretty scary movie. It features good acting by Tippi Hedren (in her most famous role), Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy (26 years before "Driving Miss Daisy"), Suzanne Pleshette, and Veronica Cartwright (16 years before "Alien"). Plus it has impressive special visual effects, and probably the scariest sound effects that I've ever heard. The sound effects alone give me the creeps. And it has its share of humorous moments throughout. "The Birds" is classic Hitchcock. If you like horror movies that are well made with a well told story, then you'll like this one.

***1/2 (out of four)

Was the above comment useful to you?
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Use of birds in other Hitchcock films ninjadave
Another interpretation michalis612
I'm trying to find the score/music... pennylane0586
Picture On Wall In Bed Scene- Trafalgar Square. London? kingkoopa77
Studio Shots Vs Location Filming Petersenn
How old do you think she looks? neof
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