Overview
MOVIEmeter: 
Down 43% in popularity this week. See
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Release Date:
28 March 1963 (USA)
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Tagline:
Suspense and shock beyond anything you have seen or imagined!
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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.
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full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar.
Another 2 wins
&
3 nominations
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Crew verified as complete
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (UK) (complete title)
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Runtime:
119 min
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Alfred Hitchcock kept a graph in his office, charting the rise and fall of the bird attacks in the film.
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Goofs:
Continuity: After two birds break the glass on the phone booth, it appears that the glass isn't shattered when Melanie is grabbed out of it.
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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?
[
...]
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Soundtrack:
Arabesque nr. 1
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FAQ
What kind of car was Melanie driving?
How does Melanie know how to contact Mitch in order to bring him the love birds?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
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What I love about this film is that it`s so understated . There is absolutely no attempt whatsoever to explain why the birds are turning against humanity , indeed there`s a scene in the cafe where a character points out that bird species joining together to wage war against the human race would be impossible , and the concept is totally ridiculous but Hitchcock and screenwriter Evan Hunter ( Using the basic premise of Du Maurier`s short story - the screenplay is almost totally original ) manage to leave the unsettling thought that this might just happen one day.
The film is slightly dated in some ways , most notably the FX which are sometimes obvious back projection , but this was made in 1963 don`t forget . And THE BIRDS does contain some classic scenes like the discussions in the diner , the downbeat ending and the bit where the woman walks into the farmhouse and finds .... no I won`t spoil it for you . I rate this as Hitchcock`s best film .
If you want to get your own back then make sure you stuff a turkey this Christmas