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"Nothing You Have Ever Witnessed Before Has Prepared You for Such Sheer Stabbing Shock!"

Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Technical Information 3 DVD Recommendations 4 Recent DVD Releases 4.1 released in 2008 4.2 released in 2005 4.3 released in 2003 5 See Also... 6 Image Gallery 7 Film Frames 8 Themes 9 Cast and Crew

Synopsis

Spoilt socialite and notorious practical joker Melanie Daniels is shopping in a San Francisco pet store when she meets Mitch Brenner. Mitch is looking to buy a pair of love birds for his young sister's birthday; he recognises Melanie but pretends to mistake her for an assistant. She decides to get her own back by buying the birds and driving up to the quiet coastal town of Bodega Bay, where Mitch spends his weekends with his sister and mother. Shortly after she arrives, Melanie is attacked by a gull, but this is just the start of a series of attacks by an increasing number of birds. (© IMDB)

Technical Information

• colour (Technicolor)
• sound mix: mono
• aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• running time: 119 minutes
• production studio: Universal Pictures
• also known as:
  • Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963) - full UK title

DVD Recommendations

...loading recommendations for The Birds (1963)

Recent DVD Releases

• to view all of the DVD releases of this film, see The Birds (1963) - DVD releases

released in 2008

The Birds (1963) - Universal (USA, 2008) NTSC

released in 2005

	The Birds (1963) - Universal (UK, 2005) PAL
	The Birds (1963) - Universal (USA, 2005) - part of a box set NTSC 1.85:1 (anamorphic) [01:59:24]

released in 2003

The Birds (1963) - Universal (UK, 2003) PAL 1.33:1 (pan & scan)

...view older DVD releases

See Also...

For further relevant information about this film, see also...

• 1000 Frames of The Birds (1963)
• Articles about The Birds (1963)
• Awards and Nominations
• Books about The Birds (1963)
• Complete Cast and Crew
• Documentaries about The Birds (1963)
• Films scripts
• Filming locations
• Production documents
• Radio adaptations
• Web links to articles, information, reviews, etc

Image Gallery

Images from the Hitchcock Gallery (click to view larger versions or search for all relevant images)...

Film Frames

Themes

• birds ...everywhere!
• mother - the relationship between Mitch and Lydia
• taboo: nudity - Lydia is disgusted at the story of Melanie dancing naked in the fountain in Rome
• the MacGuffin - what is causing the birds to attack?
• the colour green - Melanie's green suit
• the icy blonde - Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren)
• the mirror that Mitch uses to stop the birds getting in
• the Hitchcock cameo - walking his two pet dogs past the pet shop
  

Cast and Crew

Directed by:

• Alfred Hitchcock
• James H Brown - assistant director

Starring:

• Tippi Hedren - Melanie Daniels
• Rod Taylor - Mitch Brenner
• Jessica Tandy - Lydia Brenner
• Suzanne Pleshette - Annie Hayworth
• Veronica Cartwright - Cathy Brenner
• Ethel Griffies - Mrs Bundy
• Charles McGraw - Sebastian Sholes
• Ruth McDevitt - Mrs MacGruder
• Lonny Chapman - Deke Carter
• Joe Mantell - Traveling salesman
• Doodles Weaver - Fisherman
• Malcolm Atterbury - Deputy Al Malone
• John McGovern - Postal clerk
• Karl Swenson - woman in diner
• Richard Deacon - Mitch Brenner's neighbour in the city
• Elizabeth Wilson - Helen Carter

Produced by:

• Alfred Hitchcock

Written by:

• Daphne Du Maurier - original short story ("The Birds")
• Evan Hunter

Photographed by:

• Robert Burks

Edited by:

• George Tomasini

Music by:

• Bernard Herrmann - sound consultant

Costume Design by:

• Edith Head

Production Design by:

• Robert F Boyle

Hitchcock's Major Films
1920s	The Pleasure Garden · The Mountain Eagle · The Lodger · Downhill · Easy Virtue · The Ring · The Farmer's Wife · Champagne · The Manxman · Blackmail
1930s	Juno and the Paycock · Murder! · The Skin Game · Rich and Strange · Number Seventeen · Waltzes from Vienna · The Man Who Knew Too Much · The 39 Steps · Secret Agent · Sabotage · Young and Innocent · The Lady Vanishes · Jamaica Inn
1940s	Rebecca · Foreign Correspondent · Mr and Mrs Smith · Suspicion · Saboteur · Shadow of a Doubt · Lifeboat · Spellbound · Notorious · The Paradine Case · Rope · Under Capricorn
1950s	Stage Fright · Strangers on a Train · I Confess · Dial M for Murder · Rear Window · To Catch a Thief · The Trouble with Harry · The Man Who Knew Too Much · The Wrong Man · Vertigo · North by Northwest
1960s	Psycho · The Birds · Marnie · Torn Curtain · Topaz
1970s	Frenzy · Family Plot
( view full filmography )