I had the opportunity to watch Birds again. For those who've been living in Mars, it's about the strange and fightening assault of birds on the inhabitants of Bodega Bay.

The movie starts off slow - like most Hitchcock films - but begins picking up steadily as the movie progresses. However, the script just doesn't stand the test of time. The plot, the CG... the birds... there have been so many imitation B movies that have flooded the movie industry in the past decade, that aside from Hitchcock's signature touch, it felt like I've seen this a hundred times.

Also, a lot like Vertigo, the movie doesn't have a resolution, but rather leaves the audience hanging. Birds is far worse than Vertigo. It builds a story that makes absolutely no sense and throws out a bunch of random theories to explain the sudden invasion of birds - An evil curse? End of the world? What?

The End.

Worst.

Hitchcock.

Ever.
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I first saw The Birds about six months ago and I can say, I really wasn't all too impressed. I had seen other Hitchcock films and it really didn't have the same feeling. I was really disappointed as well, especially after hearing so many people praise it. But I'd really have to agree with you, it seems a bit like a B-movie of that time period, especially with some of the bizarre theories they throw out.

I still think that it is a great movie, your issue with it is that you are taking it out of its time. In reality there are a lot of classic old movies that would suffer the same fate.

For the time it was a great movie, and if Hitchcock was making movies today it would still be a great movie because he would of taken advantage of the technological advances of today, and like you said there are a lot of B movies that have imitated this movie, and therefore if it was made today and not then there would not have been all of those movies to compare it to.

If you watch a move from a specific era you have to put yourself then and not compare it to the CGI of LOTR and Matrix of today
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I don't see a reason to call this a classic by any means. Psycho is a classic. Birds is a far cry.

I'm not criticizing merely the CGI. I'm criticizing the script, foremost. It certainly isn't a classic for being good. It may have been one of the first horror films about animals attacking, but it's still mediocre.

For a movie to be a true classic, it needs to possess a sense of ownership to the original concept. Many have tried to mimic Pulp Fiction's directing style, but Pulp Fiction still sits high on the totem pole. Birds on the other hand, gets lost in the swamp of B movies.
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There are plenty of good, even amazing films whose special effects seem...out of date. But those films can stand the test of time, by having an amazing script, great direction, etc. Take the Wizard of Oz, the special effects in that movie look very outdated now, yet, its still an increadible film. The problem with The Birds is that the plot itself is very weak, combinded with the outdated special effects, it really has very little going for it.

Movies like the second and third Matrix films, already pretty bad, will just become worse over time, as they focused far too much on special effects. A true classic in my mind, is a movie that, even with miserable looking special effects by todays standards, can still keep you compelled, interested, and satisfied with the whole movie watching experience. I can say this about many Hitchcock films, but The Birds, just doesn't do it.

A classic. I recall seeing it as a kid. I was horrified and scared. But now, when I see it, it's just another classic that now seems a bit obsolete. maybe I'm getting used to too much effects
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I remember seeing this film when I was around 13 years old - I had nightmares for weeks, and it started my dislike for birds being caged. I was flicking through the film channels a few weeks ago and there it was again, being not far in I thought I'll sit and watch it, oh boy what a mistake that was - had I been alone in the room I'd have hid behind the sofa.

Goes to show that you don't need a huge budget and computer graphics to scare people to death.
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quote:

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Originally posted by Zerabira:
I remember seeing this film when I was around 13 years old - I had nightmares for weeks, and it started my dislike for birds being caged. I was flicking through the film channels a few weeks ago and there it was again, being not far in I thought I'll sit and watch it, oh boy what a mistake that was - had I been alone in the room I'd have hid behind the sofa.

Goes to show that you don't need a huge budget and computer graphics to scare people to death.

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I agree the shining is indeed a great film - Texas chainsaw on the other hand didn't even raise the heart beat.

As for the comment about me being a bumbling fool, I'll rise above it.
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