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This was removed because screwball comedy implies an amped-up comic tone and delivery that is not seen in any part of this film. H & H may have talked of using comedy elements, but as written this text is confusing and misplaced.
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On 18 August 1961, residents in the town of [[Capitola, California]], awoke to find [[sooty shearwater]]s slamming into their rooftops, and their streets covered with dead birds. News reports suggested domoic acid poisoning ([[amnesic shellfish poisoning]]) as the cause. According to a local newspaper, the ''[[Santa Cruz Sentinel]]'', Alfred Hitchcock requested news copy in 1961 to use as "research material for his latest thriller".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/articles/183/ |first=Wally |last=Trabing |title=Alfred Hitchcock Using Sentinel's Seabird Story|work=Santa Cruz Sentinel |date= 21 August 1961 |page=4}}</ref> At the end of the same month, Hitchcock hired [[Evan Hunter]] to adapt [[Daphne du Maurier]]'s novella, "[[The Birds (story)|The Birds]]", first published in her 1952 collection ''[[The Apple Tree (anthology)|The Apple Tree]]''.<ref name="hunt26">{{harvnb|Hunter|1997b|p=26}}</ref> Hunter had previously adapted Robert Turner's story "Appointment at Eleven" for the television anthology series ''[[Alfred Hitchcock Presents]]''.<ref name="hunt26"/> Hunter later suspected that he was hired because he had demonstrated he could write [[suspense (genre)|suspense]] successfully (with the [[87th Precinct]] novels, as Ed McBain), and because his novel ''[[The Blackboard Jungle]]'' had received the critical acclaim that Hitchcock desired.<ref name="hunt30">{{harvnb|Hunter|1997b|p=30}}</ref> The relationship between Hunter and Hitchcock during the creation of ''The Birds'' was documented by the writer in his 1997 autobiography ''[[Me and Hitch]]'', which contains a variety of correspondence between the writer, director and Hitchcock's assistant, Peggy Robertson.<ref>{{harvnb|Hunter|1997a}}<br/>This short book was adapted by ''Sight & Sound'' in its June 1997 edition.</ref>
On 18 August 1961, residents in the town of [[Capitola, California]], awoke to find [[sooty shearwater]]s slamming into their rooftops, and their streets covered with dead birds. News reports suggested domoic acid poisoning ([[amnesic shellfish poisoning]]) as the cause. According to a local newspaper, the ''[[Santa Cruz Sentinel]]'', Alfred Hitchcock requested news copy in 1961 to use as "research material for his latest thriller".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/articles/183/ |first=Wally |last=Trabing |title=Alfred Hitchcock Using Sentinel's Seabird Story|work=Santa Cruz Sentinel |date= 21 August 1961 |page=4}}</ref> At the end of the same month, Hitchcock hired [[Evan Hunter]] to adapt [[Daphne du Maurier]]'s novella, "[[The Birds (story)|The Birds]]", first published in her 1952 collection ''[[The Apple Tree (anthology)|The Apple Tree]]''.<ref name="hunt26">{{harvnb|Hunter|1997b|p=26}}</ref> Hunter had previously adapted Robert Turner's story "Appointment at Eleven" for the television anthology series ''[[Alfred Hitchcock Presents]]''.<ref name="hunt26"/> Hunter later suspected that he was hired because he had demonstrated he could write [[suspense (genre)|suspense]] successfully (with the [[87th Precinct]] novels, as Ed McBain), and because his novel ''[[The Blackboard Jungle]]'' had received the critical acclaim that Hitchcock desired.<ref name="hunt30">{{harvnb|Hunter|1997b|p=30}}</ref> The relationship between Hunter and Hitchcock during the creation of ''The Birds'' was documented by the writer in his 1997 autobiography ''[[Me and Hitch]]'', which contains a variety of correspondence between the writer, director and Hitchcock's assistant, Peggy Robertson.<ref>{{harvnb|Hunter|1997a}}<br/>This short book was adapted by ''Sight & Sound'' in its June 1997 edition.</ref>


Hunter began working on the screenplay in September 1961.<ref>{{harvnb|Hunter|1997b|p=27}}</ref> Hunter and Hitchcock developed the story, suggesting foundations such as the townspeople having a guilty secret to hide, and the birds an instrument of punishment.<ref name="hunt29">{{harvnb|Hunter|1997b|p=29}}</ref> Hunter's suggestion that the film should be a [[screwball comedy]] appealed to Hitchcock because it conformed to his love of suspense: the title and the publicity would have already informed the audience that birds ''attack'', but they do not know ''when''. The initial humor followed by horror would turn the suspense into ''shock''.<ref name="hunt29"/>
Hunter began working on the screenplay in September 1961.<ref>{{harvnb|Hunter|1997b|p=27}}</ref> Hunter and Hitchcock developed the story, suggesting foundations such as the townspeople having a guilty secret to hide, and the birds an instrument of punishment.<ref name="hunt29">{{harvnb|Hunter|1997b|p=29}}</ref> Hitchcock solicited comments from several people regarding the first draft of Hunter's screenplay. Consolidating their criticisms, Hitchcock wrote to Hunter, suggesting that the script (particularly the first part) was too long, contained insufficient characterization in the two leads, and that some scenes lacked drama and audience interest.<ref>{{harvnb|Auiler|1999|p=207-9}}</ref> At later stages, Hitchcock consulted with his friends [[Hume Cronyn]] and [[V. S. Pritchett]], who both offered lengthy reflections on the work.<ref>{{harvnb|Auiler|1999|p=209-217}}</ref>

Hitchcock solicited comments from several people regarding the first draft of Hunter's screenplay. Consolidating their criticisms, Hitchcock wrote to Hunter, suggesting that the script (particularly the first part) was too long, contained insufficient characterization in the two leads, and that some scenes lacked drama and audience interest.<ref>{{harvnb|Auiler|1999|p=207-9}}</ref> At later stages, Hitchcock consulted with his friends [[Hume Cronyn]] and [[V. S. Pritchett]], who both offered lengthy reflections on the work.<ref>{{harvnb|Auiler|1999|p=209-217}}</ref>


===Casting===
===Casting===

Revision as of 05:12, 24 July 2012

The Birds
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAlfred Hitchcock
Screenplay byEvan Hunter
Produced byAlfred Hitchcock
StarringRod Taylor
Jessica Tandy
Suzanne Pleshette
Tippi Hedren
CinematographyRobert Burks, ASC
Edited byGeorge Tomasini
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • 28 March 1963 (1963-03-28)
Running time
119 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$3.5 million
Box office$11,403,529

The Birds is a 1963 suspense/horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, loosely based on the 1952 story "The Birds" by Daphne du Maurier. It depicts Bodega Bay, California which is, suddenly and for unexplained reasons, the subject of a series of widespread and violent bird attacks over the course of a few days.

The film was billed as 'introducing' Tippi Hedren. It also starred Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette and a young Veronica Cartwright.

The screenplay was written by Evan Hunter. Hitchcock told him to develop new characters and a more elaborate plot, keeping Du Maurier's title and concept of unexplained bird attacks.[1]

Plot

Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren) is a young, wealthy socialite who meets Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor), a lawyer, in a San Francisco bird shop. Brenner wants to purchase a pair of lovebirds for his sister's eleventh birthday, and pretends to mistake Daniels for a salesperson, which infuriates her and leads her to inquire as to the reason for his behavior. He mentions a previous encounter that he had with her. Intrigued by him, she finds the address of his home in Bodega Bay, California. She purchases a pair of lovebirds and reaches his house by sneaking across the small harbor in a motor boat, leaving the birds and a note. As she is heading back across the bay, a seagull swoops down and inflicts a cut on her head. On Mitch's request Melanie reluctantly agrees to join the dinner at their residence.

Over the next few days, the bird attacks continue, as Melanie develops relationships with Mitch, his clinging mother Lydia (Jessica Tandy), his younger sister Cathy (Veronica Cartwright), and Cathy's teacher (who is also Mitch's ex-lover) Annie Hayworth (Suzanne Pleshette). The second strange bird incident occurs when Melanie stays for the night at Annie's house as a gull swoops down and kills itself upon hitting the front door. The next attack occurs at Cathy's birthday party, where the children are set upon by seagulls. The following evening, sparrows invade the Brenner home. The bird violence escalates when Lydia discovers a friend dead in his bedroom with windows smashed, his eyes pecked out and dead birds everywhere. Lydia, horrified, returns home where she is comforted by Mitch and Melanie. Lydia becomes concerned about Cathy's safety at school, and asks Melanie to check on her. While Melanie waits on a bench outside the school, crows slowly gather on the playground equipment behind her. Melanie is terrified when she becomes aware of the gathering birds. She warns Annie, and the two attempt to evacuate the children safely. As they flee from the school the birds attack, harming several children.

Following this attack, an argument erupts at a local restaurant over this strange behavior. A drunk believes the attacks are a sign of the apocalypse, but a young mother chides the man and others for scaring her children. Mrs. Bundy (Ethel Griffies), an amateur ornithologist, insists that different bird species do not flock or attack together. Despite her claim, a motorist is attacked while filling his car with gasoline; he is knocked unconscious and the gasoline continues to pump out onto the street. Another motorist, unaware he is standing in the puddle of gasoline, disregards warnings from the people in the restaurant as he lights a cigar, and drops the match on the ground, resulting in an explosion and fire. The birds attack as people pour from the diner to survey the damage, and Melanie is forced to take refuge in a phone booth. Mitch rescues her and they return to the restaurant, where the hysterical mother accuses Melanie of being the cause of the attacks. Melanie and Mitch later find Annie dead on her front porch and Cathy in tears, having witnessed Annie's death from inside the house.

Melanie and Mitch's family take refuge in the Brenners' house and board up the windows. The house is attacked by the birds more viciously than ever before, and at several points they nearly manage to break in by pecking through the doors. Mitch is injured when a few birds break through a window and peck his hands. In the evening, when everyone else is asleep, Melanie hears noises from the upper floor. Not wanting to disturb Mitch, Melanie takes a flashlight and investigates. Entering a room at the top of the stairs, she finds that the birds have managed to break through the roof. They violently attack her, trapping her in the room until Mitch comes to her rescue. He and Lydia tend to her, but she is catatonic and they must get her to a hospital. A sea of birds ripple menacingly around the Brenner farm, but do not attack as the humans make their escape. The radio reports other bird attacks in nearby communities. The film concludes ambiguously, as the car slowly makes its way through seemingly infinite flocks of birds into the sunrise.

Cast

Production

Development

On 18 August 1961, residents in the town of Capitola, California, awoke to find sooty shearwaters slamming into their rooftops, and their streets covered with dead birds. News reports suggested domoic acid poisoning (amnesic shellfish poisoning) as the cause. According to a local newspaper, the Santa Cruz Sentinel, Alfred Hitchcock requested news copy in 1961 to use as "research material for his latest thriller".[3] At the end of the same month, Hitchcock hired Evan Hunter to adapt Daphne du Maurier's novella, "The Birds", first published in her 1952 collection The Apple Tree.[4] Hunter had previously adapted Robert Turner's story "Appointment at Eleven" for the television anthology series Alfred Hitchcock Presents.[4] Hunter later suspected that he was hired because he had demonstrated he could write suspense successfully (with the 87th Precinct novels, as Ed McBain), and because his novel The Blackboard Jungle had received the critical acclaim that Hitchcock desired.[5] The relationship between Hunter and Hitchcock during the creation of The Birds was documented by the writer in his 1997 autobiography Me and Hitch, which contains a variety of correspondence between the writer, director and Hitchcock's assistant, Peggy Robertson.[6]

Hunter began working on the screenplay in September 1961.[7] Hunter and Hitchcock developed the story, suggesting foundations such as the townspeople having a guilty secret to hide, and the birds an instrument of punishment.[8] Hitchcock solicited comments from several people regarding the first draft of Hunter's screenplay. Consolidating their criticisms, Hitchcock wrote to Hunter, suggesting that the script (particularly the first part) was too long, contained insufficient characterization in the two leads, and that some scenes lacked drama and audience interest.[9] At later stages, Hitchcock consulted with his friends Hume Cronyn and V. S. Pritchett, who both offered lengthy reflections on the work.[10]

Casting

As Hunter and Hitchcock developed the script, they imagined Grace Kelly and Cary Grant in the two lead roles.[8] However, Hitchcock was unable to cast these, and instead used Rod Taylor and Tippi Hedren, both of whom he signed to personal contracts (only Hedren made subsequent films with Hitchcock, however).[11]

Soundtrack

Many of the sound effects were created on the Mixtur-Trautonium, an electonic musical instrument developed by Oskar Sala.

Hitchcock decided to do without any conventional incidental score.[12] Instead, he made use of sound effects and sparse source music in counterpoint to calculated silences. Hitchcock wanted to use the electroacoustic Trautonium to create the birdcalls and noises. Hitchcock had first encountered this predecessor to the synthesizer on Berlin radio in the late 1920s. It was invented by ‎Friedrich Trautwein and further developed by Oskar Sala into the Mixtur-Trautonium, which would create some of the bird sounds for this film.[13][14][15]

The director commissioned Sala and Remi Gassmann to design an electronic soundtrack.[12] They are credited with "electronic sound production and composition," and Hitchcock's previous musical collaborator Bernard Herrmann is credited as "sound consultant."

Source music includes the first of Claude Debussy's Deux arabesques, which Tippi Hedren's character plays on piano, and "Risseldy Rosseldy", an Americanized version of the Scottish folk song "Wee Cooper O'Fife", which is sung by the schoolchildren.

Special effects

The special-effects shots of the attacking birds were done at Walt Disney Studios by animator/technician Ub Iwerks, who used the sodium vapor process ("yellow screen") which he had helped to develop. The SV process films the subject against a screen lit with narrow-spectrum sodium vapor lights. Unlike most compositing processes, SVP actually shoots two separate elements of the footage simultaneously using a beam-splitter. One reel is regular film stock and the other a film stock with emulsion sensitive only to the sodium vapor wavelength. This results in very precise matte shots compared to blue screen special effects, necessary due to "fringing" of the image from the birds' rapid wing flapping.[16]

Premiere and awards

The film premiered March 28, 1963 in New York City. The Museum of Modern Art hosted an invitation-only screening of The Birds as part of a 50-film retrospective of Hitchcock's film work. The MOMA series had a booklet with a monograph on Hitchcock written by Peter Bogdanovich. The film was screened out of competition in May at a prestigious invitational showing at the 1963 Cannes Film Festival[17] with Hitchcock and Hedren in attendance.

Ub Iwerks was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Special Effects. The winner that year was Cleopatra. Tippi Hedren received the Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actress in 1964, sharing it with Ursula Andress and Elke Sommer. She also received the Photoplay Award as Most Promising Newcomer. The film ranked #1 of the top 10 foreign films selected by the Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards. Hitchcock also received the Association's Director Award for the film.[18]

Reception and interpretation

The eminent film critic David Thomson refers to The Birds as Hitchcock's "last unflawed film".[19]

Humanities scholar Camille Paglia wrote a monograph about The Birds for the BFI Film Classics series. She interprets the film as an ode to the many facets of female sexuality and, by extension, nature itself. She notes that women play pivotal roles in The Birds. Mitch is defined by his relationships with his mother, sister and ex-lover -- a careful balance which is disrupted by his attraction to the beautiful Melanie.[20]

Sequel and remake

An unrelated sequel, The Birds II: Land's End, was released in 1994, with different actors. The movie was a direct-to-television film and received negative reviews. The film's director, Rick Rosenthal, removed his name from it, opting to use the Hollywood pseudonym Alan Smithee.[21] Hedren appeared in the film in a supporting role, but not as her original character.

In 2007, Variety reported that Naomi Watts and George Clooney would star in Universal's remake of the film, which would be directed by Casino Royale director Martin Campbell. The production would be a joint venture by Platinum Dunes and Mandalay Pictures.[22] Hedren stated her opposition to the remake, saying, "Why would you do that? Why? I mean, can’t we find new stories, new things to do?"[23] Development has been stalled since the 2007 announcement. On 16 June 2009, Brad Fuller of Dimension Films stated that no further developments had taken place, commenting, "We keep trying, but I don't know."[24] Martin Campbell was eventually replaced as director by Platinum Dunes host Dennis Iliades in December 2009.[25][26]

References

  1. ^ Gottlieb & Brookhouse 2002, p. 201
  2. ^ McCarthy, Michael (5 February 2009). "Final cut for Hollywood's favourite dog". The Independent. Retrieved 26 December 2011.
  3. ^ Trabing, Wally (21 August 1961). "Alfred Hitchcock Using Sentinel's Seabird Story". Santa Cruz Sentinel. p. 4.
  4. ^ a b Hunter 1997b, p. 26
  5. ^ Hunter 1997b, p. 30
  6. ^ Hunter 1997a
    This short book was adapted by Sight & Sound in its June 1997 edition.
  7. ^ Hunter 1997b, p. 27
  8. ^ a b Hunter 1997b, p. 29
  9. ^ Auiler 1999, p. 207-9
  10. ^ Auiler 1999, p. 209-217
  11. ^ Vagg 2010, p. 87
  12. ^ a b Auiler 1999, p. 516
  13. ^ "The Birds". TCM. Retrieved 20 June 2012.
  14. ^ "Blue" Gene Tyranny. "All Music Guide". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
  15. ^ Pinch & Trocco 2004, p. 54
  16. ^ "Top SFX shots No.6: The Birds". Den of Geek. Retrieved 02 January 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  17. ^ "Festival de Cannes: The Birds". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 27 February 2009.
  18. ^ "69th & 70th Annual Hero Honda Bengal Film Journalists' Association (B.F.J.A.) Awards 2007-Past Winners List 1964". Archived from the original on 21 February 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
  19. ^ Thompson 2008, p. 97
  20. ^ Paglia 1998
  21. ^ Tucker, Ken (18 March 1994). "TV Review - The Birds II: Lands End". Ew.com. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  22. ^ Graser, Marc; Siegel, Tatiana (18 October 2007). "Naomi Watts set for 'Birds' remake". Variety. Retrieved 21 June 2009.
  23. ^ Adler, Shawn (16 October 2007). "Original Scream Queen Decries 'Birds' Remake As Foul". MTV. Retrieved 21 June 2009.
  24. ^ ""The Birds" Remake May Not Happen". Worst Previews.com.
  25. ^ "'The Birds' Remake Gets A New Director?". Screenrant.com. 03 December 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ "Rumor Control: 'The Birds' Remake Begins at the 'Last House on the Left'?". Bloody-disgusting.com. Retrieved 29 August 2010.

Bibliography

External links

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Streaming audio

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