THE BIRDS (1963) Movie Reaction - FIRST TIME WATCHING 

What's that! Is it a bird? A plane? Oh no it is a bird. This is such a stressful movie with some really good special effects and fun characters!! I only wished someone had been lifted up and flown away that would have made the movie perfect. Thanks for watching! Have a great day!! :)

I find the scenes between Tippi Hedren and Suzanne Pleshette to be some of the most complexly layered scenes ever shot for a movie. These women were showing more with what they _weren't_ saying to each other than what was written for dialogue.

The first part does seem slow but, I feel like it plays an important role in that it shows us how we view birds and nature in general. In the movie, birds are decorations, things to entertain us. We cage them, we give them as gifts, we treat them as things for our own pleasure. The thing to take away from that is that, throughout the entire first part of the movie, we didn't even give the birds a second thought. The way we treat birds seemed perfectly natural because we've all done it. We don't respect nature until it turns against us. I think the first part of the movie, while it seems slow, ends up being important retrospectively because part of the point it makes is that we didn't even notice what it was showing us.

I believe Hitchcock said in an interview about this movie, that he didnt need music, the bird sounds were all he needed. And how did he get the birds to do all of these things? He said that he paid them well.. LOL. humor.

This was the screen debut of Tippi Hedren, who is the mother of Melanie Griffith and the grandmother of Dakota Johnson. And the male lead is Rod Taylor (1930-2015), best known for starring in The Time Machine (1960). In other words, you're reaching back a long ways. But we appreciate it.

Two points: First, if this movie were made today, they would have added another 20 minutes and explained to death why the birds were doing what they were doing. And, it would have ruined the film. Second, Hitchcock reportedly thought about an extended ending where the car would have traveled back to San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge would have loomed up ahead, covered with birds. This proved too expensive in a pre-CGI world and the idea was scrapped.

The attack on the town , from the birds-eye view of the birds gathering to the still shots of shock and horror on Melanie's face as the scene descends into chaos, is an epic sequence

Love this reaction. I highly recommend watching The Night of the Hunter (1955). It’s about these kids whose stepdad is a serial killer.

Tippi Hedron was also in Hitchcock's next film 1965's Marnie with Sean Connery. I highly recommend that one too. You kept saying "look behind you" while she was smoking her cigarette. We see the mounting silent terror behind her that she is oblivious to and we all say the same thing. That was the genius of Hitchcock. Very nice reaction 👍.

You noticed a lot of things that only serious film buffs would notice. I wouldn't be surprised to see you working in the industry in a few years. When the film first came out, many people were baffled by the ending, and only a few people noticed the many little clues pointing to the two lovebirds being at the centre of everything. They are special --- at least to all the other birds. And like the two human "lovebirds", they are imprisoned in a cage. Mitch is in a cage built by his mom. Melanie is in a cage made by her wealthy family. Annie is in a cage made by her own unrequited love for Mitch.

There's a good reason for the slow beginning. It's to establish a feeling that everything is normal and safe, at first. Hitch gives you a nice, false sense of security, very gradually letting you know that things are not normal. A big part of what Hitchcock does is to show people slowly realising the danger they are in.

The scene at the Gas Station -- where the the camera is high up and the viewer sees the birds swirling downwards is both spectacular and frightening at the same time! Best visual shot in the movie!

The actress who played Cathy also played Lambert in Alien.

Melanie Griffith was named after this part as it was her real mother playing the part and when she had her she named her after it

The author of the story this is based on is Daphne de Maurier, who also wrote Rebecca. The movie of that book is the only Hitchcock movie to win Best Picture at the Oscars (1940). Great and highly recommended movie.

Hithcock's use of lamps might be connected with theater traditions. Lamps are GREAT for stage furnishing. They allow for experimenting with lighting and mood, help to create natural blocking by separating sections of the stage without being something you wouldn't expect to see. At the same time, lamps prevent the scenery from looking too horizontal and artificial, because they are something vertical on the frame (as opposed to couches and tables) without impeding the vision of the actors and furniture.

This was your funniest reaction so far. I don't know why but I was laughing throughout. Somehow "How does she know? She's just Melanie" killed me.

Kinda remind you of Jaws? Suzanne Pleshette (The Teacher, Annie) played the wife in The Bob Newhart Show. Rod Taylor, Australian actor, numerous film roles, starred in H.G. Wells' The Time Machine (1960). Have you reacted to Hitchcock's North by Northwest (1959)? Great, it's next. Great reaction and one liners and a little brother who would rather have a conversation about things.

Alfred Hitchcock is known for his abrupt endings especially in his TV show, Alfred Hitchcock Presents. I loved your reaction especially at the end when you kept saying “what? What? What?“

Now that you watched allot of Hithcock movies. You should watch Mel Brooks High Anxiety a Hitchcock movie spoof of the Hitchcock movies.

"Birdemic is a movie" - I think that's the most praise it's ever got.

You are so fun to watch and I love that you get into some dissection of the films. As a kid in the mid 60’s when we saw this it was pretty frightening… but as young as I was, and being interested in science fiction and monster movies, I never expected the birds to fly off with any of the cast!!! Perhaps try Hitchock’s last movie when you start a series of his films again. “Family Plot” is really fun and has some good suspenseful moments.

Another great movie with this star, Rod Taylor would be H.G. Wells's The Time Machine(1960) directed by George Pal. Pal also directed/produced a lot of other great classic genre movies as well like War of the Worlds, The Naked Jungle, When Worlds Collide, Doc Savage, etc.

This movie is PACKED with symbolism. Why do you think Annie's mailbox is red? I got obsessed with this movie a few years back and had to know why Daphne du maurier would write such a short story. After a lot of research I found a quote from her that the entire movie is allegory for the rise of communism. Who saw it coming, who was unprepared, who was a suspect and who was a victim? **** the greatest moment in the entire movie is when they're getting in the car at the end and Lydia's eyes meet with Melanie's. You have an older woman who doesn't want to be replaced by a young version of herself and you have a young woman that who despises her mother. This movie is truly one of the best and not because it's a movie about Birds, but because it's a movie about everything else.

Veronica Cartwright grew up to continue in adult horror films like "Alien".

This takes place in the small town of Bodega Bay, just north of San Francisco. The town still uses the movie for tourists. The teacher is Suzanne Pleshette, who starred in The Bob Newhart Show. The little girl was one of the crew in Alien.

Always imagined Hitchcock sitting in Norman Bates' motel parlor in with his wife in 1960 and asking her, "What do think of making our next film about birds, Alma?" Love that old Ford pickup Jessica Tandy is driving.

"We're gonna need the biggest seed-bell that you've got!... No... That's too big." Grandpa Simpson on the phone, after a similar bird attack.

There is a chapter in the Jules Verne book called The Mysterious Island where the survivors learn one week a year the entire island is beset by migrating seabirds. The entire island is covered in birds one end to the other for a whole week, and the survivors on the island have to take cover in caves. This chapter never made it into any of the movie versions of The Mysterious Island, but may have inspired The Birds.

You're right, Hitchcock DOES use lamps a lot. He introduces the Lisa character in Rear Window as she turns on multiple lamps. Vertigo also uses strategically placed lamps.

When this film first came out, and was showing at the Odeon Leicester Square, the trees outside the cinema were filled with loud speakers that played the sound of flapping wings and screeching birds as people left the building .. .. and ''What what what'' the ending of the book is as 'open ended' as the film .. never explaining ''Why'' the birds did it.

It is no secret that e.g. Brian de Palma made his film career in Hitchcockian mode - themes and plots and camera shots etc. His films, like Blow-Out and Obsession (Vertigo a la Palma) are also always interesting to watch afterwards.

My favorite Hitchcock movie. I love the initial slow pace of the movie including the dialogue between the characters which I find utterly engaging. Excellent script.

I get a kick that you noticed the tilting of the lovebirds as Melanie recklessly drove the winding road that led into town. Not every reviewer catches that!

Another piece of trivia: brunette child actress Suzanne Cupito appeared in The Birds at the birthday party and aftermath. She guest starred on many TV shows in the 1960s including The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. Later on in her career, she changed her professional name to Morgan Brittany and was most famously in 56 episodes of the TV series Dallas.

Tippi Hedren was traumatized by one of the scenes with just her fighting the birds. Those birds were tied to her so they couldn’t get away. By the way, Tippi Hedren is Melanie Griffith’s mom.

In Hitchcock's "Marnie", Tippi Hedren plays -- guess what? -- a liar!! As for this film, Melanie needs a mother and, in the car at the end, she gets one.

Oh my word, it's mad that you say that at the end. I first saw this when I was about 8 or 9 and I thought well they're going to drive to a hospital and there'll be another attack and a resolution! You do get used to the ambiguous ending over time, and thank god for it. Ooh and subscribing! 👍👍👍

Rod Taylor was great in this movie. He was also great when he played George who was a time traveller in The Time Machine (1960). Tippi Hedren was also in a movie called Roar (1981). Imagine The Birds but with lions and tigers. The movie itself is a comedy of sorts but it took 10 years to make and was known as the most dangerous movie ever made.

James Nguyen (director of Birdemic) definitely likes The Birds, to the point where he cast Tippi Hedren in another one of his movies, Julie and Jack.

The little girl that plays Kathy is the same woman who played Lambert in Alien and is in Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

One of my FAVOURITE movies!! I especially love the scene in the beginning with Melanie walking through the city for some reason

In my pre-teen years, I saw this listed on our TV guide and thought it was a documentary or about a kid nursing orphaned baby birds back to health. It was about 30 minutes past its start time. On TNT. Imagine my surprise! What she told Mitch about her Mom and how she said it was heartbreaking. “I don’t know where she is.”😢

Hitchcock is known for strange endings. This is especially true of his TV show, Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

Suzanne Pleshette and Rod Taylor came together in another one called 'Fate Is The Hunter.'

Fun fact for you the blonde actress that plays Melanie is actress Tippi Hemdren she is the mother of actress Melanie Griffith and also she's the grandmother of Melanie's daughter Dakota Johnson .

At about 26:45 I love the fact that the dialog is interrupted by the waitress calling in an order for....what??...CHICKEN! Lol!! Whoever wrote that is a winner-winner! (Chicken dinner).

The Birds is IN THEATRES nationwide Oct. 22-23 only, as Fathom Events celebrate its 60th Anniversary. Spread the word!

Regarding the brandy: Hitchcock loved his brandy, so much so that in almost all of his movies, one character offers another character a brandy.

I saw this film when I was a kid and always wanted go to Bodega Bay so on my first trip to California, about 10 years ago I drove up the Coast Road just like Melanie. It's not very much changed since the film! A cute trick of Hitch is that the Schoolhouse is actually in the town of Bodega which is 6 miles from Bodega Bay!

I've always enjoyed this movie over the many years, glad you finally got to this classic. Suggest another classic film: '12 Angry Men' - 1957.

Lmao 😂 l love how you gave the little kids names

I can't tell you how many times I've seen this movie and I never noticed the ornithologist buying a pack of cigarettes from the vending machine until today. I think it's because I quit smoking and I want a cigarette every time someone lit one in this movie.

Although Hitchcock made many great movies, this one is my favorite! Portions of this movie were filmed using green screen technology. This movie proves why Alfred Hitchcock was called the Master Of Suspense.

Instead of a medal...she should have....GIVEN HIM THE BIRD!

Psycho was also Universal. It's still part of their tour attraction. I worked at Universal at one point. Another great Hitchcock for you is "Marnie", also with Tippi Hedron but also with Sean Connery, the original James Bond.

"the crows just wanted a cigarette" LOL!

You are perfectly right that in comparison to newer movies that younger audiences watch today , they need to 'grab your attention right away , or lose you . So many older movies seem slow because younger audiences are impatient and need the 'wow! factor right away . Older movies , like books , or paintings - slowly build up a 'ground' that provides a more developed platform before things start to ratchet up . There have been great movies ever since the 'silent' era -- you just have to adjust to the decade that they were made . You do more older movies than most other reactors ,so you are slowly adjusting . By the way , I saw 'The Birds ' when it was a brand new movie , in a theater . When the screen said ' The End ' -- I just thought 'perfect ' ! Whereas my friend wanted his money back ! I'm glad it took you only a short time to adjust to that type of ending . Most people always want everything tied up neatly in a bow .

My favorite of his movies along with psycho. It was always on tv on thanksgiving. I read the short story the movie is based on by a french writer in the story the birds attack a single family in one night in their farmhouse no reason it just happens. Veronica Cartwright, the sister of Angela Cartwright from lost in space and the sound of music, is in the Alien movie and the mother Jessica Tandy was in Ron Howards Cocoon the school teacher was the wife in the Bob Newhart show.

Fun fact the guy helping Melanie with her boat, his real name is Doddles Weaver and he's related to Sigourney Weaver the actress who has played in movies like Alien and Aliens.

There actually was an incident where birds went crazy. Flying into everything even people. Some birds died, and an optopsy was made. Science found that the birds ate the fish, the fish ate the algae, and the algae had something (I forgot all the scientific terminology) that had an effect on the birds brain. This event gave the idea for the movie.

Someone getting picked up and carried off by a bird in this movie would have been absolutely ridiculous-looking. Hitchcock makes cinema, not schlock.

The book that this is based on had the events occur in England just after World War II. The plot reveals that all the destruction from the war had caused an imbalance in nature. Birds would attack or stop whatever the tide changed This point never really made it into the movie.

In terms of other Hitchcock movies, I'd love to see you do Notorious or Shadow of a Doubt.

They should have gathered in one room and barricaded that room instead of trying to board up every opening in the entire house.

Speed bumps hadn't been invented yet when they made this movie. You might say people were the speed bumps then and that's why they needed to invent real speed bumps.

I've watched several of these First Time Watching videos, but this is the first time I've seen one of yours. TOP NOTCH! Not only are your observations insightful and clever, your reactions are on point and very funny. Mentioning the lighting and frame setups is something few if any of the other FTW reviewers do. It's amazing how just a moment before a reveal you figured out a lot of the beats. That's the sign of a great director and movie buff. I'll be catching the rest of your FTW vids soon. One suggestion, move the creepy stuffed Yoda out of our movie eyeline. It's unnerving! At least I learned a new term today -- "diegetic sound". Thanks for that! I'm surprised that in my (xx) years of movie fandom I've never come across that term.

This movie was inspired by an actual real event that happened in California. Some sea birds had eaten some toxic algae and started to attack people and cars, and houses. And throwing up on people. It was real gross. Look it up.

in the 50s there were a lot of "nature revenge" movies. its a horror subgenre but they could also be "sci-fi horror" in that they were usually based upon some kind of radioactive mutation of nature. in the 50s was "tarantula" and "them." and in 1972 "the night of the lepus" was about crazed rabbits. "night of the lepus" was more funny than anything. all the evil rabbits move in slow motion. in 1977 william shatner, capt kirk from star trek, starred in "kingdom of the spiders." hitchcock took the genre, like he did earlirer with the horror genre with psycho, and gave it the magical hitchcock touch. its a very effective film with an open ending which is rare for any film.

The ending was "We will let you live....This time...."

15:33 Dayum! Some sage words right there! Lol

You must watch "Marnie"! Another great Hitchcock film with Tippi Hedren as the title character!

Where the birds are attking her near the end Hitchcock shut tippe in small space with birds flying around her

I don’t think this movie is absolutely top tier Hitchcock. But it is a solid, well-made piece of entertainment. And like so many Hitchcock movies, it has influenced modern entertainment.

The suspense of the penultimate scene. The movie is about the end of the world. The sound of the car at the end got smaller and smaller and the sound of the birds got louder and louder. Think about it.

There was to be an extension to the to the ending . Driving into the city and devastation there. The studio decided not to film it. probably to avoid the cost.

Have you watched Hitchcock's special trailer for this? It explains the reason for why the birds attack, but in a clever tongue and cheek way.

The young girl was also in Alien.

Love the “Birdemic” reference, lol!

24:17 "Its a share we're not Owls." Uh, if they were Owls they'd be part of the problem too.

North By Northwest gonna be really fun to react, its great Hitchcock pre-Bond spy flick.

There were no drunk driving laws in the 1960's!

You should check out the trailer to this and the even longer trailer for "Psycho," with Hitchcock in the dry, tongue-in-cheek mode he made his trademark.

😆 The names you created for the little children 🤣😂🤣

blessings!

Ah, Hitchcock and mothers! Yeah, those were the days, a dash of brandy or a shot of whiskey would cure whatever ails ya. Nice reaction video.

I think you’ll find the love birds are allegories for Mitch and Melanie themselves.

Most of the films you react to are action/ adventure and a little amusement would be nice too; two comedies that always appear in the top five favourites are AIRPLANE and BLAZING SADDLES so it would be nice to see your reaction to them.

Three of Hitch's greatest movies you still need to see: North By Northwest, Strangers On A Train, Notorious and Rebecca...not sure if you've seen Rope?

The trailer’s worth looking at, if it’s the one I’m thinking of. Hitchcock did a lot of his own promotion. 🙂

The school house....church...and a few other filming locations are still in Bodega Bay CA...kept a lookout for crazy birds while I was there...kind of wished a bird had crapped on me....so I could say I was attacked by birds there.

Susanne Pleshette played Annie the school teacher. She's been in a bunch of movies, but is probably most famous for playing Bob Newhart's wife on his first sitcom in the 70s (The Bob Newhart Show). She also made a surprise cameo in the final episode of his sitcom from the 80s (Newhart). The first is probably way before your time (unless you've seen reruns?) and the second was so brief and you wouldn't have got the joke if you hadn't been familiar with her from the first sitcom. So I'm not sure where you might have seen her before. Did you watch this before or after you watched the Sound of Music? Did you notice Mitch's little sister was She was also a member of the Robinson family in the 60s sci fi series Lost in Space. Her sister played one of the Von Trapp kids in the Sound of Music movie.

blessings

I recommend you watch Hitchcock’s most entertaining film, North by Northwest 1959.

Love your reaction. It’s my fave Hitchcock, along with Rear Window. For me the attacks don’t need an explanation for it’s more a study about four women’s (OK, one’s a girl) obsession with one man (played excellently by four fine actresses). Sabotage, Saboteur and Shadow Of A Doubt come next and then Frenzy, Spellbound, Rope, & Lifeboat. Suspicion would have been up there if he’d kept to the story - but his version of the end ruined it. Tippi’s other Hitchcock, Marnie, is also worth checking out.

I felt the same way about the ending the first time I saw this movie. Dissatisfied so much I read the short story and spoiler, the story ends the same way.

Featuring Hitch the Dogwalker

When the birds came down the chimney, those were animated by Disney studios. The actors are reacting to nothing. The other scenes I’m not sure. I know Hitchcock was throwing birds at Tippi in the attic scene.

In real life tippe has a big cat sanctuary

I love Hitchcock.