The Birds (1963) is often forgotten when one thinks of horror films made by Alfred Hitchcock because it always finds itself in the shadow of the director’s previous work, the seminal Psycho (1960). While Psycho is often rightfully lauded as one of the landmarks of not just horror cinema, but cinema itself, Hitch’s follow up has a lot to be desired and even manages to be just as scary at times. The Birds follows a bratty socialite, Melanie Daniels played by Tippi Hedren, as she follows a man that she had a brief flirtation with in a pet store in San Francisco to the seaside town of Bodega Bay. From here, a few startling encounters with the birds of the area leads into a full-on attack on the small town by the winged creatures. Hitchcock takes a very simple concept but manages to make it extremely effective. 

Melanie arrives in Bodega Bay and is greeted to an icy welcome, not just by the birds, but by the locals. Some seem instantly suspicious of what the blonde beauty is in town for. None more so than her conquest’s mother, Lydia. The mother-son relationship, like a lot of Hitchcock’s films, is one of the most interesting and nuanced themes presented. Lydia is oddly protective of Mitch, it’s almost as if she’s read the Norma Bates book of mothering. Why does Lydia act this way with Mitch? Is this tied to why the birds are attacking? Many have suggested that the behaviour of the birds is linked with Lydia’s rage and protectiveness. The birds don’t seem to start acting in peculiar ways of attacking until Melanie arrives in town. In fact, the first person to be attacked is Melanie.

In terms of scares, The Birds has always seemed to live in the shadow of Hitchcock’s previous film, Psycho. This I’ve felt has always been a little bit unfair on this film as it has some genuinely scary moments that still hold up today and the tension built up is up there with the best of Hitch’s work. Psycho being so ingrained in pop culture has worked to its detriment as everyone and their mother, pun intended, knows the big reveal of the final act, whether they’ve seen the film or not. The Birds does not suffer from this same problem because we’re not left with a clear explanation. Instead, the viewer must ruminate on what the cause is. Is it a metaphor for Lydia’s protectiveness? Is it part of an impending apocalypse? Is it a virus causing the birds to act viciously? It can be whatever the viewer makes of it. Personally, I think it’s connected to Melanie’s arrival to Bodega Bay and Lydia’s over-protectiveness of Mitch. It’s no coincidence that the bird attacks begin on Melanie’s journey to Mitch’s home and she’s attacked encroaching on Lydia’s space. 

Once the birds begin attacking the residents of Bodega Bay, the tension really ramps up. One standout sequence takes place within a diner as the townsfolk watch in sheer horror as the birds carry out what can only be described as an organised attack on the town causing death and destruction throughout the small town. Melanie eventually takes refuge with Mitch and his family at their home along the bay. Although, it’s not long before the birds manage to make their way in.   
Surprisingly, The Birds seems to be a blind spot in many people’s viewing of Hitchcock films as it didn’t hold the same reputation as others upon release.  Looking back, this film is arguably as entertaining as Psycho. Showcasing some genuine scares and ingenious sequences which showed the Master of Suspense was still at the top of his game.