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The Birds
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The Birds (1963) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 52 | slideshow) Videos (see all 9)
The Birds (1963) -- A wealthy San Francisco playgirl pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people there in increasing numbers and with increasing viciousness
The Birds (1963) -- The birds amass on the monkey bars behind Melanie.
The Birds (1963) -- A wealthy San Francisco playgirl pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people there in increasing numbers and with increasing viciousness
The Birds (1963) -- MattTrailer.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.9/10   48,456 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 26% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Daphne Du Maurier (story)
Evan Hunter (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Birds on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
28 March 1963 (USA) more
Tagline:
Suspense and shock beyond anything you have seen or imagined! more
Plot:
A wealthy San Francisco playgirl pursues a potential boyfriend to a small Northern California town that slowly takes a turn for the bizarre when birds of all kinds suddenly begin to attack people there in increasing numbers and with increasing viciousness. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(85 articles)
User Comments:
"They're coming! They're coming!" more (340 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (UK) (complete title)
more
Runtime:
119 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:
Australia:M (TV rating) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1963) | UK:15 (1987) | UK:X (1963) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Spain:T | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-15 (uncut) (2002) (DVD) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | France:-12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:16 (1976) | Norway:18 | Peru:14 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (certificate #20385) (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (new rating) (1984) | West Germany:16 | Singapore:PG | Iceland:16

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
A number of endings were being considered for this film. One that was considered would have showed the Golden Gate Bridge completely covered by birds. more
Goofs:
Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When Melanie gets out of the boat after the seagull attack she appears not to have her purse on the pan-and-scan version. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Melanie Daniels: Hello there, Mrs. MacGruder.
Mrs. MacGruder, pet store clerk: Oh, hello, Miss Daniels.
Melanie Daniels: Have you ever seen so many gulls? What do you suppose it is?
Mrs. MacGruder, pet store clerk: Well, there must be a storm at sea, that can drive them inland, you know. I was hoping you'd be a little late because he hadn't arrived yet.
Melanie Daniels: Oh, but you'd said three o'clock...
Mrs. MacGruder, pet store clerk: Oh I know, I know. I've been calling all morning. Oh, Miss Daniels you have no idea. They are so difficult to get, really they are. We have to get them from India, when they're just baby chicks, and then we have...
Melanie Daniels: But this one won't be a chick, will he?
Mrs. MacGruder, pet store clerk: Certainly not. Oh no, certainly not. This will be a full grown mynah bird, full grown.
Melanie Daniels: And he'll talk?
[...]
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Corpse Bride (2005) more
Soundtrack:
Risseldy, Rosseldy more

FAQ

Why did Melanie take the lovebirds to the Brenners?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
Why did Lydia hate Annie, Melanie, and any of Mitch's girlfriends?
more
37 out of 54 people found the following comment useful.
"They're coming! They're coming!", 17 June 2000
9/10
Author: jhaggardjr from Chicago, Illinois

"They're coming! They're coming!" were the words said by Tippi Hedren at the end of the coming attractions trailer for Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 film "The Birds". And boy did they come when the movie opened. This is a terrifying story about what could happen if our fine feathered friends turned on man. "The Birds", like the Master of Suspense's 1960 masterpiece "Psycho", has the ability to give people the chills. I found "The Birds" to be just a tad below "Psycho" (it starts a little slow), but it's still a pretty scary movie. It features good acting by Tippi Hedren (in her most famous role), Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy (26 years before "Driving Miss Daisy"), Suzanne Pleshette, and Veronica Cartwright (16 years before "Alien"). Plus it has impressive special visual effects, and probably the scariest sound effects that I've ever heard. The sound effects alone give me the creeps. And it has its share of humorous moments throughout. "The Birds" is classic Hitchcock. If you like horror movies that are well made with a well told story, then you'll like this one.

***1/2 (out of four)

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Birds (1963)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Annie Hayworth's face and eyes bobo-29
Picture On Wall In Bed Scene- Trafalgar Square. London? kingkoopa77
What do you think of our little hamlet? c7c7c7r
Use of birds in other Hitchcock films ninjadave
Another interpretation michalis612
I'm trying to find the score/music... pennylane0586
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