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The Birds (Collector's Edition) (1963)

Rod Taylor , Tippi Hedren , Alfred Hitchcock  |  PG-13 |  DVD
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (479 customer reviews)

List Price: $19.98
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The Birds (Collector's Edition) + Psycho (1960) + Vertigo
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Product Details

  • Actors: Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette, Veronica Cartwright
  • Directors: Alfred Hitchcock
  • Format: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
  • Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
  • Subtitles: English
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
  • Studio: Universal Studios
  • DVD Release Date: March 28, 2000
  • Run Time: 120 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (479 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: 0783240236
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,619 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • Learn more about "The Birds (Collector's Edition)" on IMDb

Special Features

  • All about The Birds: An Original Documentary
  • Storyboard Sequence & Newsreel
  • A Deleted Scene and the Original Ending
  • Tippi Hedren's Screen Test
  • The Birds is Coming Universal International Newsreel

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Vacationing in northern California, Alfred Hitchcock was struck by a story in a Santa Cruz newspaper: "Seabird Invasion Hits Coastal Homes." From this peculiar incident, and his memory of a short story by Daphne du Maurier, the master of suspense created one of his strangest and most terrifying films. The Birds follows a chic blonde, Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren), as she travels to the coastal town of Bodega Bay to hook up with a rugged fellow (Rod Taylor) she's only just met. Before long the town is attacked by marauding birds, and Hitchcock's skill at staging action is brought to the fore. Beyond the superb effects, however, The Birds is also one of Hitchcock's most psychologically complicated scenarios, a tense study of violence, loneliness, and complacency. What really gets under your skin are not the bird skirmishes but the anxiety and the eerie quiet between attacks. The director elevated an unknown model, Tippi Hedren (mother of Melanie Griffith), to being his latest cool, blond leading lady, an experience that was not always easy on the much-pecked Ms. Hedren. Still, she returned for the next Hitchcock picture, the underrated Marnie. Treated with scant attention by serious critics in 1963, The Birds has grown into a classic and--despite the sci-fi trappings--one of Hitchcock's most serious films. --Robert Horton

Product Description

Hitchcock's bird's-eye-view of the apocalypse has our feathered friends attacking the residents of a small town in northern California.

Customer Reviews

This is a movie I watched when I was younger and I still love to this day. Jessica Johnson  |  82 reviewers made a similar statement
This is a classic and the best film that Alfred Hitchcock has made. Gabriel Albert  |  76 reviewers made a similar statement
The scene when the birds first attack looks fantastic! Zdiddy  |  47 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
77 of 79 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars It gets better every time you see it... March 27, 2000
By A Customer
Format:DVD
Alfred Hitchcock apparently spent the better part of two years trying to find subject matter that he felt would be worthy of a follow up film after 1960's PSYCHO. He bought Daphne duMaurier's short story, "The Birds", and very quickly decided that he would only retain the title, and the bird attack plot point. Evan Hunter and Hitchcock crafted the screenplay structure, and after a staggering amount of technical pre-production, Hitchcock made THE BIRDS. It opened to huge acclaim from the public, if not critics, and is one of the master of suspense's best remembered pictures. As it should be. And with the stunning new DVD edition, this terrific movie at last gets the home video treatment it so richly deserves.

The transfer is immaculately sharp and clear, letterboxed at the 1.85:1 ratio used for theatrical exhibition, and the mono digital sound is clean and vibrant. The letterboxing actually gives the film more breathing room, and some of the sequences, especially the complex technical passages such as the attack on the school, and the spectacular attack on the town, have a visceral punch that's ratcheted up by the clarity of the digital image and sound. Don't be put off by the many sodium process shots that were necessitated by the demands of the screenplay; they are perfectly cut into the film, and give the movie a primitive realism that is perfectly in keeping with Hitchcock's stylized view of reality. His films are all designed within an inch of their lives, and the audience is all the better for it.

The extras on this collector's edition are quite valuable. A featurette entitled "All About The Birds" presents interviews with actors Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor, Veronica Cartwright, along with various technical personnel, and is lively and full of information about the film's production. Also featured are Tippi's screen test, production notes, a trailer, and web links. This is one package that beautifully showcases a film which gets better each time you see it.

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50 of 53 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Sure to Ruffle Your Feathers May 10, 2000
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Hitchcock's macabre classic finally gets its due on this DVD Collector's Edition. The film, which by turns thrills (the various bird attacks) and amuses (the frequently bantering dialogue), is presented in all its widescreen glory -- an important consideration for Hitchcock enthusiasts, given the director's meticulous planning of his films' visual compositions. "The Birds" features some great cinematography, a nerve-wracking soundtrack, and some finely wrought performances (particularly those of Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette and Ethel Griffies); all are well-served by the film-to-DVD transfer. There are a wealth of bonus features, including newsreel footage of Hitchcock and Hedren publicizing the film, an extensive stills gallery, and a fascinating behind the scenes production documentary. Especially intriguing are the ad-libbed screen test clips pairing Hedren with "Psycho" player Martin Balsam while Hitchcock provides verbal instructions off-camera! All in all, a most welcome addition to my DVD collection, and one I'm pleased to recommend for yours.
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81 of 94 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Hitchcock's masterpiece... June 3, 2005
Format:DVD
The Birds is Hitchcock's masterpiece. It is my official selection for the best Hitchcock movie EVER...It is so much more than just a horror movie - especillay when you start asking yourself why the birds attack. Could the bird attacks be fueled by female sexual hysteria and competition for the only virile male (Rod Taylor) in the film? Or could it be just mankind's payback for abusing the fowl of the animal kingdom? This film is loaded with haunting images and symbolism which deserves multiple viewings and discussion among serious film buffs. Not only is the film worth 5 stars but there is an impressive flock of DVD extras. The film itself is a beautiful widescreen presentation with very nice sound; the extras should thrill Hitchophiles with a "making of documentary", vintage newsreels of the film's theatrical release, a very witty original trailer, deleted scenes, and Tippi Hedren's original screen test. YES!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Wanted this movie since I was a little girl and it scared me so bad I...
This is such a great classic! I love being able to order movies I will watch over and over, Thanks Amazon!
Published 11 hours ago by Debby Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Movie
I am a big fan of Hitchcock's movies and The Birds is one of my favorites. It is the perfect drama/thriller combination. This movie is definitely one of Hitchcock's best!
Published 1 day ago by Tee
2.0 out of 5 stars movie
I recall seeing as a teenager. It needs to be better in sound. Alfred Hithcock is just a great story teller. I was sad by the poor reproduction
Published 2 days ago by Sassycat
5.0 out of 5 stars Liking Hitchcock
How could one not LOVE a Hitchcock movie? He said he though this was his most suspenseful movie --- and he is right.
Published 2 days ago by Lawrence P. Ulrich
5.0 out of 5 stars Love this movie!
This is such as classic, completely worth the purchase just to watch one time. If you've never seen it, buy it. Read more
Published 3 days ago by Jessica Freeman
5.0 out of 5 stars great movie
this is a movie that i have seen when i was young and when i had the chance to buy it the first place i thought of was amazon i got it at a very good price, the seller delivered on... Read more
Published 4 days ago by Rene
5.0 out of 5 stars Classic..
Trip to Bodega Bay and this is one of my classic favorites. To kill a Mocking Bird, The Birds, Jaws and then...I have not decided yet.
Published 6 days ago by ChiChi Mama
1.0 out of 5 stars NA
It will not play in my region, so it doesn't do me any good. They should warn you of that before you buy it.
Published 6 days ago by Dave Bahney
5.0 out of 5 stars Viewed this after watching "The Girl"
found this very interesting after viewing the HBO production of "The Girl". It made both films more meaningful to me. I remember the original headlines this film produced
Published 10 days ago by Snow Shiloh
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent
I am a Hitchcock fan and always will be. I love his movies and they are always precise and well made. This will always be one of my favorites. The actors are superb. Read more
Published 14 days ago by Skip Kight
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Blu-Ray: Where aaaaaaare you?
I ordered this in November of 2010...that's not a typo...2010. I'm glad they aren't rushing it, as this one deserves to be a quality disc, but why would Universal even announce it, when they obviously, weren't even close to getting this out? I guess we'll just have to be patient, and I hope... Read more
Mar 10, 2012 by Greg Blu Ray HD |  See all 4 posts
birds II
I have the movie on Laserdisc. It's horrible in a fantastic way. Anyway, I don't think it's on DVD officially. Good luck finding it.
Mar 5, 2012 by A Sled in Flames |  See all 2 posts
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