The Birds 4K Blu-ray Review & Comments

[Simon Crust]

Continuing our look at the Hitchcock Classics Collection set, we turn our attention to The Birds.
Read the review.

Write your own review for The Birds (1963)

 

[jakimp]

thanks Simon - i have vertigo and psycho to watch before this one

look forward to your views on those 2 as i have seen very positive reviews of both but especially of vertigo

 

[Sir QD oled]

Thanks wouldn't miss this one for all the money in the world

 

[steviedr]

Thanks - that was a nice treat to wake up to.

Waiting for my set to arrive in a few days...

 

[Jim Di Griz]

Another reason to buy the boxset!

 

[Kotatsu Neko]

Great movie of course, but quite a simplistic, one dimensional story compared to the likes of Vertgo (Hitchock's best in my opinion), North by Northwest, Psycho, and Rear Window.

I always felt the lack of a Bernard Herrmann score really hurt it too. Hitch opted for just sound effects, and they're shrill, grating, and quite wearing. Intentional I'm sure, but give me the majesty of the Vertigo score any day.

 

[LotusElan]

Great movie of course, but quite a simplistic, one dimensional story compared to the likes of Vertgo (Hitchock's best in my opinion), North by Northwest, Psycho, and Rear Window.

Yep, I agree with that. Perhaps I was just in the wrong mood when we watched this recently but I found it dragged quite a bit for me, which is odd as it never has on previous viewings. Maybe I'd just seen too many of "the better ones" around that time so my mental yardstick had been set accordingly.

 

[Ste7en]

My set just arrived from Amazon Italy

 

[bellsy1946]

I've only seen this on DVD and blu-ray and as a huge Hitchcock fan I'm keen to see these (bought the Psycho 4K steelbook and it looks great).

I have two problems with The Birds, one is that Hedren was a very inexperienced actress at the time and it shows, secondly that the special effects which as I understand it were mostly matte shots seemed very dated. Does the 4K upgrade emphasise the age of the effects, or has any attempt been made to improve them?

 

[Markonesmile]

I've only seen this on DVD and blu-ray and as a huge Hitchcock fan I'm keen to see these (bought the Psycho 4K steelbook and it looks great).

I have two problems with The Birds, one is that Hedren was a very inexperienced actress at the time and it shows, secondly that the special effects which as I understand it were mostly matte shots seemed very dated. Does the 4K upgrade emphasise the age of the effects, or has any attempt been made to improve them?

I certainly hope not. I am not a fan of retrograde updating effects unless the original is also on the disc. But really they are what they are. The Birds terrified me when I first saw it on TV in the 70s. That is the version I want to see. Dated effects never destroyed a good film and great effects never elevated a bad one. Put yourself in that mindset and enjoy.

 

[bellsy1946]

I certainly hope not. I am not a fan of retrograde updating effects unless the original is also on the disc. But really they are what they are. The Birds terrified me when I first saw it on TV in the 70s. That is the version I want to see. Dated effects never destroyed a good film and great effects never elevated a bad one. Put yourself in that mindset and enjoy.

I agree and hope that they haven't been "George Lucas'd" but I was concerned that 4K upgrade may make them even worse. We'll find out soon enough I guess.

I too saw it first in the 70s, the scene with the farmer (no spoilers) was the only thing we talked about in school the next day. Long shot followed by jump to close-up if I recall correctly.

 

[domtheone]

Possible US Steelbook release.