The Birds (1963) TERRIFIED ME | *First Time watching* Movie Reaction & Commentary

[@CasualNerdReactions]

What do you think of The Birds? I had a great time watching this one! 😅 Keep an eye out for Shaun of the Dead, The Maltese Falcon, 28 Days Later, & Scanners (1981)

[@richardb6260]

My older sister saw this at the theater when it was released. It really scared her and when she left the theater she looked visibly shaken. She was trying to light a cigarette and her hands must have been shaking. A police officer came up behind her to see if she was OK and tapped her on the shoulder. She screamed. It's really a great idea. Birds are everywhere and you don't give them a second thought. It's impressive for the movie to make you think twice about something that you never thought of as a threat.

[@robertjewell9727]

I find this film darkly poetic. The scene between Melanie and Lydia in the bedroom where Lydia explains her feelings to Melanie is the core of the film in my opinion. Watch how Hitchcock films and edits the scene and he utilities full shots, motion and closeups to show emotional tension and resolve.. It's full of nuance. Anthropologist Camille Pagkia wrote and absolutely excellent analysis of the film you should check out for a fun very intelligent read. Absolutely fantastic reaction, Chris. I watched Shaun of the Dead last night just so I'd know it before you reacted to it so you're definitely providing some interactive viewing which is a great thing. 👍

[@suddenlyfrogs1906]

All these are fantastic choices :D I was almost late for a job interview because of some of the London filming locations in 28 Days later. I'd stayed at a friends and left early just to make doubly sure I'd be on time and was held up. I thought it was an accident or something at the time.

[@christopherleodaniels7203]

When you mentioned how good the little girl “Cathy” was, all I could think was, “Wait till Chris finds out she’s Veronica Cartwright, who also played Lambert in ALIEN.”

[@washo2222]

Really enjoyed your reaction. I was 8 y/o when my father, a big Hitchcock fan, took me to see this. Came home, walked into the house and, according to Mom I was white as a bed sheet. She asked me how the movie was. I just walked by her going to my room. Dad came in and Mom asked him what movie he took me to and he told her "It was Hitchcock's "The Birds." It was a great movie." I was literally frightened and stunned in shock as I sat there watching the film especially when Melanie is trapped and being pecked at by all those birds...and the blood and the man's eyes pecked out stayed with me for years. I couldn't shake that image out of my head. Now I see it for what it is a visually stunning masterpiece of filmmaking. Don't know if you knew this but Lydia was played by Oscar winning actress Jessica Tandy ("Driving Miss Daisy." She was married to Hume Cronyn another actor and featured in Hitchcock's "Shadow of a Doubt" and Ron Howard's film "Cocoon."). Suzanne Pleschette who played the school teacher was a B movie actress but made it big in the TV series "The Bob Newhart Show."

[@asian-americanwithanopinio8954]

As a Vietnamese/Cambodian person, we have to give a huge thanks to Tippi Hendren. She is the reason there's a Vietnamese Nail Salon Empire. She was a humanitarian. In 1975, she met Tuan Le who complimented Tippi on her nails, so Tippi got her in beauty school and helped so many of us female refugees after the Vietnam War immigrating here helping them get into beauty school. The very first 1 was called Mantrap in South LA. There's a documentary about it called "Nailed It" (NOT TO BE CONFUSED with the Netflix show)

[@maryrichardson1318]

Several years ago, in the mid 90s, I went to a Halloween party as Melanie Daniels. I had the smart suit, the French Twist hairdo and the 1960s shoes. All covered in fake blood, with fake birds attached to nearly every part of me. It was a big hit.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Ahh that’s a great costume!!

[@xsf2152]

That's dope! Tho I think that's more than SEVERAL years back lol

[@Uta_Chandra.H]

👏👏👏

[@EpoRose1]

(Psst… the mid-90s was THIRTY years ago. I know, because I graduated high school then! 😂)

[@amandabroom9878]

LOL at "this house belongs to the birds now, you should just move". Great reaction!

[@ugothereur]

Cathy is played by Veronica Cartwright who played lambert in Alien. She was also in the remake of invasion of the body snatchers.

[@richelliott9320]

And penny’s sister from lost in space

[@ollietsb1704]

@cynfan5 Fay Wray? Yes. I think she barely gets mentioned enough, you're right. She's certainly a candidate with both KING KONG and THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME. Then there's Una O'Connor with her screaming-mimi's in BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN's open scene of the burning castle, as well as the innkeeper's screaming wife in THE INVISIBLE MAN. These original scream-queens seem almost forgotten among uneducated film fans.

[@christopherleodaniels7203]

She’s also great, and I mean GREAT in ‘The Right Stuff’, playing astronaut Gus Grissom’s wife Betty.

[@renee7407]

Omg, I was just going to google her because she’s so familiar. It’s so obvious now!

[@jamesm654]

And The Witches of Eastwick

[@Tiisiphone]

The crows on the playground is a particularly disturbing scene.

[@gaelbourdier2941]

As far as I'm concerned; I find it' a very effective scene.

[@falcychead8198]

You'll notice how the children's song helped build the suspense.

[@gaelbourdier2941]

@@falcychead8198 Yes indeed I agree; it increases heat.

[@leslie2149]

One of my favorite scenes in the movie. I love the way it's put together. And then the quiet until you hear the children start running.

[@jwes869]

Tippi Hedren is actress Melanie Griffith's mother. Also the mother in the movie is Jessica Tandy. If you haven't seen it yet you should see her performance in Driving Miss Daisy.

[@tenorman420]

And Cocoon! She and her real-life husband, Hume Cronyn head up an all star cast in that film. It’s awesome!

[@foglight11]

This was a great reaction. Most people dismiss these films because everything nowadays needs to be graphic and in your face scary. This is so scary for so many other reasons. LOVE Hitchcock. The fact that nothing was explained is horrifying.

[@dunbardunelm3924]

Exactly 😂😂.

[@Sopmylo]

The shot of the birds flying out from behind the school while the children run has been described as one of the best depictions of a nightmare.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

💯 percent, YES!!

[@garbageday587]

Notice that we don't see the birds shadow on the ground

[@nazfrde]

Or the sequence where Melanie is sitting behind the school, oblivious as more and more crows mass on the monkey bars behind her. And then we se her eyes follow one crow across the yard and land, and suddenly there are what looks like hundreds of crows.

[@nellgwenn]

Before this movie was made there were incidents in California of birds attacking people. The birds were eating toxic algae which led to them essentially going mad, then attacking and breaking into people's homes. That incident is the inspiration of this movie.

[@lees1328]

Hollywood legend Jessica Tandy played Lydia. She has been in many wonderful films. For example Coocoon, Cacoon the Return, Fried Green Tomatoes, Driving Miss Dasiy, Batteries Not Included, The World According To Garp.

[@monacaravetta]

A national treasure!

[@photo161]

....And she was Blanche in the original Broadway production of Streetcar Named Desire, with Marlon Brando...

[@monacaravetta]

@@photo161 indeed!

[@rama30]

It never fails. Watch this movie and when you leave the next day there is a 99.99% chance there will be 10 robins in your yard and crows on the power lines.

[@tmrezzek5728]

Great review! In Evan Hunter's original script, they drive to San Francisco and on the way the birds attack the car, ripping the roof to shreds. They outrun the birds, but it ends with a shot of the folks in the car, stunned expressions of their faces, and then a dissolve to the Golden Gate Bridge which is COVERED with birds. It just wasn't technically possible to do at the time, so Hunter and Hitchcock changed it to the slow getaway. But you still get the impression that the birds have taken over the country, if not the world.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Oh that’s amazing! I would have loved that ending! I mean the abruptness we got it still great, you still feel like they may not make it, but that would have been brilliantly full of despair!

[@PungiFungi]

Actually the crew was complaining about how the movie never ends as the script was also constantly being modified (they drove into the devastated town, they the were chased, they then reached SAn Fran…). So I guess they ended it before it outstayed its welcome.

[@janeewaynee]

LMAO!! This is the BEST reaction I've seen to The Birds 🤣

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Haha thanks!

[@LilannB]

I was terrified of this film as a child. The child actress who played Mitch's sister is Veronica Cartwright who was also in Alien.

[@carerforever2118]

Veronica Cartwright was in " Flight of the Navigator" and in episodes of "The Xfiles"

[@MsAppassionata]

@@carerforever2118 And the 1978 remake of “Invasion Of The Body Snatchers”.

[@mortimerbrewster3671]

At the end of the movie when we hear a brief news clip about birds attacking in Bodega Bay, they also say that there had been bird attacks in San Francisco. The ornithologist mentioned that there were billions of bird in the US alone and hypothesized about what would happen if they banded together. The terror of the movie was the fact that the birds were massing together to attack humans and it was just starting. They could escape Bodega Bay but in time the bird attacks would be wide spread and humans would be lower on the food chain. The ending is open because it was just the beginning of what was to come and you are to use your imagination. That creates more terror.

[@QueSarahSarah72]

Even the short story this movie is based on didn't have a satisfactory ending. Great story, but it ended on a cliffhanger with no explanation. That's what makes it even more terrifying.

[@geraldmcboingboing7401]

You're on a roll, Chris. Good stuff!! When The Birds was first broadcast on TV in 1968, it was a really big deal. It held the record for most watched film on television until 1972.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Oh wow. That’s so cool!! I wish there was still “appointment tv” it was very unifying.

[@dennismason3740]

What was watched in 1972?

[@geraldmcboingboing7401]

@@dennismason3740 Love Story (1970) starring Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw.

[@dennismason3740]

@@geraldmcboingboing7401 - Incredible. I saw that film in theaters (I was 19) and I did like it.

[@maryrichardson1318]

The fact that the reason for the birds acting as they did, was always very troubling. Was it the feed? Had it been tampered with? As I got older, I realized that there is a good reason Hitchcock did not offer and explanation. In our lives, terrible things happen all the time, and often there is never a reason, or only one reason to explain it. Sometimes stuff just happens, even bad stuff.

[@dr.burtgummerfan439]

Global warming.😁

[@anitam7547]

The Birds = The Women. Strong negative emotions between them - yet never the hint of physical violence. Their 'psychic violence' is played out by the birds unnatural/irrational behaviour. When the relations between the women are resolved - the birds become more passive.

[@theactualbajmahal833]

@@anitam7547 It's also why Norman in Psycho is fascinated with and stuffs birds (and his mom).

[@michelle6337]

I always thought the reason the birds went crazy when Melanie showed up is because she brought the love birds in a cage, and all the birds around town started launching air strikes against the humans to liberate the caged birds. In that light, it was the humans who were the villains and the birds were the heroes trying to rescue their imprisoned friends.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I love that theory!! Gives a little bit of perspective to their motives.

[@robertyeah2259]

I like to lean towards that idea. "The Birds" refers to a few elements in the plot and up until the birds start attacking, every instance of the birds is to be a prop for the human characters in some way. Melanie Daniel's walks into a shop full of caged birds and sees them swarming ominously outside. She takes Lovebirds several hours in a cage just for the sake of a petty practical joke. This practical joke leads to a romance for the characters, while the Lovebirds that brought them together stay stuck in a cage. We see other small instances of birds being mistreated, like someone ordering chicken during the diner argument scene. I think there could be a parallel between Melanie Daniels being a free spirited character, and birds are thought of symbols of freedom. Yet we keep a lot of them in cages, as pets or to breed and then eat. So Melanie using the lovebirds as a prank and finding happiness from it seems to incite a rage within the birds that's been building for years. I've also seen someone say "The Birds" refers to the female characters of the story, and how the bird attacks seem to coincide with the "psychic violence" between Melanie and Llydia, with the birds only becoming passive with Llydia accepting Melanie as a member of her family and Melanie gaining the mother figure she never had. The plot would make you think the relationship between Melanie and Mitch is the center, but it is actually Melanie and Llydia, and even Kathy and Annie. The emotions of the female characters, "the birds", are the focus of the narrative. I like both of these ideas and I think they're both correct.

[@SoggyPinkyToe]

@@robertyeah2259 very interesting…thank you for sharing!

[@kennethmarrow3131]

The answer is in The Birds 🦅 🦅

[@alfredstimoli2590]

Tippi Hedren plays a character called Melanie. Coincidentally, Tippi is the mother of Melanie Griffith. Wondering if the choice of name Melanie was influenced by her role in The Birds?

[@geetee4459]

Last scene was supposed to see them driving into the safety of San Franncisco. And then seeing the Golden Gate Bridge covered with birds.

[@DylansPen]

Filmed in Bodega Bay Ca, many of the locations like the schoolhouse are still there. This film scared the hell out of me as a kid, the sound the birds make is scary. And hand it to Hitchcock for making ordinary birds scary. I liken it to The Andromeda Strain where the director made microbiology scary, it takes talent and creativity for a director to do that. A couple years before The Birds was made there were many birds that had ingested a toxin and slammed themselves against the walls and windows of houses in Monterey Ca. It is thought this may have been where the idea for the film came from.

[@creech54]

The movie was a loose adaption of a short story by Daphne du Maurier. Hitchcock's "Jamaica Inn" and "Rebecca" were also based on du Maurier novels.

[@BigGator5]

Now that you've seen this movie, highly suggest Attack Of The Killer Tomatoes (1978) get on your list. It might be tricky getting your hands on a copy and it is not on KZbin Movies, but you can get a copy if you try (cough) SEARCHING (cough) for it. Fun Fact: Mitch Zanich, owner of the Tides Restaurant at the time of shooting, told Sir Alfred Hitchcock he could shoot there if the lead male in the movie was named after him, and Hitchcock gave him a speaking part in the movie. Hitchcock agreed. Rod Taylor's character was named Mitch Brenner, and Mitch Zanich was given a speaking part. After Melanie is attacked by a seagull, Mitch Zanich can be heard saying "What happened, Mitch?" to Mitch Brenner.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I watched a cartoon version of tomatoes when I was a kid. I definitely don’t remember it though, other than the theme song. 🤣

[@BigGator5]

CNR ...I watched the cartoon too. Killer Tomatoes was sn entire franchise.

[@corvus1374]

Hey, mister, a tomato just ate my sister. And then follow up with Killer Klowns From Outer Space.

[@rama30]

The girl who played Cathy, Veronica Cartwright, played Lambert in the original "Alien" in 1979

[@PeggyV69]

This is one of my all time favorite movies! I watch it once or twice a year. Anytime I am out & there is a gathering of birds I automatically think of this movie.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

How can you not? I will from now on too! It made one scene in 28 days later way scarier.

[@jayhighsmith6679]

This brings back so many memories. I watched this several times with my mom during my childhood.

[@Jerome616]

Same here, mostly on AMC. I have not watched this in about 15 years. I’m glad it still has the punch even today

[@jamesscanlan6240]

What shocks me is that, given how Hollywood remakes virtually everything, no one has done a remake of this movie.

[@capsizebrian]

There was originally a longer ending scripted and storyboarded. The reason Melanie had a convertible was that as they drive away the birds start to fly up & keep speed with the car. Glimpsed through the window are the ruins of the town- bodies and things wrecked. The birds start to peck through the fabric roof of the convertible, the script describing how shafts of light from each hole in the roof fall across the face of the group inside the car. Just as the roof is basically in shreds, the car makes it to the end of the curvy road to town and the highway straightens out and Mitch guns the engine away from the birds. There was a last line that was something like "It seems to be all clear ahead". If you search online you may be able to find some of the cool storyboards that went with this scene. The scriptwriter Evan Hunter was very disappointed this was not filmed but the story goes someone at Universal convinced Hitchcock that it would be a redundant attack. Hitchcock said also that he did not want a convenient explanation for the attack, with some sort of scientist all of a sudden saying "this is why the birds are attacking" like so many B sci fi movies of the day.

[@dinastanford7779]

No musical score. Just the birds!

[@YoureMrLebowski]

5:32 imagine this same movie except SHE walks into the pet shop and HE pretends to work there... this movie gets darker and stalkyer very very fast

[@CoopyKat]

2:55 Prior to the stalking/murder of an actress in 1989, it was legal to just call the DMV and get someone's address from their license plate. A stalker did just that to find out where an actress lived (from a TV series "My Sister Sam") and killed her. Now only the police or specific authorities can look someone's info up by a license plate! On a happier note: Tippi Hedren is an animal lover and a VERY sweet lady too!

[@bigorange2082]

The scene at the school is so amazing. The way the scene builds tension. Every time we cut back there are more birds. The children singing. It’s such a good scene.

[@ronaldboyd689]

Little Veronica Cartwright played Lambert in Alien

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Yes! I caught that after I watched. Every time I’ve seen her in a film I’ve commented on how great she is.

[@mciddangelo9790]

Ha! People beat me to this!

[@tenorman420]

Just happened on your page today and watched a few of your reactions and I love them! I see that many people have referenced Veronica Cartwright as the same actress from Alien, which was going to be my fun fact. However, I have another one. I couldn’t read ALL the comments, so I don’t know for sure if anyone mentioned this. I have watched this movie SO many times since I was a child. I even saw it on the big screen once, which was spectacular! I never noticed until I read it somewhere that there was no music soundtrack! You mentioned it in the opening, but not sure you noticed it throughout the whole film. All they relied on was sound effects. They did use an instrument to create some of this effects, but that was it, except when Cathy plays the piano. Another fun fact that I didn’t see any mention of, but one of Cathy’s friends at the birthday party was child actress Suzanne Cupito who grew up to become Morgan Brittany, who was a famous TV actress in the 80’s (specifically on Dallas).

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Welcome to the channel :) surprisingly for me, I actually never once thought about music again, the film was so immersive.

[@TopsyTriceratops]

Again, I love how passionate you are about these old films. You could laugh it off, mock it to the ends of the world and back, but you really immerse yourself in it. That, or you're a really good actor. Either way, well done!

[@jamesscanlan6240]

Nothing to mock. That scene where she sees him with his eyes poked out is still disturbing.

[@TopsyTriceratops]

@@jamesscanlan6240 I agree, but sometimes people make fun of the special effects and acting, calling it outdated, ugly, or just stupid. I think everything in this film is amazing!

[@youngwes79]

If you ever have a chance to visit Bodega Bay I advise you to do so. Such a beautiful little town. Only about a 60 minute drive north from San Francisco right on the coast. Great seafood, you can go to all the locations from the movie and take photos, and it's still very authentic and an old fashioned town.

[@Cifer77]

Wooow, haven't seen this in a loooong time. It's truly legendary. It's one of those films that was added to the National Film Registry, which happens when a movie is so culturally significant. Hitchcock was a master.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I didn’t know that! Such a great achievement!

[@jayhighsmith6679]

“I don’t think that’s gonna help, my guy.” 😂😂😂😂😂

[@paulsouthern1604]

The Love Birds are the McGuffin.

[@Chill1332]

So cool you are watching old movies! And you don't swear. Thank you, man! Heh, I remember watching this thinking. "It's an old movie. How scary can it be." HAH! One of the few movies to give me legit nightmares. Actually had a parrot bite clear through my ear once. I feel like that's mildly relevant.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I had no idea an older flick could strike that level of terror haha

[@wayneg9040]

I do love me some Casual Nerd Reactions; your stream of consciousness and yet insightful commentary is deeply entertaining. So many quotes to choose from in this reaction, but my absolute without-a-doubt favorite is right at the end: "My voice is high and squeaky."

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Haha thanks so much for this comment!

[@blueorange4]

I've been to Bodega Bay several time. In the restaurant they have photos from the film on the walls. Some are autographed by Tippi and Suzanne.

[@shaeholden1743]

I'm a baby boomer and saw this movie when it came out in 1963 (I was 14 years old). Simply out of curiosity I'm watching movie reviews, and your video popped up in my feed. It was absolutely fascinating watching you assess these scenes! 😅At the time, THIS movie was ground-breaking for the horror of these attacking birds! 😄This was enjoyable, you assessed it very well.

[@jamesa.romano8500]

I only just picked up on the fact that Rod Taylor is also the voice of Pongo in 101 Dalmatians. I only noticed halfway through the film when the house is all boarded up and he's talking to Cathy and Melanie about evading the Birds while leaving the house ("stay there) - speaking in the exact same cautious/gentle/fatherly tone that he had when he was talking to Perdita and the Puppies about evading Cruella. Crazy I only just now picked up on it

[@laurab68707]

The Birds was my first Hitchcock film and it really scared me. Very suspenseful. Great reaction!! Was excited when I saw that you watched this.

[@fredzeppelin3969]

Not many people notice that there is no music in this entire movie.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Honestly a tribute to the quality of the film that after the opening credits I never once again thought about music. The bird noises are so terrifying and atmospheric.

[@krissmith800]

They left the ending ambiguous so you kind of have to think what probably happened. In theaters at the end when the birds started amping up a bit, they filtered in bird sounds in the surround sound to make the audience feel the film was coming to life. It is left unanswered because could it happened? Maybe, but we won't know why. Great reaction as always.

[@wrorchestra1]

Hitchcock never breaks the tension so audiences would leave the theatre with that feeling. Imagine leaving the cinema in 1963 and hearing a few birds cooing........

[@chardtomp]

That was the first movie I can remember that really freaked me out. I saw it on TV when I was only about six. I can't imagine why my parents let me watch it.

[@shallowgal462]

Me too, on both counts.

[@weallknowwho]

I just discovered your channel yesterday and I have binge watched so many of your videos. I love that you are bringing attention to so many of these classics that a lot of people of our generation don't know about. Keep the good stuff coming! 😃

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Thanks so much Jess! Glad you’re enjoying the content, welcome to the channel. :)

[@CommadoreGothnogDragonheart]

One of my favorite movies. I saw it as a kid, and it's just as terrifying today. Hitchcock was a mad genius.

[@fairydust-weepthewildwinds]

Greetings, first time here AND IM SO GLAD you had this movie.👍🤗 happens to be my all-time favorite ALFRED HITCHCOCK flick. Melanie in real life is the mother of a tree Melanie Griffin👍🤗. Thanks for sharing…See ya at The movies 🍿

[@gggooding]

Stephen King's story The Mist was inspired by this. His story ends the same way as The Birds...unlike the movie, as you well know.

[@gggooding]

Note the fanatic woman screaming that Tippi Hedren is evil and "brought this" and Tippi slapping her. Same character that Marsha Gay Harden played in The Mist.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

This makes all the sense! Completely fascinating.

[@gggooding]

Ha! I just looked this up - never noticed. One of the poster/paintings Thomas Jane has in his studio in the opening shot of The Mist *IS* The Birds. (The one on the far left that the camera barely lets you see. It's Easter, mother******!)

[@grayscribe1342]

If I heard right, the novel of the Mist had a different ending.

[@AbsoluteApril]

@@grayscribe1342 yes it did, very open ended with them just driving off into the mist, very much as King generally ends his novels (open ended but forbording)

[@Twillhead]

I’m old… I remember seeing this film at the drive in when I was about 8 years old. My parents would never have taken us to this movie if they had any idea what it was about. I remember my mother freaking out when Rod Taylor was trying to close the shutter and the gull was biting his already bloody hand… my Mom was yelling “Larry! Larry!!!” I so love this film.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Haha that’s an incredible memory!

[@bigs1546]

Cathy is played by Veronica Cartwright who played Lambert in Alien, and Felicia in The Witches of Eastwick. She is the older Sister to Angela Cartwright who played Brigitta in Sound of Music and Penny Robinson in Lost in Space TV series. Rod Taylor is an Australian actor known for many movies such as "The Time Machine". Tippi Hedron was also in Hitchcock's "Marnie", she is also Melanie Griffith's [actress and was married to Antonio Banderas] Mother.

[@02michellemybell02]

Fun fact if you didn't know. The blonde that plays Melanie is actress Tippi Hendrin mother of actress Melanie Griffith and grandmother of Melanie's daughter Dakota Johnson.

[@anthonymunn8633]

One of the first horror movies I saw,at the age of 4.The eyeless corpse of the farmer gave me nightmares for years!

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Oh my gosh! For sure. That’s the scene that would actually make me terrified of birds.

[@the_nikster1]

this is probably my favorite Hitchcock film for all the reasons you've just mentioned. no matter how many times I watch it, I am still horrified but intrigued and can't stop watching. the cinematography and direction are just phenomenal and are part of what keeps it timeless. that shot of all the birds on the playground still gives me chills to this day. thanks so much for the amazing reaction! ❤️

[@jamesharper3933]

The girl Cathy Brenner was played by Veronica Cartwright who was also in Alien and the 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. If you haven't seen that one it's one of the best remakes ever. It's got a great cast (Donald Sutherland, Jeff Goldblum, Amy Adams and Leonard Nimoy). Back to The Birds. The scene of the playground covered in birds is awesome. This was considered the last of Hitchcock's great run of films starting with Rear Window (1954-63). Marnie was released in 1965 starring Tippi Hedron & Sean Connery and is kind of a forgotten gem. Torn Curtain (Julie Andrews & Paul Newman) was 1966 and is alright where I'm concerned. Great reaction.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Thanks for watching! I’ll definitely have to check out invasion of the body snatchers. Late 70s has been some of my favorite films so far.

[@YoureMrLebowski]

28:14 "...for the most part.." maybe at the end of some of these movies you could point out some of those performances that fall into the "..for the most part" catagory, the bad pnes

[@tokyorose530]

This movie brings back memories, I remember watching this with my mother as a kid after school or on Saturdays. Now I can't even get her to watch horror movies with me lol. Here's a few more creature feature movies I suggest you could check out, The Killer Shrews (1959), Them (1954), The Food of the Gods (1976) and The Deadly Bees (1966)

[@richelliott9320]

Killer shrews has old festus from gun smoke in it

[@margaretsmith756]

THEM was another movie that used sound really well. The sound of those critters has never failed to unnerve me. lol. :)

[@tokyorose530]

@@richelliott9320 Yes loved him as Festus in Gunsmoke. That's one of my mother's favorite shows.

[@JuandeFucaU]

my mom worked on Food of the Gods..... I think this might be the first time I've ever seen someone recommend it.

[@tokyorose530]

@@JuandeFucaU I enjoy the old classic movies. I know a lot of KZbinrs don't travel down the old classics rabbit hole but there's tons of gems in older films. And that's cool your mother got a chance to work on that movie.

[@nowthatisawesome5431]

This was my favorite horror movie to watch growing up. Whenever it came on tv, I had to watch it. 😁

[@judyvalencia3257]

From what I understand the moment the Love Birds were brought to the island, it had an affect on the birds there. At least that's what I've heard over the years. I don't know if they were an Omen of Death, or just not wanted by the other birds. You can find books deticated to Alfred Hickcocks movie's, that offer insight's. Good Luck and Love the movies you react to. You might try Sunset Blvd. Excellent movie, although not Hitche's.

[@Keyboardje]

The girl in this movie, Cathy, was played by the then 13 yo actress Veronica Cartwright, who, amongst many other roles, played Joan Lambert in Alien, in 1979. It's been many years since I watched The Birds, and only now did I immediately recognize her!

[@charlieeckert4321]

She was also in Lost in Space and Sound of Music.

[@Keyboardje]

@@charlieeckert4321 No, I think that was her sister.

[@aaronsrok3422]

I think a big factor that makes this concept so scary is that birds are literally dinosaurs. Also I could definitely see this situation causing enough stress in Cathy that she would get sick. Fun fact the original end showed the whole of the gold gate bridge swarming with birds.

[@melenatorr]

What a glorious reaction, thank you! If you watch this again, now that you know the what the action of the movie is, there is a lot more going on underneath, mainly the emotional stripping down of Melanie and the creation of a family for her, and the development of Lydia - the key scenes here are the ones with Melanie and Mitch together at the party, the Melanie scene with Lydia, and the very last snatch of a second in the car where you see Melanie's hand reach for Lydia, Lydia closing her hand around Melanie's and the look between them as the car leaves the town.

[@fday1964]

Veronica Cartwright later appeared in the 1978 version of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers, then Alien a year later.

[@shainewhite2781]

The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Visual Effects but lost to the epic CLEOPATRA. This movie inspired the Natural Horror genre, where animals, big and small, go on a deadly rampage, whether it be the shark from JAWS, the dinosaurs in JURASSIC PARK/WORLD, Grizzly Bears, Wolves, Mice, Rats, Crocodiles, Alligators, Sheep, Rabbits, or the killer bees in THE SWARM.

[@creech54]

What movie had killer sheep?

[@garbageday587]

The birds had no shadow on the ground lol

[@wayneg9040]

@@creech54 The Sheep! Poster tag line: "We're in some deep sheep now."

[@DreamingCatStudio]

“Annie” is Suzanne Pleshette, a lovely actress. Fun to watch your reaction. Bodega Bay is just down the coast from me-it’s still quite the small town. Privacy was totally different in small towns, and still is sometimes.

[@brucedillinger9448]

I remember watching this as a 9 year old kid back about 1968. Scared the bird seed outta me!! The next day as I walked to school there were many crows on the telephone wires and I swear they were just WAITING for there moment to attack! Still surprised I didn't run back home. LOL! Great memory! 🐦 🦃 🦉 🐥 🐔 🦅 😱 😨 🙀

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Haha I love that! Thanks for sharing.

[@YoureMrLebowski]

18:39 which performance is truly terrifying? 15:35 the Shadow knows!

[@michaelpennington7800]

Thank you, you did a great job! I saw this at release when I was 10, terrified. Luckily, it was the 1st of a double feature, Hitchcock's Marnie, again with 'Tippi Hedron (Melanie Griffiths' mother). The mother in this film was none other than Oscar winning Jessica Tandy for Driving Miss Daisy. Jessica was married to another Hitchcock film star, Hume Croyn, of Hitchcock's Lifeboat and Shadow of Doubt. Annie, Suzanne Pleshette, was a very famous actress of the era, later the wife on The Bob Newhart TV Series. Cathy was played by none other than Veronica Cartwright of Alien fame. She also was in The Right Stuff and The Witches of Eastwick. She was in a number of episodes on the Twilight Zone and Hitchcock's TV Series. Her sister is Angela Cartwright of The Danny Thomas Show, Lost in Space series and in the movie The Sound of Music. Hitchcock was always able to attract the best of the best, including Rod Taylor, another famous star of the era, most recently at this point from the H.G. Wells' The Time Machine success. Your reactions were spot on. Good job.

[@jscottmills1539]

I've seen this movie watched for the first time by a few folks, but your episode was the best and the funniest.

[@MrDavidcairns]

That was great! Hitchcock said he wanted to shock the audience with the abrupt non-ending, but we do know he planned other stuff, including a chase where the birds shred the hood of a speeding convertible. I heard a story about them arriving back at San Francisco and there are birds all over the Golden Gate Bridge, but I don't know if that one's true. I suspect Hitch convinced himself just stopping the film was a good idea because the movie was so hard to make. "If we'd known how hard it would be, we'd never have attempted it."

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I love the idea of them pulling up to the Golden Gate Bridge, roof shredded and it ends as the last flickers of hope are finally extinguished! But the abrupt endings cool too.

[@thequietrevolution3404]

From the clues given, it seems that Melanie Daniels' presence on the island was the reason for the bird attacks. The attacks stopped once the birds sensed she was leaving broken and no longer a "threat" to them. Truly enjoyed the reactions.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

It’s definitely fun to think about! Thanks for watching.

[@HuntingViolets]

Wasn't there an attack in the news before that? Anyway, I don't think she was ever a threat to them.

[@gaynor1721]

Not true. Hitchcock said the birds were enacting their revenge on humanity for the cruelty inflicted upon nature. It wasn't Melanie Daniels's fault.

[@jeffbassin630]

The ambiguous ending was a clever and terrifying way to leave the audience in sheer suspense. A real classic!

[@elektralyte1]

It’s been ages since I saw this. I was a kid when I did so the whole stalking thing went right over my head lol!

[@artistinlederhosen]

the mother of the scared kids in the cafe is the same actress who briefly appeared as cary grant’s secretary in north by northwest.

[@debbiethompson3460]

To me, the eeriest part of the movie (other than the creepy bird attacks), is there's no soundtrack, just the sounds of birds...

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Absolutely true!! A credit to the film that outside of opening credits I didn’t once think about that fact again. It was definitely a brave, and effective choice.

[@jaygatz4335]

I always found it interesting how much Melanie and Lydia resembled each other. I wonder if Tippi Hedren named her daughter after the character.

[@perfectlybalanced8995]

The scene where the birds try to break in the house looks like something you’d see in your nightmares

[@mwflanagan1]

Another great reaction! Thanks for having the bejesahs scared out of yourself for our benefit.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Haha thanks for watching! These films always end up being my favorite.

[@bruceheckerman7343]

Thanks for being the 1rst person on KZbin I've seen react to this!

[@DawnElicia]

You should watch the man know knew too much with James Stewart and Doris Day. That one had me on the edge of my seat during one scene.

[@artvankampen8993]

I’ve always enjoyed this movie but you made me enjoy it even more, seeing it through someone else’s eyes. Thank you!

[@BloodylocksBathory]

There have been several theories behind the birds' behavior, including the lovebirds somehow being the trigger and the mother's attitude towards Melanie reflecting the mood of the birds. The latter of which might explain why the birds were quiet and unprovoked at the end, because the mother had come to accept and comfort Melanie. If I remember correctly, there was also a weird phenomenon in real life where seagulls were disoriented and sick from eating a rotten algae bloom, thus flying strangely and swooping at people.

[@tamiw.166]

Movie soundtracks add so much dimension to a film, but the total lack of one in this case just adds to the tension. Notice? Great reaction - thanks for this one! (btw,. if you need a lighter watch next, try Mel Brooks' "High Anxiety", and try to pick out all the Hitchcock movies satirized in it!)

[@CasualNerdReactions]

I actually did High Anxiety! A ton of fun!

[@joannepauley9622]

I remember as a child this movie was terrifying. A classic thanks for the reaction

[@ferrisulf]

"Ahhhhhh. They ARE there....The sun looks beautiful shining through the clouds though" LOL I swear you have the best commentaries. I also believe he put the car in neutral for why it was so quiet. :) This was my first Hitchcock film I watched as a middle schooler. I loved it.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Haha I sometimes have competing thoughts and observations in the midst of emotional moments and don’t know what to say first. 🤣

[@ferrisulf]

@@CasualNerdReactions I have that as well, just in everyday life.

[@dorkmier]

Chris, this is probably my favorite horror movie and it's also the first one I ever saw. I was like 6 or 7 when a couple of my brothers and my sister had me watch this with them. That was like 50 years a go and this movie never gets old. The scene when they sow the guy with no eyes really freaked me out back then. I'm glad you liked this movie and I enjoyed your reaction to it. Keep up the good work.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Thanks for watching! The scene with no eyes is definitely an iconic and terrifying moment in horror movie history.

[@glowormrdr6183]

This is loosely based on odd bird freakouts that really happened, I forget if it really was on the California coast. Then there was a short story (Daphne DuMaurier) where the people were just locked up in their home, listening to radio reports of the attacks. There have been discussions on TV shows (like Unsolved Mysteries, eg) where studies seem to say birds were poisoned by those "blooms" in the ocean, but nothing was definitive. There never was an answer.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Well, that’s terrifying. Thankfully it hasn’t become a common occurrence.

[@HuntingViolets]

Mitch's mother is played by Jessica Tandy. She was married to Hume Cronyn, who played the father's friend in Shadow of Doubt (he was the one always discussing murder methods).

[@ad0nisma]

My mum was 7 when she watched her first ever film, The Birds. To this day she is still terrified of it.

[@CasualNerdReactions]

Haha I kind of love that!

[@YoureMrLebowski]

24:07 🤣🤣🤣 brillant. and i can cross the word "stoic" off my bingo card

[@b.a.j5168]

The wonderful Era where everyone had drink in one hand and a smoke in the other❤

[@allendever949]

Great reaction. Younger people always expect some final jump scare. It wasn't abrupt, it's a perfect ending that required one to think.

[@YoureMrLebowski]

16:09 i never heard that before.

[@Myrdden71]

I love it when people get to the end of this movie! I had the same reaction when I first saw it. BTW, the mother was played by Jessica Tandy, more famous today for starring with Morgan Freeman in "Driving Miss Daisy."

[@jayhighsmith6679]

I’m so glad you watched this!!