Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Reviews
From Amazon.co.uk
Released in a special Blu-ray edition to celebrate its 50th birthday, Alfred Hitchock's The Birds remains a masterpiece of tension, tinges of horror and outright suspense. Not bad for a film that never really got the respect it deserved on its original release back in 1963.
The heart of the film is Melanie Daniels, played superbly by the legendary Tippi Hedren. She heads off to what looks like an idyllic and quiet coastal town, only to find it under siege from birds. Lots and lots of them.
Hitchcock's firm grip on the material means that he's astute at what to show and what not, investing time too in ensuring that his characters, lot least Hedren's, are more complex than your average thriller.
But of course, The Birds simply is far more than you average thriller anyway. Standing the test of time exceptionally well, this Blu-ray release presents the film with a strong 1080p transfer, and a welcome, clear audio track. There's clearly been real care and attention involved in getting the film presented this well, and along with an interesting and diverting bundle of extras, it makes The Birds the recipient of a very welcome birthday present. A masterpiece of cinema, and a must-have Blu-ray. --Jon Foster
Product Description
Spoiled socialite Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren) pursues lawyer Mitch Brenner (Rod Taylor) to his Bodega Bay home after they meet in a bird shop. Melanie sails across the bay to deliver the gift of a lovebird to Mitch's young sister, only to be attacked by a gull on her way back. Soon random attacks on humans are taking place all over Bodega, as birds of all varieties mass in their thousands overhead. Director Alfred Hitchcock's classic is not for those easily perturbed by our feathered friends.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Nice new packaging for Universals 100 years celebrations but this DVD is still pan and scan full frame 1.33:1! Dvd has special features but that wont temp me until it comes out in its correct widescreen ratio.
29 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
For reasons best known to themselves, Universal UK have issued most of Alfred Hitchcock's 1960s/1970s films (The Birds, Marnie, Torn Curtain, Topaz, Frenzy) in pan-and-scan 1.33:1 ratio, although these films were originally shown in widescreen (1.85:1).
This is available via Region 1 imported discs - if your DVD player is multi-region - but surely the UK deserves a better service than this!
Come on, Universal UK - give us the same remastered widescreen versions that are available for the US market!!!
PLEASE NOTE: This review was written referring to the R2 release The Birds [DVD] [1963], but Amazon have also 'attached' it to the superior widescreen R1 release The Birds [DVD] [1963] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]
This is available via Region 1 imported discs - if your DVD player is multi-region - but surely the UK deserves a better service than this!
Come on, Universal UK - give us the same remastered widescreen versions that are available for the US market!!!
PLEASE NOTE: This review was written referring to the R2 release The Birds [DVD] [1963], but Amazon have also 'attached' it to the superior widescreen R1 release The Birds [DVD] [1963] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By John Graham
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
This American Region 1 DVD is presented in Widescreen format and has been the best version up to now.
I hope the Blu-Ray version will be as good if not better.
With modern day computer graphics I am sure the film could be remade to be even more effective,but weather it would have Hitchcock's magic is a question.
I hope the Blu-Ray version will be as good if not better.
With modern day computer graphics I am sure the film could be remade to be even more effective,but weather it would have Hitchcock's magic is a question.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By lovebooks
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Watched this again after many years and it's still gripping and terrifying. I was waiting for the birds to strike from the moment Tippi Hendren walked into the bird shop and mistakenly freed a canary... it swooped and its wings flitted about noisily, heralding more of what is to come on the isolated island. A great movie and Hitch at his best!
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Given that Alfred Hitchcock is probably one of the most discussed and analysed directors of modern cinema, its difficult to find a new slant on his work. Suffice to say The Birds in my opinion is up there with Psycho and North By North West as the very best examples of his work. The casting of Tippi Hedren is inspired and on the Region 2 DVD we see her actual screen tests. The film looks marvellous with crisp colours and crystal clear sound. I am sometimes wary of buying older titles as I have seen some poor transfers onto DVD.
The Birds has the usual mix of small continuity errors often associated with Hitchcock but these are minor grumbles. Its an excellent film with great performances, so four stars .
The Birds has the usual mix of small continuity errors often associated with Hitchcock but these are minor grumbles. Its an excellent film with great performances, so four stars .
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Mr. R. G. Prizeman
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Verified Purchase
Hot on the heels of Psycho the Birds, is a very interesting film, and although for me it is not as good as say Rear Window, or Psycho, it is a very good yarn. Using the technical wizardry from Walt Disney (Mary Poppins) the silicon process to overlay the birds, works very well, and as you watch you have to remember this is well before CGI, and everything you see is with models or real birds. This was Tippi Hedren's first film and much ha been publicized about the friction between her and the director. However this is not evident in the film. I am sure those people purchasing this classic know the story very well and like me were interested as to what has been achieved with the film transfer to Blu-ray. Well i have to say the picture quality is great, there appears to be a lot of work cleaning up the film, of cause the only thing you do notice the birds being less than real, the soundtrack is MONO, unlike Psycho where a 5.1 mix had been made from the mono mix. Of cause the most important thing here is finally a full widescreen after so many issues of pan and scan on DVD. I would recommend this film if only to get the only available original film ratio. I have to agree with most this was almost the last classic Hitchcock film, the final one for me was Marnie, which I hope gets a Blu-ray widescreen process.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Spike Owen
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
The Birds is directed by Alfred Hitchcock and adapted to screenplay by Evan Hunter from the story of the same name written by Daphne du Maurier. It stars Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Suzanne Pleshette, Jessica Tandy, Veronica Cartwright and Ethel Griffies. Cinematography is by Robert Burks and editing by George Tomasini.
Mother's love? Better to be ditched or loved?
When animals attack! The only outright horror movie that Alfred Hitchcock ever directed, The Birds sees the great man get the utmost terror from something so amiable in our lives; Birds! Modern day critics can hark on about it being dated all they like, it still doesn't detract from what a frenzied experience The Birds can still be; never mind what it did for cinema goers in 1963! Though undeniably it isn't a small screen film, too much is missed or under enhanced, sadly.
But it isn't dark Annie! It's a full moon.
Plotting is simple in trajectory terms. Hip socialite Melanie Daniels (Hedren) has a friendly vocal joust in a pet shop with handsome Mitch Brenner (Taylor), the result of which sees Melanie, on a mischievous whim, buy a couple of lovebirds and set off for Mitch's weekend retreat out in Bodega Bay to deliver them as a show of devilish womanhood . Upon arrival in Bodega Bay though, Melanie seems to be the spark for the birds in the area to start attacking humans, and pretty soon the attacks escalate and intensify...
Hitchcock and Hunter offer up no reasons or answers for what occurs in Bodega Bay (to keep it murky we learn late on via radio that other towns become affected), and famously the ending is open ended as well, forcing the audience to unravel ideas themselves.... Read more ›
Mother's love? Better to be ditched or loved?
When animals attack! The only outright horror movie that Alfred Hitchcock ever directed, The Birds sees the great man get the utmost terror from something so amiable in our lives; Birds! Modern day critics can hark on about it being dated all they like, it still doesn't detract from what a frenzied experience The Birds can still be; never mind what it did for cinema goers in 1963! Though undeniably it isn't a small screen film, too much is missed or under enhanced, sadly.
But it isn't dark Annie! It's a full moon.
Plotting is simple in trajectory terms. Hip socialite Melanie Daniels (Hedren) has a friendly vocal joust in a pet shop with handsome Mitch Brenner (Taylor), the result of which sees Melanie, on a mischievous whim, buy a couple of lovebirds and set off for Mitch's weekend retreat out in Bodega Bay to deliver them as a show of devilish womanhood . Upon arrival in Bodega Bay though, Melanie seems to be the spark for the birds in the area to start attacking humans, and pretty soon the attacks escalate and intensify...
Hitchcock and Hunter offer up no reasons or answers for what occurs in Bodega Bay (to keep it murky we learn late on via radio that other towns become affected), and famously the ending is open ended as well, forcing the audience to unravel ideas themselves.... Read more ›
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 493 reviews
4.2 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great!
A classic now in blu-ray! Excelent picture, exelent sound and what it's more, subtitles and audio in several languages, including Spanish. Check it out!!!
Published 3 days ago by Carlos
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great classic finally in blu ray!
It has always been my favorite Hitchcock movie and to see it in high definition is a total treat! If you like The Birds as much as I do, don't hesitate to pick it up, you won't be... Read more
Published 4 days ago by M. Chabot
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Birds
This is a classic film which looks good in blu ray. Seen This film on dvd and decided to get it on blu ray.
Published 5 days ago by John H
2.0 out of 5 stars
Aggression on the wing
I was mildly mauled for daring to find fault with what many regard as Hitchcock's magnum opus, namely "Vertigo". Read more
Published 6 days ago by Wilberfalse
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Birds Go Blu!
This was definitely a title essential for my expanding Blu Ray collection. I won't go into the plot, as this has been covered comprehensively elsewhere. Read more
Published 6 days ago by Alsom
4.0 out of 5 stars
Birds sound let down
A great film (one of my favourite one's by Hitchcock) and with a very good picture quality which they have obviously worked on but it says it is DTS HD Stereo sound and it isn't -... Read more
Published 10 days ago by R. King
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Birds (DVD)
Very good film highly recommended. A film by the master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock, very good Directing, and very good acting
Published 1 month ago by Barry
5.0 out of 5 stars
classic
classic....what more is there to say, I love this film it boarders on the line of terrifying by leaving you to imagine an awful lot. I cant get enough of it. Read more
Published 2 months ago by frankie
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classic movie
If you like classic movies this is a cracker.One of hitchcocks best works, a must watch and Tipi Hedron at her best
Published 2 months ago by marypoppins
5.0 out of 5 stars
great
great - came on time and no problems what so ever that i can possible even think of - perfect
Published 2 months ago by RosieShennan
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
