Movie
Hitchcock's tale of birds attacking a small town is still frightening today. It was his most complex shooting of a film because most of it was done with f/x. Sure, they don't look good because we're spoiled by computers, but they still are effective. The movie is not only scary, but unsettling. There never really is an explanation as to why the birds attack, which makes this movie that more disturbing. The master again manages to raise the hair on our arms.
Disc
Universal has again released a fabulous Collector's Edition. Compared to PSYCHO, however, this disc comes up just short of excellence. The 90-minute documentary is great, as it features interviews from the cast and crew. But that's about as far as it goes in terms of good extras. The rest you won't watch more than once. And I must say Universal kinda screwed up on the packaging. The deleted scene and original ending were never filmed, so all you get are storyboards and the script, yet Universal prints them on the back as actual scenes. This easily misleads the customer. The menus are nice, though they aren't animated. You do hear those creepy bird sounds in the background. Well, I don't think this film has ever been presented in widescreen. This anamorphic transfer is great for a film 30+ years old. Sure, it's dusty and grainy, but it's the best it has ever looked. If you compare it to other old films, this one stands out. The audio does its job, which means handling the dialogue. There is no score, so if you can hear the actors, then the audio works.
Overall
This disc wasn't treated as nicely as PSYCHO, but it is still a great dvd. The die-hards have it already, so the rest of you need to get this film. The effects are a little cheesy going by today's standards, but the film is still frightening.
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