Released after of a string of timeless masterpieces — “Vertigo”, “North by Northwest” and “Psycho” — Alfred Hitchcock’s Bay Area Romance/Fowl Terror mash-up “The Birds” might not be as pitch-perfect as those three titles. However, the seamless romance-to-horror switcheroo during the second act, the decision not to use any non-diagetic music, and the screenplay refusing to explain the reason behind the sudden surge of pissed-off pigeons were all original and daring touches back in 1963. Now you can learn more about the production of The Birds via a couple of vintage interviews with Hitchcock and star Tippi Hedren, conducted soon after the film’s completion.
During the interview, Hitch, the personification of a Valium with a triple-chin, describes the intense prep work that went into the production, which made it easier to accomplish some of the complex special effects shots. He’s also perhaps the only human being in the history of the planet who can recite a...
