When I was younger it was the attacking birds in Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece that gave me nightmares. Now that I'm older it is Tippi Hedron's lime green outfit.

A lot has changed since in the 40 years since 1963, culturally and cinematically, and Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" has been left behind in many ways by this leap forward. The film looks dated and its special effects often seem silly, not horrifying at all. Hitch's "Psycho" has aged far better. Still, "The Birds" is a fascinating, intriguing masterpiece. A cinematic icon.

While going for style and substance, Hitch attempts what scripter Evan Hunter called, "a screwball comedy that turns to horror." Cary Grant and Grace Kelly were the model for the leads here. Rod Taylor and Hedron are what we get. And while Taylor may be a more obvious and masculine hero, Hedron is certainly no Grace Kelly. Plus her character is named Melanie. Hedron is, of course, Melanie Griffith's mother, so we have to remember that every time some other character says her name.

Much of "The Birds" seems forced when viewed today. Taylor and Hedron's banter in the pet store opening sequence doesn't quite work. And we never believe Hedron's Melanie would undertake such an elaborate practical joke on Taylor's Mitch in the first place to initiate the plot. This is the under-support for at least the first 30 minutes of the film, so when it doesn't work quite right, the whole plot suffers. But, as in "Psycho," Hitch is patient. He trusts his audience to be patient too. He takes his time with the set-up, even though it has a precarious cornerstone. What is coming next will negate the importance of much of this set-up anyway.

What is amazing still are some of the effects and reaction shots in the film. We've all heard the stories of live birds being thrown at actors in order to achieve the effect of a bird attack. How much of that is true and how much film lore is still anyone's guess. There are some superimposed shots that are now obvious to us. This effect, also, is far more obvious on the big screen (where I recently saw the film). The TV screen helps to hide such overt effects. But puppetry was also used for the effects here. The scene where the kids are attacked, Hunter recently told an audience during a Q&A in Austin, was actually accomplished by suiting the kids with marionettes and then training them on how to operate them. The scene where Mitch tries to close a shutter while birds attack also featured puppets. These "fake" birds are gloriously real looking. These scene still rivet an audience.

By far my favorite scene is the Tide's Restaurant sequence where Hunter and Hitch assemble a bird expert, a bird hater, a end-of- the-world doomsayer and a frightened mother. The dialogue here may seem a little clunky by today's standards but it nonetheless works as a sort of expositional one act play. It also has a sort of authenticity that many modern screenwriters could use as a model.

Although Hunter wrote a more overt ending, Hitch stopped filming when he became tired and allowed the film to end subtly. This has become a classic ending of modern cinema. The fact that nothing is ever explained in "The Birds," that no real cause is given for the violence, makes the film continue to resonate with modern audiences. A precursor to environmentalist ideals without ever becoming pedantic or sympathetic, the film is still horrifying to the uninitiated.

Hitchcock is still considered a master of horror and rightly so. His film is enigmatic and perplexing thematically but this only furthers our immersion in its plot and characters.

In an age of CGI effects, realistic human characters, and ingenious scripting, "The Birds" remains a resonant and engrossing horror classic as well as a character study, and a hell of a good time.

Notes:

There is no music in the film but Hitch collaborator Bernard Herrmann created a soundtrack of real birds and electronics that perfectly accentuates the film.

Personal Note:

Went to a screening of "The Birds" sponsored by Austin Film Festival at the Paramount. Scripter Evan Hunter was on hand to introduce the film and do a Q&A afterwards. Hunter scripted the film in the 60's for Hitchcock and went on to write crime novels under the name Ed McBain. Hunter is a heck of a funny guy and a real joy to hear. Since it was 40 years ago that "The Birds" came out, one can assume that Mr. Hunter is well into his 60's. Yet, the author, who had a raspy voice do to a recent throat surgery, was effervescent and sharp as a tack. What a treat.

Hunter described his least favorite scene in "The Birds" to be "the one I didn't write." This is apparently the scene at the children's birthday party between Tippi Hedron and Rod Taylor. After complaining to the director that the scene was horrible, Hunter saw that Hitch shot the scene anyway. Later he realized that Hitch probably wrote the scene himself.

Hunter described his favorite scene as the sequences in the Tides Restaurant where the characters "hash out" what is happening. He said that the scene was written after the majority of the script on the request of Hitch. The scene finds a bird expert, a bird hater, a "end of the world" alarmist, and frightened mother in addition to locals, Hedron and Taylor. Hunter described the scene as "its own little one act play." (It also happens to be my favorite scene in the film, as well).

My favorite sequence in the film has always been the 4-plate reaction shot of Hedron looking out of the window of the restaurant at the birds attacking. This stylized moment finds Hitch cutting to Melanie with mouth agape, then to what she is seeing, and back and forth four times. I don't know why that scene appeals to me. They are like snapshots of reaction to terror, I guess. Hunter mentioned that he didn't care for this sequence and maybe it was "something he didn't understand."

Hunter is an awesome speaker and I would go hear him again if the opportunity presented itself. Allen Odom of AFF, himself a scripter of the film "Natural Selection," hosted the Q&A.

Report Card Script: B+ Acting: B+ Cinematography\Lighting: A+ Special Effects\Make Up: A+ Music: A+ Final Grade: A

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