The Birds

One of the biggest "That was it?" endings of all time.

Hitch's most enigmatic film. In every other movie, the enemy is human, and the mystery always has an explanation. It's the sense of the unknown which makes The Birds so terrifying. They can't be stopped or reasoned with, you can't find their psychological weakness or track down the evidence to put them away. The premise is a bit silly and the effects now look dated, but it's still thrilling. Rod Taylor is stiff as a board, but Tippi Hedren is wonderful.

Interesting concept ruined by aggravating, dare I say unlikable, characters with simplistic dialogue. Hedren is just downright annoying. This is one of the few films where I've found myself wishing some of the characters would just shut up. The suspense is lost when Hitchcock keeps having to remind the viewer of events that happened just a few minutes ago. The final few scenes are particularly suspenseful because the characters are finally silent and it's only then that the horror becomes real.

One of my new favorite scary movies. Unlike a majority of modern horror films, this lets the main characters develop a little bit and interact with each other on a level that feels personal, and quite real. The dialogue was excellent! I also found some scenes to be really damn scary, especially everything after the power outage. Some of the shots feel dated and cliche by now, but all in all, Hitchcock directed this very effectively. I loved what he did with the concept and story. Excellent.

Divested of all logic, this assault on middle-class complacency exposes Hitchcock's sadistic tendencies as nakedly as they have ever been. There is a lightening of load thanks to the absence of human villainy and all the creaky contrivance normally found in Hitchcock's depiction of it. At the same time, the director's stylistic devices -- the intricate scene construction, the brilliant Pop Art color, the throwaway drolleries -- have never been seen in better working condition.