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Non Smiley Smile Stuff => The Sandbox => Topic started by: Smilin Ed H on May 25, 2014, 12:05:44 PM



Title: Hitchcock's The Birds
Post by: Smilin Ed H on May 25, 2014, 12:05:44 PM
Great storyboard sequence here:  http://fridaynightboys300.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/storyboard-sequence-for-alfred.html


Title: Re: Hitchcock's The Birds
Post by: RangeRoverA1 on May 26, 2014, 03:01:20 AM
Nice sketches, albeit not exactly as shown in the movie (for one, the girl didn't raise her hands, she was just casually sitting & smoking). "The Birds" is one of my Hitchcock favorites, I have it on DVD with other 14. The plot may not be that interesting for some (and for me, quite honest), but believe me, it's worth watching for the visual & (electronic) sound effects alone, it's very stylish & no doubt you'll like those frantic crow-croaking noises.
The article, all along the main subject, namedrops "Psycho", "Vertigo" & "North by Northwest". 1st one didn't make me re-watch it, 2nd is so-so & the 3rd one is a masterwork, hands-down one of the best films ever made: there's so much going on, very adventurous & not beat-to-death storyline. And between Cary Grant & James Stewart I prefer the former (with the latter I enjoyed only "Rear Window", have yet to see the 1998 remake for compare), reckon he's more versatile.


Title: Re: Hitchcock's The Birds
Post by: Lowbacca on May 26, 2014, 11:54:14 AM
Such a beautiful film (and it's not even among Hitch's best 5, I'd say). Discussing it in my 1st semester of university (course on psychology in narrative literature) blew my mind back then.


(http://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/the-birds-gif.gif)


Title: Re: Hitchcock's The Birds
Post by: RangeRoverA1 on May 26, 2014, 10:37:11 PM
Yes, that's what I meant when said "stylish". Btw, it's not the best scene of the film - when mother of the girl Cathy went to check her old friend whose work was selling forage for birds, she discovers he's dead with 2 black holes inside of the eyes. I don't know the right term for that technique, it's like Hitchcock tried to show the whole picture of the dead, from tip to toes, then suddenly camera zooms in closely, for a sec or 2, on the terror that was the poor guy's eyes. Then we see the lady's shock, she literally is a rabbit running swiftly away to hop into the tractor she drove. Cool, isn't it?

Btw, do you know the origin of "Hitchcock"? I'm quite interested in the story behind the surnames. By translating it stands for: 1. "fasten rooster"; 2. "move a rooster in different directions". Doesn't make sense, right? Roosters are used for waking people up & for commercial aims if there is a fight arranged between 2 birds of opposite teams. Who wins - gets all the money the crowd made the bets on.