Alfred As The Master Of Suspense In The Climbing Frame Scene In The Film The Birds

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Alfred As The Master Of Suspense In The Climbing Frame Scene In The Film The Birds

'The Birds' is a film made in the 1960's based on the short story 'The

Birds' by Daphne Du Maurier. The film was directed by Alfred

Hitchcock, a British born director who is known for other tense,

suspense filled films such as 'Psycho' and 'Vertigo'. Due to the

extensive special effects of the film, it took three years to make.

During the film Hitchcock created several suspense filled, tense

scenes. Including the 'Climbing Frame' scene. Alfred Hitchcock tries

to live up to his title 'The Master Of Suspense' whilst creating

scenes like this and the following essay looks at if he achieved this.

The film is set in Bodega Bay - a small town by the sea. All the

residents of the town a fairly close together and know each other

well.

The 'Climbing Frame; scene takes place during the middle of the film.

So far, the main characters have been introduced including Melanie

Daniels - the most central character in the film. Also, other

characters like Annie Hayworth - the school teacher Cathy Brenner - a

girl who attends the Bodega Bay School and also Mitch Brenner, Cathy's

older brother.

Previously in the film there have been several attacks on the

residents of Bodega Bay by birds. The people of the town repudiate the

fact that these birds are attacking everybody. Lydia Brenner (Mitch's

younger sister) discovers that her neighbour has been slaughtered by

these birds and is unwell after an encounter with the body of the

murdered farmer. Lydia asks Melanie to go a pick up Melanie from the

Bodega Bay School. Melanie kindly agrees, and without hesitation

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mind. He uses the characters feelings and emotions to make the

audience feel worried and tense.

Hitchcock has used the point of creating birds as creatures which

could create so much terror in an effective way. It has a

psychological feeling in that birds are common everyday animals and

that they could turn against anyone, anywhere. When someone looks up

into the sky and sees a bird, they will reminisce about the film and

remember the birds as a symbol of terror.

Although Hitchcock has created suspense and tension in an effective

way. I think modern audiences might react differently to the film. I

think this because he uses the sound and camera work to send emotions

into the minds of the audiences. But modern day films are created in a

different style in which everything is there for the audience to see.

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