Discussion Questions On The Film 'The Birds'

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1.) Describe your experience watching The Birds. What about the film stood out to you? What did you find interesting, important, surprising and/or confusing?

I have seen the film, “The Birds”, many times through the years and each time it is equally as frightening and suspenseful as the first time I had watched it. I found it interesting the way Alfred Hitchcock was able to portray the large flocks of birds in the sky and during the attacks. These birds appeared to be real not a superimposed image. I also liked the way Hitchcock used rhythmic framing and short cuts during the suspenseful attack scenes. The scene where the children are running out of the school and the birds are swooping down attacking the terrified children. Hitchcock …show more content…

Was Melanie and evil force that caused the birds to attack as some of the townspeople intimated. Were the attacks related to a love triangle between Melanie,the mother and Cathy all fighting for Mitch’s love and attention? Was it some symbolic meaning about mankind versus nature? I still have not figured this out.

2.) On page 220-221, your textbook examines four shots from The Birds as it asks “Why cut?” rather than present all the action in a single shot. First, how do the textbook authors answer that question? Then, describe the answer to that question (Why cut?) in at least two of the following scenes and compare and comment on how cuts are used to draw our attention, create suspense, manipulate time, or present us with a different array of graphic qualities.
a.) The scene where Hitchcock first introduces the birds.
b.) The scene where Melanie comes to Mitch’s house for dinner in the …show more content…

The authors list each shot, it's camera angle, its point-of-view, and its framing (mobile or static). Look carefully at each still from that scene (11 still frames on page 224-225). Then re-watch the scene on your computer. Finally, read what Bordwell and Thompson say about the graphic and rhythmic editing in that scene (224-227). Sum up their analysis. What is the purpose of the graphic and rhythmic editing in this scene? Do you agree? What did you think of the ways this scene was

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