The Birds

The Birds is, among other things, the granddaddy of the classic late 70s apocalyptic nature film, an early manifestation of the suppressed guilt about environmental devastation that would find its political voice in the following decade.

It is the story of a small town on the California coast that is inexplicably besieged  by vast flocks of birds that appear bent on eliminating the human race by pecking it to death. Hitchcock, master of suspense and fear, succeeds in creating a fearful world of hysteria and claustrophobia beneath the ominous beating of wings.

“Jaws before the world was ready, Hitch’s much misappreciated follow-up to Psycho is arguably the greatest of all disaster films—a triumph of special effects, as well as the fountainhead of what has become known as gross-out horror." (J. Hoberman, Village Voice)