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Psycho/The Birds
For all the slasher pictures that have ripped off Psycho (and particularly its classic set piece, the "shower scene"), nothing has ever matched the impact of the real thing. More than just a first-rate shocker full of thrills and suspense, Psycho is also an engrossing character study in which director Alfred Hitchcock skilfully seduces you into identifying with the main characters--then pulls the rug (or the bathmat) out from under you. Anthony Perkins is unforgettable as Norman Bates, the mama's boy proprietor of the Bates Motel; and so is Janet Leigh as Marion Crane, who makes an impulsive decision and becomes a fugitive from the law, hiding out at Norman's roadside inn for one fateful night. --Jim Emerson The Birds Vacationing in northern California, Alfred Hitchcock was struck by a story in a Santa Cruz newspaper: "Seabird Invasion Hits Coastal Homes". From this peculiar incident, and his memory of a short story by Daphne du Maurier, the master of suspense created one of his strangest and most terrifying films. The Birds follows a chic blonde, Melanie Daniels (Tippi Hedren), as she travels to the coastal town of Bodega Bay to hook up with a rugged fellow (Rod Taylor) she's only just met. Before long the town is attacked by marauding birds, and Hitchcock's skill at staging action is brought to the fore. Beyond the superb effects, however, The Birds is also one of Hitchcock's most psychologically complicated scenarios, a tense study of violence, loneliness, and complacency. What really gets under your skin are not the bird skirmishes but the anxiety and the eerie quiet between attacks. The director elevated an unknown model, Tippi Hedren (mother of Melanie Griffith), to being his latest cool, blond leading lady, an experience that was not always easy on the much-pecked Ms. Hedren. Still, she returned for the next Hitchcock picture, the underrated Marnie. Treated with scant attention by serious critics in 1963, The Birds has grown into a classic and--despite the sci-fi trappings--one of Hitchcock's most serious films. --Robert Horton
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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
Psycho
Psycho and The Birds...wow!!!
Review date: 2008-07-22 Rating: 10 out of 10
two incredibly brilliant masterpieces made by one of the most acclaimed and fantastic directors ever.
seriously these are gems of the horror genre so much that it evolves beyond that.
Psycho-10/10-a classic film that alone spawned the slasher genre...but it is so much more than that,it is beyond horror,it is a film focused on fear as the objective...and once you manage to get through the nail biting theme of the opening credits you will already become pushed to the edge...of your seat.
possibly one of my favourite films of all time and most definately the best film of the 1960s.
the shower scene is a classic and one of the most petrifying scenes in the history of the film.
visualy it is striking and enhances all your senses that brings you in with our characters...and what marvellous characters they are too.
Janet Leigh alone makes the film the epic horror that it is today,her talent is shone here and has made Mrion Crane an icon of horror cinema.
Anthony Perkins delivers an unsettling performance as Norman Bates...also become and icon of the cinema.
Norman Bates has to be one of the most horrifying characters ever brought to the big screen.
a classic that everyone must see.
The Birds-9.5/10-an atmospheric film that (thanks to Tippi Hedren)has become a cult status film.
its extremely unique in the way that there is no soundtrack present at all throughout the film,just that of the birds themselves that makes this a very unique and superb film.
Hitchcock has really flexed his directoral talent here presenting some superb actors and placing them into unsettling situations that makes them very down to earth enough for us to relate to and bring us in to the film and have us experience what they are going through.
after this film you will never look at a bird in the same way again.
love these films...and you must see them...you have no choice but to.
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Reviews
Two brilliant, iconic masterpieces
Review date: 2008-05-28 Rating: 10 out of 10
Without doubt, Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" is one of the greatest films of all time, a compulsive horror that is nothing short of being a masterpiece.
If you haven't seen this black and white before, shame on you, but do be sure to buy this DVD because "Psycho" is one of those films that you must see before you die.
An amazing horror film!
"The Birds" is also another of Hitchcock's finest hours and a brilliant example of classic horror. Both of these films are now iconic and you can see why, Alfred really does deserved all the praise he recieves for his outstanding work as a film maker.
If you don't already own these movies, this double disc DVD set is a real must have item because you can now own both masterpieces at a brilliant, budject price.
Two of The Master's masterpieces
Review date: 2007-08-19 Rating: 10 out of 10
First of all I would just like to say that, in my opinion, Alfred Hitchcock was and still is the greatest movie director of all time. Just look at the evidence... His career as a director spanned more than 50 years from the silent era up to the 1970s and throughout his long and successful career he probably directed more truly classic films than any other director. Films such as Saboteur (my personal favourite - the climax atop the Statue of Liberty is unforgettable), Rear Window, Dial M For Murder, Vertigo, North By Northwest and Marnie to name just a few.
Hitchcock was deservedly called `The Master of Suspense' but in the early 1960s he made 2 films that have also become classics in the horror genre - `Psycho' and `The Birds'. These 2 films are so well-known that I cannot really say much more about them. They are classics of horror and suspense and if, for whatever reasons, you have not seen them yet then I urge you to check them out. If you are a fan of intelligent and sophisticated horror thrillers with memorable characters and set-pieces then these 2 films really are absolutely essential viewing.
`Psycho' is based on the novel by the acclaimed horror writer Robert Bloch and features an amazing performance by Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates. This movie could be called the first `slasher film' because of its obvious influence on hundreds of subsequent movies featuring knife-wielding maniacs that were churned out during the 1960s through to the present day but this film is a cut above (sorry about that) most of the movies of this type. Although there are some famous shocking set-pieces in `Psycho' it is much more than just a slasher film. Like Michael Powell's `Peeping Tom', Hitchcock's `Psycho' is a superb psychological thriller which provides the viewer with a macabre yet fascinating character study, allowing you to a certain extent to journey into the disturbed mind of a murderer. There are a few extras on the `Psycho' disc the best of which is a wonderful trailer where Alfred Hitchcock himself gives us a guided tour of the Bates' Motel and the `Psycho' house.
`The Birds' is based on a story by Daphne Du Maurier (as was Hitchcock's film `Rebecca') and differs from `Psycho' in the respect that it is more of an ornithological thriller than a psychological one! Another immediate and obvious difference is that `The Birds' is in full colour whereas `Psycho' was filmed in black and white and the violence in `The Birds' is often much more graphic than the violence in `Psycho'.
There are some genuinely scary sequences in `The Birds' - the bird attack on a group of school children for instance and there is an exceptionally tense climax. Let's be honest, birds are not scary creatures and do not normally pose any direct threat to humans. Even the largest birds of prey will not normally attack a person so I think it is quite some achievement to make a horror film about birds which even when viewed today is still pretty creepy and even terrifying at times. Hitchcock is indeed a genius of cinema.
There are some good extras on `The Birds' disc - including another trailer featuring Mr Hitchcock who gives us various hints as to why the birds just might start to behave in an aggressive and vengeful way towards people!
Language & Subtitle options:
Psycho - English, German & Polish language options with English (captioned for the hearing impaired), Dutch & Swedish subtitle options.
The Birds - English & German language options with English (captioned for the hearing impaired), German, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish & Finnish subtitle options.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Jessica Tandy
Anthony Perkins
Rod Taylor
Tippi Hedren
Vera Miles
Creators:
Rod Taylor (Primary Contributor)
Vera Miles (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Universal Pictures UK
Manufacturer: Universal Pictures UK
EAN: 5050582466430
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 2
Format: Anamorphic, Black & White, Colour, PAL,
Release date: 2006-12-26
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 222 minutes
Language: English (Original Language)