One of the greatest films ever made.
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otter — 9 years ago(December 26, 2016 07:18 PM)
I don't think it's a great film, although of course it has a place in film history.
For all the brilliant camera work, there's the problem of the protagonist who goes from unlikeable to broken, and that's not the only reason the film lacks real emotional power. It's chilling rather than involving.
Seventy-seven courses and a regicide, never a wedding like it! -
LetThemEatCake01 — 9 years ago(December 26, 2016 07:33 PM)
How is it not emotionally uninvolving? And actually the emotional involvement is determined by the camera work. For instance, a movie like Cleopatra, it's impossible to get emotionally attached because of the horrific camera work.
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otter — 9 years ago(December 26, 2016 07:55 PM)
I went into Melanie's deficits as a protagonist on another thread; she's not played by a good actress who can draw people in, and she does things that no real person would ever do, such as quietly walk into a room full of threatening birds and close the door behind her. During the course of the film she goes from not very likeable, to utterly foolish, to broken and mute and she does it without learning or growing.
A good film has an emotional journey at its heart, whether it's Rick from "Casablanca" learning to care about people other than himself, Scotty from "Vertigo" descending into madness, every random hero getting the girl, or yes, Luke Skywalker learning to open his mind and use the Force. Such a journey needn't be pretty or happy, films about madness, sacrifice, or tragedy can be extremely gripping. But "The Birds" lacks any of that, the real stars are the camera and the birds, and not many people feel deep, caring, emotional links with the cinematography.
Seventy-seven courses and a regicide, never a wedding like it! -
LetThemEatCake01 — 9 years ago(December 26, 2016 08:11 PM)
You are so mistaken, for starters she does not close the door behind her, it gets close when the birds begin attacking her by her startled reaction. This film has an emotional journey, the journey of Melanie and her love interest, and at the end being together like the lovebirds.
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otter — 9 years ago(December 27, 2016 10:10 AM)
You're mistaken about Melanie and whatshisname ending up "like lovebirds". At the end, Melanie is traumatized, she's completely disconnected from him and is snuggling up to her man's mother rather than her man! She acts barely aware of his existence, and he's treating her like another little sister - getting her to safety because she's his responsibility, with as much romantic interest.
So if this film has an emotional core, it's the story of a woman being shattered by impossible circumstances; most movie heroes open their hearts to love or find the inner strength to meet a challenge - she fails to do either. The viewer feels pity for her rather than admiring her and identifying with her, because the camera is there to enjoy her suffering rather than to love her. And I never realized it until I wrote this out, but this movie is an expression of Hitchcock's coldest, most sadistic side, and that's why I can't love it.
PS: She was a damn fool to walk into that attic room at all, anyone with sense would have taken one look, quietly shut the door, and told everyone else that there was a hole in the roof and they needed to barricade the attic as well as the windows.
Seventy-seven courses and a regicide, never a wedding like it! -
LetThemEatCake01 — 9 years ago(December 27, 2016 11:23 AM)
PS: She was a damn fool to walk into that attic room at all, anyone with sense would have taken one look, quietly shut the door, and told everyone else that there was a hole in the roof and they needed to barricade the attic as well as the windows.
Bravo for you. Your thread history sucks too. -
LetThemEatCake01 — 9 years ago(December 27, 2016 12:48 PM)
I have nothing to say, your criticisms are dumb. It's like saying her dress is horrible because it's green. It doesn't say anything. The Birds is a technical and artistic masterpiece, it is one of the greatest films ever made, it's a fact.
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ztmillers-2 — 9 years ago(January 03, 2017 04:58 PM)
I went into Melanie's deficits as a protagonist on another thread; she's not played by a good actress who can draw people in, and she does things that no real person would ever do, such as quietly walk into a room full of threatening birds and close the door behind her. During the course of the film she goes from not very likeable, to utterly foolish, to broken and mute and she does it without learning or growing.
A good film has an emotional journey at its heart, whether it's Rick from "Casablanca" learning to care about people other than himself, Scotty from "Vertigo" descending into madness, every random hero getting the girl, or yes, Luke Skywalker learning to open his mind and use the Force. Such a journey needn't be pretty or happy, films about madness, sacrifice, or tragedy can be extremely gripping. But "The Birds" lacks any of that, the real stars are the camera and the birds, and not many people feel deep, caring, emotional links with the cinematography.
I disagree respectfully. Melanie's storyarc comes from her trying to prove to others, and herself, that she's not just the dumb socialite who sometimes jumps into Roman fountains. Her initial encounter with Mitch in the birdshop incites her to follow him into Bodega Bay, and the film follows her attempts to show Mitch, and later Lydia, that she's more than the newspaper headlines say.
She's a likeable character. If not for her charisma and screen presence, then for her general good nature. She's nice with everyone she interacts with, even her potential rival, Annie. When Lydia is worried about Kathy at school, she volunteers to check on her, and helps protect her and the other children when they're under attack.
I mentioned in another thread that I believe Melanie's reasons for going into the bedroom alone deal with her assumption that perhaps she really is to blame for the birds' behaviorthat she somehow brought this on the Brenners and Bodega Bay, like the mother at the restaurant accused her. She feels that, one, she has a responsibility to take care of the situation, and, two, if she can fix it on her own then she's somehow paid for her sins or whatever. Her arc reaches closure when she drives off with the Brenners, Lydia holding her, indicating that she's finally accepted Melanie.
Half-Blood 15
After all, tomorrow is another day ~ Gone with the Wind
