Psyched out Birds

Hitchcock has certainly sweetened my weekend with his sense for original terror. I had watched both Psycho (1960) and The Birds (1963) before but it was a true pleasure to enjoy them once more. Hitchcock opened new doors in the slasher and horror film genre with these two consecutive works. However, the comparison of the two thrillers points out vital differences in Hitchcock’s use of visuals, soundtrack, and plot devices in order to evoke terror in his audience.

In terms of visual effects, the most obvious difference is the switch from black and white to color. Yet, the two movies’ camera work differs as well. While, besides the outstanding shot in which a large flock of birds is observing the human chaos from above, The Birds is mostly narrated on eye-level, Psycho uses a variety of angled shots that obscure the scenes’ perspective and contribute to the intriguing atmosphere. One example for innovative angles would be the scene of the second murder, when Detective Arbogast is unexpectedly stabbed in the face on top of the stairway. As “mother” suddenly goes for the kill, the camera angle changes to a unique downward angle, which intensifies the moment of surprise and helps to maintain the mystery about “mother’s” identity.

Another obvious difference is Hitchcock’s choice of soundtrack in the two movies. In Psycho, Bernhard Hermann’s brilliant soundtrack leads the movie almost on the same level as its visuals. The fast paced composition during the title scene sets the uneasy and anxious mood for the upcoming tale of terror. During the plot section preceding Marion Crane’s arrival at the Bates Motel, the soundtrack foreshadows the horror that lies ahead, as even scenes that should not evoke feelings of anxiety, e.g. Marion and Sam’s bedroom scene, appear mysteriously strange due to Hermann’s soundtrack. Hitchcock also uses moments of silence in a very clever manner, for example just before the shower scene or the second murder. The curious absence of sound facilitates an even more severe effect when the high-pitched soundtrack stabs the audience’s ears just as Marion or Arbogast are slain.

In The Birds, Hitchcock’s approach regarding audio stands in strong contrast to his usage of sound in Psycho. Instead of implementing a strongly noticeable soundtrack that guides the audience through the plot, Hitchcock abstains from any note-worthy musical undertones while focusing on the bone-thrilling bird “screaming” as a repeated motif throughout the movie. The repeated sound of the “killer birds,” which at times sounds more like a pride of cats than a flock of birds, manipulates the audience through the means of classic conditioning. Birds are inevitably connected with these sounds of terror and the following gory attacks on preferably little school children. I realized the effect this manipulation has the first time I watched the movie. After two hours of bird terror, I left my house expecting to find myself in the peaceful world I knew from before. However, I suddenly I was filled with a curious feeling of uneasiness, as a few sparrows were chirping at me from above. Apparently, Hitchcock’s method of conditioning was successful.

Regarding plot devices, Hitchcock uses similar methods in both movies’ introductory phase while changing tactics throughout the later plots. Both movies introduce the main protagonist in a storyline that, eventually, appears insignificant to the actual plot. However, while The Birds does not offer any unexpected twists throughout the plot besides a sudden increase in gore factor, Psycho’s plot surprises with a number of unexpected twists that increase the audience’s anxiety. One crucial twist is the relatively early murder of the main protagonist Marion. The unexpected early kill leaves the audience in a profound feeling of uncertainty about who will fall victim next.

The clever twists used in Psycho as well as the ingenious soundtrack made me appreciate the classic psycho-thriller more than the manipulating bird horror, which certainly influenced an entire series of later C horror movies. In my opinion, the acting in Psycho excels The Birds' actors performance as well. Especially Anthony Perkins’ Norman Bates stands out as the supreme creep. Unfortunately, his excellent performance led to him being typecasted in similar roles later on, including Psycho II (1983), III (1986), and IV (1990). I agree with Krystal that there is something peculiar about mothers in Hitchcock’s movies as mother-son relationships are regularly portrayed as the origins of profound traumas. What did mommy do to little Hitchcock?