Monday, September 8, 2008

Hitchcockian

The birds! The birds! Ahhhhhhhhh...
Or, put another way, pigeons perched on the peak of a purple place.*

While I was out and about a few mornings ago, I caught this scene on the roof of a home in my neighborhood. The early morning sun backlit the house and line of pigeons so perfectly, all I could think of was Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds. If you've ever seen this psycho-thriller from the 1960s, I can guarantee you've never looked at gatherings of larger birds the same since. Or, maybe I'm projecting and just speaking for myself.



If you don't know what movie I'm referring to, here's a preview remake from YouTube to jog your memory. By the way--the lead actress in this film is Tippi Hedren, mother of actress Melanie Griffith.

* I'll have to go back one day and take a picture of the house they're perched on. It's a horrendous shade of purple. I have no doubt the surrounding neighbors and realtors hate this house!

Photo copyright: D.C. Confidential

19 comments:

Webradio said...

Hello !

Joli film que "Les oiseaux" de Hitchcock !

Virginia said...

OH I remember the movie vividly. So much so that I couldn't make myself play your film clip! Do like your photo though. Alfred Hitchcock is smiling.

RoeH said...

I liked the movie. But I've never understood why people made such a big deal out of it. It really was Hitchcock's.....corniest.

alice said...

Anyway, I like birdies! There is a purple house in my neighborhood too, I'll have a look one day.

Unknown said...

Nice photo! I like your blog and I'll be coming back as often as I can.

Jane Hards Photography said...

That's a fabulous shot and so evocative of the film.

 gmirage said...

Surely is a hitchcockian athmosphere!

Janet Kincaid said...

Webradio: Allo! Thanks for visiting!


VJ: The video clip is actually quite good. You should watch it. As for Hitchcock smiling, did he ever do that? Smile, I mean?


Lucy: It's a corny movie, I agree. But, when you're a group of impressionable, easily-scared 13 year olds at a YWMIA activity for Halloween and your youth advisor is giving you a ride home after midnight and she pulls up to a house and there's a dead seagull on the ground, you freak out! (True story.)


Alice: Let's make a deal. You take a picture of your purple house and I'll take a picture of the one near me and we'll both post our pictures this Saturday. Deal?


Lolade: Thank you! Glad to know you'll be back. I also enjoy your blog and will be back to see more of Lagos soon!


Babooshka: I really had fun taking this one. I'm just glad there was no one behind me as I shot it from the car!


Mirage: I thought so, too. As I drove by, I said, "The BIRDS! The BIRDS..." LOL!

Amanda said...

Oooh, spooky shot! I actually haven't seen ANY Hitchcock (that's probably a crime in some circles), maybe I should work on that. Thanks for the recent comment - I like your photo blog(s)!

Tash said...

Looks like we got a spontanous theme going today - your castle with birds, my birds on a wire, and Blognote's castle in fog... (verri interresting)

Bernie said...

Yes, it does look like a scene from that movie. Good shot.

Janet Kincaid said...

Amanda: My recommendations for best Hitchcock flicks: Psycho (the original. Not the 1998 version with Anne Heche and Vince Vaughan, though that one's decent), Rear Window, and Dial M for Murder. The Birds is worth seeing only because it's so darn campy and it was filmed in Bodega Bay, otherwise, put it low on the list. Another one most people swear by is Vertigo, which was filmed in San Francisco and San Juan Bautista, but I didn't care for it as much.


Tash: I think I like your picture better than mine!


Bernie: Thanks! It's fun to catch a shot like this.

Maya said...

I can't help but think this is the opposite of the photo I took of pigeons perching in the morning light. Much less intimidating at sunrise! I haven't seen The Birds, but I think I'd be too afraid to. Especially after a crow dive bombed me the other day!

Petrea Burchard said...

Well, I just love this shot. That's all I have to say. Love it.

Janet Kincaid said...

Maya: Being dive-bombed by a bird is never fun. In Rehoboth, Delaware, the seagulls are so aggressive, they'll actually snatch food right out of your hand! As for Hitchcock movies, see my recommendations to Amanda. They're definitely worth watching on a rainy fall evening.


Petrea: Well, thank you!

Anonymous said...

Ah yes it sure does. I had one of these moments myself. Checkout my 1 September post. Think its the weather. Grey days are fabulous for scary movies.

Janet Kincaid said...

Mo: I just checked out your "The Birds" picture. Very apropos! We're having an overcast day today and I'm thinking of going out and looking for more birds on roofs and wires...

Greyhound Girl said...

That is a great picture. i think I would've run for the hills before i would've snapped it!

Janet Kincaid said...

Prof.: Me, too. I was enconsed in the false sense of security that was my car. But, as we all know from the movie, no where is safe from THE BIRDS!