The Birds (1963 AH)

OK we only watched it in January.

It's a great performance from Jessica Tandy (who was married to Hume Cronyn for over 50 years).

I thought it more straightforward in the camera set-ups than say Vertigo, but then he goes really high, like scene in which Tandy expresses her concerns to surrogate daughter Tippi Hedren (same effect when the latter is imprisoned in phone box). There's also a lot of careful staging within the shot e.g. when Tandy first learns about the neighbour's chickens, and the diner scene (which builds up beautifully).

It is in fact Hitchcock's only horror film (the threat emanates not from man), written by Evan Hunter, from Daphne du Maurier short story.

The leads are fine, good acting too from Suzanne Pleshette and all the secondary characters.

You have to laugh, though, at some of the process shots of the 'peckers'.