10 Great Eco-Horror Films You Need To See

9. The Birds (1963)

The Birds Tippi Hedren
Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions

Alfred Hitchcock has an impressive range of films under his belt, including the infamous Psycho, Vertigo, and North by Northwest, but The Birds is his masterpiece. Its concept is simple: the residents of Bodega, California are subjected to violent attacks from birds for no reason. Yes, you read that correctly: no reason. There is no logical explanation given as to why the birds choose to suddenly attack the residents, and if anything, that makes it all the more frightening. The film is decidedly gothic in its low-key lighting and focus on the psychological exploration of its main character through intimate, point-of-view shots throughout.

What makes The Birds relevant now is its use of entrapment - most of us are stuck in quarantine right now, unable to go outside for fear of becoming ill. The residents of Bodega are also trapped in their homes, scared to leave in case they are attacked. Either way, the main takeaway here is fear of death. That’s what makes The Birds so terrifying.

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Victoria is a freelance writer from Northern Ireland. Reader, writer and cinephile, Victoria writes about cinema - mostly horror and Disney - and television. You can find her over at www.read-review-repeat.com and at Banterflix, film reviews with a Norn Iron accent.