The Birds alternate ending
Bill Warren
>The forthcoming DVD of 'The Birds' will include an alternate ending. Anyone
>know the content of this ending and why it was changed ?
Very interesting -- this is the first mention I've encountered that there WAS
an alternate ending. I know that Hitchcock considered a shot of the fugitives
arriving at San Francisco Bay to find the Golden Gate Bridge covered with
birds, but I've never heard of that actually being filmed.
Bechkman
Bill Warren wrote:
There is a scene at the end of the script where birds attack the car as they are
driving away. I was under the impression that Hitchcock didn't shoot that scene
either.
Where is the information about the DVD coming from in the first place?
Gabriel Hardman
Bechkman
Nicolas Besse wrote:
> Bechkman <bech...@earthlink.net> a écrit dans le message :
> 388F5967...@earthlink.net...
>
> > Where is the information about the DVD coming from in the first place?
>
> It's from Universal. The following has been issued on major DVD sites like
> DVDFile and DVDReview:
>
> Birds, The
> 1963 · 120 min. · 16x9 · E - DD Mono / F - DD Mono / F - DS · Sub: E ·
> Rated: PG-13
>
> Horror · Release Date: 3/28/00 · SRP: 29.98 · UPC #20275
> A small California community is suddenly subjected to a series of
> inexplicable attacks by apparently harmless birds. At first the victims are
> few and far between. But then, the number of horrifying episodes multiplies,
> culminating in the spectacular moments when the malicious birds of all
> shapes and sizes wage a full-scale war on the human race. Directed by Alfred
> Hitchcock.
> Starring Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette, Tippi Hedren,
> Veronica Cartwright.
>
> Special Features:
> * All about the Birds, an original documentary
> * Storyboard Sequences
> * Original Ending
> * Screen Tests
> * Production Notes
> * Talent Bios
> * Theatrical Trailer
That's great news, thanks. I guess we'll all find out what "Original Ending"
means in March.
Gabriel Hardman
MR N POTTS
>> That's great news, thanks. I guess we'll all find out what "Original
>Ending"
>> means in March.
>>
>> Gabriel Hardman
>Image DVD News (http://www.laserviews.com/dvd-news.html) has a slightly
>different list of features...
>* "All About The Birds" documentary
>* Deleted scene and the original ending
> * Tippi Hedren's screen test
>* "The Birds is Coming" Universal International newsreel
>* Storyboards
> * Theatrical trailer
My GUESS would be that "Original ending" might just mean what they intended to
film (the attack on the car - see Truffaut). Maybe the scene in text form?
"Deleted scene" might be the sequence as Mitch is burning the sparrows, just
after the attack in the house, and just before Lydia discovers an Fawcett's
corpse (again, Hitchcock comments on this in Truffaut).
Good Evening
Neill
fyns...@webtv.net
as the final shot fades out. I've also seen a version without that
title.
Bill Warren
a "the end" card. Universal insisted that one be added for the TV showings. I
hope to heck that the DVD doesn't just have the ending once without THE END and
once with.
RFCSAC627N
This may be true. I've heard of no other filmed ending. The screenplay of
THE BIRDS I have--dated January 26, 1962--has the same ending as the released
film.
Richard Carnahan
Richard Ducar
without the THE END credit superimposed over the final shot and sent to
the theatres that way. Sometime after the first week of showings
Universal had Technicolor make up a new 230 foot end section with the
THE END credit overlay. These new end sections were then sent out to the
theatres with the instructions to cut off the last 230 feet of the movie
and replace it with the new end section. Of course every single theatre
did not bother switching the end sections which is why there is at least
one print that I know of without the THE END overlay, however all of the
prints that I've had have had the section replaced.
I always liked how when Hitchcock joined Universal he had his own
specially designed Universal logo made up just for THE BIRDS.