BLU-RAY REVIEW

Birds, The 4K Ultra HD

Picture3
Sound3.5
WSR Score3.5
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
61212451
(MPAA Rating):
PG-13
(Rating Reason):
(Retail Price):
$69.98
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-100)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
(Running Time In Minutes):
119
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
A
(Theatrical Year):
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
9/8/2020
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
(Director):
Alfred Hitchock
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
DTS HD Lossless 2.0
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(French Language):
(Spanish Language):
(Subtitles):
(Japanese Language):

Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" is the horrific tale of nature gone berserk when thousands of birds flock into Bodega Bay, a northern California seaside town, and terrorize the residents in a series of deadly attacks. (Gary Reber)

Special features include four featurettes "The Birds: Hitchcock's Monster Movie" (SD 14:23), "All About The Birds" (SD 79:50), "'Tippi' Hedren's Screen Test" (SD 09:58) and "Hitchcock/Truffaut—In 1962" (SD 16:14); deleted scenes (SD 04:20); "The Original Ending" (SD 09:25), "The Birds Is Coming" newsreel (SD 01:15); "Suspense Story: National Press Club Hears Hitchcock" newsreel (SD 01:54); the theatrical trailer; "100 Years Of Universal: Restoring The Classics" (SD 09:13), "100 Years Of Universal: The Lot" and a Movies Anywhere digital code.

The 1.85:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 Ultra HD HDR10/Dolby Vision picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, was photographed on Eastman film stock using the Mitchell BNC camera system and sourced from a 4K master Digital Intermediate format. The imagery does not register well in the suspend disbelief department as the visual effects are so unrealistic and varied in quality. Technicolor fidelity looks vivid, with rich and warm hues and generally realistic fleshtones. Black levels appear deep. Haloed edges are visual throughout, as well as obvious digital tweaks and enhancements, which result in a doctored presentation. "The Birds" never really was a great-looking film, and sadly, the results here really do not elevate the presentation quality satisfactorily. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 2.0-channel monaural soundtrack is undistinguished. The extensive ADR dialogue is not well integrated. Fidelity limits the realism of sound effects and atmospherics, though, Tippi Hedren's roadster's engine sound and the intense shrill sounds of various birds, especially during the attack in the Brenner house are featured effects. The sound effects are unfortunately unrealistic and are what is of dynamics. The soundtrack sounds compressed, including the music, with dated fidelity. (Gary Reber)