Media Studies- 'The Birds' Analysis

In Alfred Hitchcock's Thriller film, 'The Birds', starring Rod Taylor, Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshete and Tippi, there are many Thriller Conventions that are used in order to make it a successful thriller. One way that this is achieved is through creating a new type of villain, which is nature itself. Compared to Hitchcocks other Thrillers, including 'Psycho' and 'North by North-West', the main villains have been people, whether it was an evil organisation trying to take down a secret agent, or a psychotic man who really loved his mother, people have always been the cause for the story progressing. However, in 'The Birds' the villains are birds themselves, and Nature is seen as the evil force. This creates a contrast, and enforces a parallel between the normal Thriller and the abnormality that this movie creates. This follows Vladimir Propp's theory about the different character types in all thrillers. In 'The Birds', there is a villain(The Birds), there is a Helper(Worker from school), there is a Provider(Mother), there is a princess and there is a father. Therefore, this Thriller does follow Propp's Theory of Binary Opposites, and does follow certain Thriller Conventions. There are other themes that are used in 'The Birds' that are used to keep the audience's attention to the film, such as 'Dramatic Irony'. This is where the audience are aware of a plot point or a situation in the film that the main hero doesn't know. This happens in 'The Birds' when the main character is outside of the school, and a flock of killer birds gather behind her without her knowing.