Bring on the tough stuff. There’s not just one right answer.
- Almost the entire film is set in Bodega Bay. Could the film have cut out the parts in San Francisco? What would be lost? What might be gained?
- Hitchcock's films are very carefully and steadily composed. Would the film be improved if it made use of a handheld camera (as in The Blair Witch Project)? Why or why not?
- Hitchcock said, "Blondes make the best victims. They're like virgin snow that shows up the bloody footprints." What if Melanie wasn't in the film, and it just focused on Mitch and his family? Would the film be less effective?
- Could the birds be replaced with another menace—like house cats, for example, or a disease?
- Why do you think the birds attack? Would the film be improved if it included your explanation?