Birds of a Feather Flock to Horror Together, The Connective Power of The Birds (1962)

Screen Cares

It's the birds, it's the creepy characters, NO it's the fear of losing the ones you love! Jennie leads Sarah through the experience of watching The Birds (1962) during a special family movie night on her father Jim's birthday. The Screen Cares hosts unpack all the ways the film can bring us together through shared fears and how the film highlights some of the ways we can do better appreciating life and loving one another. Warning this episode may not be suitable for the ornithophobes among us, but it is perfect for anyone looking for ways to use films to make intergenerational connections with those they love.

For those who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please visit this link for the transcript of this episode of Screen Cares: Episode Transcript

Screen Shares Rating:

• The Birds (1963) is a perfectly terrifying Family Screen to watch in an intergenerational setting. Discuss the special effects, rotary phones, hairstyles, and lax privacy standards of times gone by, but most importantly connect over stories of how each family member experienced The Birds for the first time.
• The Birds can also be a great Love Screen if you're looking to spark conversations about a variety of relationships throughout the various stages of life.

Screen Sparks:

Discuss these Screen Sparks, after you've boarded up the windows and stoked the fire to keep the birds out:

• How can media help us treat real deaths more equitably?
• Are there any movies that are "infamous" in your family- too scary or so awesome you've either never seen them or seen them too many time?
• What is the difference between uncanny, suspicious, and harmless difference?
• Are there any movies or art that dramatically impacted the way you live in the world?
• What do you love and how can you connect with it every day?

Resources & Background

• The Birds Daphne du Maurier
  • https://mrnsmith.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/the-birds-by-daphne-du-maurier.pdf
• The fear of birds: Ornithophobia
  • https://www.verywellmind.com/ornithophobia-2671874
• Rewatching The Birds as adults
  • https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/fear-birds
• Tippi Hendren Abuse Allegations

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