RUTZ Song: "Not your fault"

Thank you for taking the time to check out my work, hope you enjoy this song...


  

Lyrics

Climbing

Outside my window

Running

Through heavy snow

Screaming

Just to let you know

Fighting

Cause I can't let it go

"You don't know what you do to me"

"And you never will" 

"But it's not your FAULT"

Verse 2

Buying things

That I never would

But it

It is just for you

Driving

To pick you up from work

By the phone

Cause you didn't call

Verse 3

I did it all for you

I hope you will be true

The things you put me through

Make me want to SUE....

But I did it all for YOU

RUTZ Classic Movies: "Highlander"

Directed by Russell Mulcahy    

Line that stays with me: “If your head comes away from your neck, it's over! ”

Essay Warning: There are no spoilers or story details. I want to offer the emotion that a film can access within us. Plus I think the best way to watch a film is by not knowing anything about it. Just Go In…So if you haven’t watched this film yet please don’t read this essay. Read it afterwards so we can enjoy the “feeling” together.

“Highlander” was the first DVD I ever bought. I did not purchase the DVD because I was a huge fan. I bought it because it was $5.99 and since I just purchased my first DVD player that’s all I could afford at the time. Everything happens for a reason I guess, as “Highlander” became one of those films my friends and I would crack jokes about, and the more I watched the film the more I connected with it in some strange funny way. The film is not perfect, but there is a kind of magic in it. Now that I am older and know the true horrors of making any feature film, my respect and fondness for this film has only grown. The film is surely a film conceived with the hopes of cashing in on the MTV generation, which explains why Queen was hired to do most of the soundtrack.  You get lots of flashy cuts and sometimes the lighting changes dramatically to utilize bright neon reds and greens, very much like a music video. At the end of the day all this adds to a very fantastical look. I recently watched the film for first time on HD and it was major difference over that $5.99 cheap bare bones DVD I still have somewhere.  Watching the film on HD you begin to notice how calculated the film is. The excellent framing and shot selections burst through with epic intentions, all driven by a soundtrack that does not care if it is over the top. Many films love to talk, talk, and talk about legends boring you half way through. “Highlander” wowed you with a legend and all its ridiculous glory.

Not being self-conscious helps movies. Filmmakers, who understand that they cannot please everybody, make special films. I believe “Highlander” comes from that sort of mindset. The idea is very silly and adding a Queen soundtrack brings a whole other layer of high intensity to the film which is felt right from the opening credits. “I am immortal; I have inside me blood of kings!” Those are lyrics from the opening song “Princes of the Universe” very bold over the top lyrics and if you are into movies that are proud to deliver new experiences no matter how silly or outrageous, than like me you were probably hooked at that moment. The film knows its main audience, BOYS.  The film never truly deals with our reality but focuses all its strength on making us enjoy its fantasy. These are thoughts every boy has had, what if I could live forever?  Plus the idea of living forever is very much a young man’s mindset. As you get older and your bones begin to ache in ways you never thought possible, living forever no longer sounds pleasant. At this point in my life I rather die before I can no longer control my bodily functions.  “Highlander” is not concerned with these truths, it rather entertain you with a great fun MOVIE. They even casted Sean Connery to ham it up, and deliver lines that could only be bought if Sir Connery is selling them.

It is very important for any film to quickly separate itself from the pack. A movie has to quickly hit you over the head like a caveman before you begin to think things like “I’ve seen this before”. Not many films do that but when they do, you find yourself involved in the film, not merely watching it. “Highlander” does this in a very fascinating way. We meet our hero Conner Macleod of the Clan MacLeod in a wrestling event. Now what’s hilarious and interesting to me about that scene is the fact that you have to question why this New Yorker is having flashbacks of some 16^th Century battle while he is watching modern wrestling. That moment instantly makes you say “What’s going on here?” Next thing you know Conner MacLeod heads to the parking lot and ends up in a sword fight. Great opening which leads to an excellent flashback transition leaving the audience in catch up mode. As silly as the film is, it was thoroughly thought out to entertain you in a very fast paced way filled with grandiose moments and blockbuster like sheen.  Of course the purpose was to get young boys all over the world to fall for this. (it worked) Even as an adult you can feel the film call out the boy in you, the quickening if you will, to just have a good time, and enjoy a classic story of good and evil. Macleod is the light; The Kurgan is pure darkness that stomps on every scene with the force of the dark ages.  Throughout the film we witness this clear battle. In one of my favorite scenes, Conner Macleod takes out a Nazi, again cementing our hero as a beacon of light in the darkest of times.

It is hard for anybody that admires this film to put in one sentence why it is great. That’s due to the fact that the film never plays it straight. This is not “Lord of the Rings”, but somehow it feels like that every time you watch it. It has a majestic score; shots of stuntmen dangerously sparring with swords high on a mountain top, and great flashbacks that add depth in a short amount of time. Simultaneously, the film has a boy’s attitude. Heads are being cut off and mean jokes are cracked throughout by police officers. The strangest scene is when Nash is being interrogated and Officer Garfield calls him a faggot. Harsh words but the scene works because of its honest ridiculousness. I love that scene, my friends and I use to crack up at that scene. It plays out like a school yard fight. I love how Nash defends himself and declares to his enemies that he won’t be pushed around. That’s how a great film showcases its hero’s attributes by showing us not just talking about them. I know these days’ people like to shun their children away from such scenes, which I do not understand. When I went to school, I heard all sorts of terrible name calling. It is part of life, no matter how old you get. Nowadays kids are being told not to stand up for themselves but to go tell the teacher. How is that plan going to work when that kid enters the workforce? Sure, he won’t be defending himself physically but the workforce is filled with verbal abuse. In life it is very important to LEARN how to defend yourself. This film always brings to mind Darwinism and that we must fight for whatever position you want in life, there can be only one remember. It is a brilliant message quietly told throughout the film.

“Highlander” also has heart. Our hero must suffer the death of the woman he loved. With the help of Queen, that scene with MacLeod speaking to Heather on her death bed becomes one of most tender heart breaking scenes I’ve ever watched, filled with grandness, and the final devastation that comes with forbidden love. I catch myself singing each time I watch it. “Who wants to live forever, who dares to love forever?” Epic, over the top and fantastic! We also get to enjoy MacLeod’s and Ramirez’s bonding. The classic approach of montages and training works well here. Especially since it is a blast to watch Sir Sean Connery say lines like “He’s blood coursing…feel?!” MacLeod and Ramirez running off a cliff, with the sweeping score driving it home and you dreaming you could jump off that cliff too.  The film understands young people’s desire to learn or to discover new powers within us. That’s why movies like this or the “The Karate Kid” (when done right) always work. Everyday life quickly makes you forget about your imagination, potential and replaces it with fear. Along comes a movie that says what if you had these powers, what if you trained and became a badass. We love those scenes in movies because they offer hope.  Unfortunately, in real life we don’t usually meet people who want to help us and ask for nothing in return but this isn’t real life, “Highlander” is a movie. In movies the standard training montage cliché works like a charm, “Highlander” has my favorite standard training cliché moments, fun yet mesmerizing.

Yes, “Highlander” has it all for the BOY in you.  Intense sword fights, a great villain, damsels in distress, and an interesting hero. The film has amazing production design, outlandish sets and props galore. The cinematography is spontaneous and restless.  Yet, very though out, many shots planned to accentuate landscapes or modern architecture. This is not pedestrian directing at all; this director was out to wow us with beautiful vistas and moments filled with sparks. Perfect example is in the The Kurgan VS Ramirez battle scene where The Kurgan destroys MacLeod’s castle like home with his sword. I don’t understand how that’s possible, but that scene lifts the film into great fantasy as it reminds us of classic Universal horror movies with its intense wind and lightning effects. Great performances also save this film from mediocrity. Christopher Lambert is perfectly sly as Conner MacLeod. Sir Sean Connery has all the best lines and makes you believe the legend. Clancy Brown steals almost every scene he’s in just like he always does when given a great role. (Just think Shawshank) He is nasty, vile, and funny with a very intimidating visual presence, everything a great villain should be. The special effects are weird and fun instead of plain and lame. One of the biggest reasons I think this film will continue to find new fans is its amazing ending. The problem with most “Blockbusters” is that many of them are anti-climactic. They don’t live up to the hype. You’re all pumped up after watching the trailer 100 times; you get to the moment of truth and BLAH. Not in “Highlander”! Don’t you love it when a movie goes all the way and delivers the goods? MacLeod and The Kurgan sword slashing to the death on top of the bright red neon signs of Silvercup Studios, as our damsel in distress screams for her life. Sparks flying, MacLeod and The Kurgan waist deep in water, glass shattering all over the place, neon signs crashing down and the final decapitation, now that’s a climax. To me “Highlander” proves that if a filmmaker focuses on his film’s strengths it will cloud the film’s weakness.  Along the way you had some gripes, but by the end you can’t remember them. Howard Hawks once said a good film is three great scenes and no bad ones; yeah that sounds like “Highlander”.   

ABOUT RCM: RUTZ Classic Movies is dedicated on writing film essays for films that in Rutz's opinion, have not gotten the credit they deserve. Next Essay: Terrence Malick's "The Thin Red Line" 

                         

RUTZ: The Blog reached 30k Views Gratitude Extravaganza Video!

This post is very last minute but from the heart. I want to say thank you to some very cool people who have taken the time to check out my work and give it a chance. You guys making waking up so much fun. These past 6 months have been a revelation to me. I've hidden lots of this work away for a long time, thinking it wasn't good enough. Now I feel excited. I want to deliver a kind of work that will always deliver a new experience. This video was made from left over clips from shoots that pay the bills. These are images I have experienced recently and I thought it would be an interesting way to let you know more about me. Strange times...

If I forget to mention you, believe me I tried to find your name but I couldn't, still I thank you very much for taking the time to check out my work.

The song in the video is called "I can make it rain" a song from some old sessions I have to post. Let me know what you think! 

Alright, back to work.  :)

RUTZ Song: Back to you

"Back to you" is another song from my ONE TAKE recordings in which I created every song without writing down any lyrics but just recorded whatever came out. I will be releasing more of these songs throughout the year as I continue to work on my next EP "No Parachutes, No Routes". I want to say  thank you to every person that supports my work. Thank you for every RT, Mention and for taking the time to check out my work. Truly appreciate it and I hope enjoy this song.

 

RUTZ Classic Movies: "Jackie Brown"

Directed by Quentin Tarantino    

Line that stays with me: “I didn't know you liked The Delfonics?”

Essay Warning: There are no spoilers or story details. I want to offer the emotion that a film can access within us. Plus I think the best way to watch a film is by not knowing anything about it. Just Go In…So if you haven’t watched this film yet please don’t read this essay. Read it afterwards so we can enjoy the “feeling” together.

 Quentin Tarantino has a great name.  It sounds very special; it is as if he has lived up to the destiny set before him in life. Tarantino, the writer-director who made audiences all over the world once again care about great original work from writer-directors.  At the time Hollywood desperately needed a facelift, Quentin Tarantino was the only man viewing past the horizon. He brought with him, interweaving story lines (now overdone and over cooked in so many movies), and a love for genre films unlike any director before him except maybe Howard Hawks. But more than anything, he single handily made movies cool again. Quentin Tarantino, will go down as the coolest motherfucking director in the world and, his films will always prove this no matter how much time passes. His desire to bring so many great essences of cool, exciting cinema that he treasures to the big screen his way is beyond inspiring. By now you’ve heard or read of his classic rags to riches story that inspired millions of video clerks/writer-directors to take a Hollywood dive.  That was so long ago, it is hard to explain how he completely blew film lovers out of their minds. The window flew open and there it was fresh air. First, Reservoir Dogs, the tease, that always feels grander than it actually is. What struck me was the writing, the language, the conversations that could shift from “funny as hell” to -” damn that’s some good dialog”, it just sounds right and cool. Pulp Fiction, blew the house down and gave Tarantino the keys to the city. People didn’t know how the hell he was going to top that classic. Quentin Tarantino, being the genius that he is, didn’t even try. That sort of magic only works once and he knew the only thing you can really do in that situation is keep growing. You have to follow your artistic instincts, trust them and believe wherever it leads you; it will surely be the most honest personal expression. “Jackie Brown” feels like that to me, a director expanding his skills. He is not trying to outdo himself, he wants to showcase cinematic ideas he loves, and show the world how special a film like “Jackie Brown” can be. I mean come on a $25 million genre mixing film cocktail of Crime drama, Blaxploitation (Only a hint really), and film noir starting Pam Grier, Robert Forester, and Robert DeNiro and Michael Keaton? It is a kid in a candy store creation and one of the greatest feelings one can experience watching films, it is catching the energy of watching someone’s dreams come true. 

 

I remember the hype for “Jackie Brown” was insane. Very similar to Nirvana releasing “In Utero”, it was a major artistic moment to witness. Is this indie poster boy 100 million dollars grossing director going to strike gold again or strike out? When I first saw it, I wanted it to do well in a major way especially for Robert Foster but I knew in my gut that this is not the film “Pulp Fanatics” wanted, at least not yet. “Jackie Brown” is a very slow paced film, it has a trance quality. Quentin Tarantino, set it up this way in order to create an amazing tempo. The very first shot of the film is a long shot, and the first scene of the movie is like ten minutes of people watching TV. Knowing how to set a tempo is beyond important for filmmakers, it is a make or break quality. Tarantino set a perfect nice and slow tempo; a movie filled with so many conversations, pot smoking, and characters enjoying “Screwdrivers” requires the tempo Tarantino chose in order for the film to work. Tarantino, loves making interesting characters come to life, I think he is obsessed by it. With “Jackie Brown” he got to really make these characters live and breathe like very few films have. So many long takes in this film, various scenes that are long in length, but burst with sincere human observation and subtle tenderness. People did not go crazy for his new film in 1997, many critics were disappointed and audiences did not come out in droves. Now, “Jackie Brown” is the film that holds Tarantino’s beautiful filmography together. You can point to it and say yes he is that good, in a class of his own.

I can understand how after watching every frame of “Pulp Fiction” and always being left wanting more, how “Jackie Brown” could disappoint upon first viewing. “Jackie Brown” isn’t giving us any sermons, it wants you to hangout. The film wants you to take it easy, relax, smoke one or drink something and enjoy listening to these interesting people speak. There are not many bursts of gunfire and when something electrifying happens it’s usually attributed to an actor’s facial expression. Tarantino fell in love with these characters from Elermore Leonard’s book and every scene is a celebration of like some long overdue wedding.  He believes the characters will make the film work and he was right. It is very similar to the approach Howard Hawks had with the classic John Wayne western “Rio Bravo”. Howard Hawks wanted to make “Rio Bravo” feel like a Television show, where you fall in love with the characters, and can’t wait to see what happens the following week. From the very first scene we are forced to relax and hang back. Samuel L. Jackson and Robert DeNiro watching some sexy strange VHS (remember those things) called “Chicks who love guns” while Bridget Fonda’s legs toy with us. We are in that room; this isn’t a plot set-up in the classic Hollywood sense. Tarantino wants us to enjoy all the nuances, human comedy and vibrant flavors on display in that room. Simple moments that most filmmakers do not even think about, shine in “Jackie Brown”. Tarantino’s amazing gift in writing dialog creates classic moments. One of my favorite moments is Samuel L. Jackson saying “Girl, don’t make me put my foot in your ass”. The film is very funny, but it is the sort of comedy built from “You had to be there moments” which is very hard to do. This film celebrates the act of catching lightning in a bottle and the serene pleasure of great conversations.

After multiple viewings of “Jackie Brown” you begin to realize that the plot is the least interesting thing in the film. Do not get me wrong, the plot is perfect. Perfect plot in the sense that it offers its all-star cast keen moments to deliver their special brand of magic. You got Pam Grier, acting tough, sexy without ever losing her place as the heart of the film. Samuel L. Jackson doing what he does best which is delivering Tarantino dialog with effortless ease but with striking conviction. Robert Forster, in one of the few performances I will ever call perfect. Robert Forster as Max Cherry might be the best testament of Tarantino’s brilliance. Such a smooth, warm-hearted sweet performance that adds the perfect spice of romance the film needed to keep it from becoming pointless. Robert DeNiro, in a very physical performance is quiet throughout, but always bursting with intense body language. One of my favorite shots is a pan to DeNiro near the end, which seems like the most perfect way to use Robert DeNiro’s mug. Bridget Fonda, cracks me up as she claps with her legs  keeping in tune to The Grass Roots song “Midnight Confessions”.  Michael Keaton knows how to make a lasting impression just with his impressive array of facial impressions. Michael Bowen has the most underrated performance in this film, he kills every time he speaks, can’t think of a better actor when it comes to “Asshole roles”.  The acting alone is worth every viewing. Is there more to “Jackie Brown”? Maybe not, but who cares when the films intentions come across strongly confident and the performances are perfect. 

Yes, that’s why no Tarantino film has ever won Best Picture. Tarantino is not focused on giving us life lessons of any sort; at least not in some Clint Eastwood directed film type of way. He seems more interested in his cinematic obsessions and the diverseness of life in general. Thank God for that. We do not need more filmmakers giving us weak attempts of life advice in an entertainment format. Yet, I can write a whole essay alone on the interesting wisdom on display in “Jackie Brown”. From dealing with disappointment brought upon by a life sprinkled with very few rewards to falling in love. I think given Tarantino’s background he can relate with a story of a woman fighting to reach a hard to obtain goal, a new place that once seemed very unattainable. The scene with Pam Grier discussing how a life filled with no chance of better days is scarier than any gun Ordell Robbie can point at her face. The fact that you are free but you cannot live the life you desire. Which makes me wonder, if Hollywood didn’t give him a chance where would Quentin Tarantino be right now? He fought so hard for his moment of glory, and with this film I think some of that knowledge about failure truly helped in making you feel for Jackie Brown. You want her to escape, it might not be the right thing to do but you want her to get away. That final shot of the film, Pam Grier’s face of fear and excitement brought upon by her new life gets me every time. We are watching a woman driving towards a whole new life after waiting decades for the chance. Imagine you woke up tomorrow with all the money you need to not work anymore and time available to discover, to live new experiences that were once denied to you. In that final scene I know she’s happy but she looks so afraid, like she doesn’t know what to do with herself, it is a beautiful moment. I know maybe she doesn’t deserve that money (when you think about it she really doesn’t, it is kind of messed up what she did) but it is always great to watch a character who’s gotten the worst end of the stick finally get some retribution. So in that sense “Jackie Brown” is a revenge movie like “Kill Bill” except it is a revenge movie on the unfairness of life.

“Jackie Brown” showcases a very mature Quentin Tarantino before the world asked for one.  There were no special tricks or special effects, but a writer/director who knows how to write a script better than anyone else. He sat us down, put on a record, gave us a cup of coffee, and spoke to us about life. Often making the audience laugh in a very oblique way, which can only be attributed to the dark humor life can’t help but throw our way. More than anything I think Tarantino brought back the lost art of conversation to the movies.  Dialog was something Hollywood was great at. Watch TCM once in a while and you will hear what I mean. After movies like “Jaws” and “Star Wars” Hollywood’s focus shifted from great storytelling to trying to wow people with special effects and making as much money as possible. Their foolproof plan worked for a good while but by the early 90’s the so called “Blockbusters” were getting stale. Along comes a man with a plan. A director who wanted to change how films are experienced and by borrowing from the best elements of great novels and trusting his cinematic taste, he did just that. He made films that can go anywhere and even used time to offer different perspective of characters we love a la Akira Kurosawa’s “Rashomon”. He arrived with the knowledge that you can only receive by studying, reading, learning, and appreciating everything life throws your way for you know it might lead to an experience that will only make your lifelong work stronger. The art of conversation is beyond important, and it is not something every director can do. Make you sit and listen to people doing nothing but talking. That is a rare gift and in “Jackie Brown” Quentin Tarantino achieves this at a grand level with tremendous dexterity. He spoke about life, love, desperation, underhandedness and the strange comedy of cruelness all within the cool confines of a heist movie/crime drama. “Jackie Brown” doesn’t appear to be “deep” (Whatever the hell that means!), but that’s because its writer/director understands failure. He too found himself in a hole and decided like Jackie Brown to keep digging in order to get to the other side. Is that deep enough for ya? 

ABOUT RCM: RUTZ Classic Movies is dedicated on writing film essays for films that in Rutz's opinion, have not gotten the credit they deserve. Next Essay: Russell Mulcahy's "Highlander"

 

          

RUTZ Poem: Mimo

Mimo

Hometowns remind me of a bird's nest

Changes arrive after each season 

But the overall structure remains the same

Colors either faded or got brighter others completely replaced 

Still I know this space

Every step is filled with trust

These days I can look through dirty windows in familiar plazas

And see the dust of abandoned dreams

The sweltering heat has intensified and

Sometimes it dissolves me back to an array of memories from my childhood

When my energy was abundant 

My thoughts innocent 

And my limbs performed with an ease I shall never enjoy again 

I saw a face that resembled my father's 

I wondered if this resembling face had similar struggles 

Until a transit bus roared past and made me forget what I wanted to think next 

I thought of my mother when I saw a woman walking through the mid-day magic city heat 

Surviving another summer in the winter of her years

I know my mother is proud of who I've become 

But I still feel like I let her down 

I drive away from the settings of my past 

Walk into the hotel and place my body right under one of the central air vents 

Refreshed I start to feel better   

RUTZ Classic Movies: "The Birds"

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock    

Line that stays with me: “Don't they ever stop migrating?”

 

Essay Warning: There are no spoilers or story details. I want to offer the emotion that a film can access within us. Plus I think the best way to watch a film is by not knowing anything about it. Just Go In…So if you haven’t watched this film yet please don’t read this essay. Read it afterwards so we can enjoy the “feeling” together.

The pleasure of watching a great Hitchcock film to me is so varied. Very few film directors have worked as hard as Alfred Hitchcock did to offer us so much on an emotional level. He is known as the “Master of Suspense” rightfully so, and suspense is the key emotion to all of cinema.  A film should always keep your mind stuck on “What’s going to happen next?” Meaning, you forget about your troubles for the next two hours and instead become emotionally involved with what is happening on the screen. To me that is very pivotal for a film, to make people jump through an open window and get lost on the other side. Sadly, not many films offer us that sort of experience these days and when you watch a great Alfred Hitchcock film like “The Birds” you instantly notice the difference in approach. Most films today spoon feed you realities; Alfred Hitchcock created beautifully thought out realities very akin to paintings and wants you to look around. Alfred Hitchcock understood that every human being is built with a natural hunger for voyeurism. Not much of a surprise, the way we are thrown into this world who wouldn’t have an appetite to know what’s happening around us and the unknown. As children we would peek over fences, I remember being in 2^nd grade sneaking around the school parking lot to catch my teacher smoke a cigarette. Why? Because it was interesting to watch, I kept wondering, what’s bothering her? To me that is cinema at its best, the visuals set the scene and we become emotionally involved. A bad film will go straight to dialog, giving us a lot of blah, blah, yada, yada scenes that are stale setups and couldn’t be blander. Hitchcock’s nakedness with his voyeurism gave his films room for you to breathe. Dialog is not used in a feverish manner but instead saved for appropriate moments to properly move the story forward. It is a great balance that many films lack these days and it isn’t horrible but it just makes those film experiences as comparable to a fast food restaurant. Hitchcock always offered us a five star meal.

Beauty is very important in Hitchcock films. I love him for that. You can almost sense his tension that comes from looking at a beautiful woman. Alfred Hitchcock never really wrote his own scripts but history shows that he worked very closely with his screenwriters in developing the stories he wanted to tell. That’s why I think his films always feel very personal even when the story seems to have nothing to do with his private life. “The Birds” is a perfect example of this theory.  I believe “The Birds” is Hitchcock’s visual poem to women.  This theory fascinates me for various reasons. For starters, let us not forget that Alfred Hitchcock was imported from the UK. Bird in British slang is defined as:  a female, usually very attractive. This is a big clue to understanding the many facets of Hitchcock’s film. All three main female characters, Melanie, Annie Hayworth and Mitch’s mother Lydia are very attractive females. You can tell that Mitch’s mother was once a beauty and it adds a layer to her character that is crucial to the film. Alfred Hitchcock is elaborating on the “Pretty Complex” if you are knowledgeable with his work; you know that Alfred Hitchcock thrived in psychoanalysis. In this boring America where you can’t call someone ugly, films that use looks in this manner I very much crave. Most films use women’s beauty as a plot device; you know “distract the guard”. Alfred Hitchcock was always attuned to the power of images and understood that beauty is a powerful tool. Through his characters he displayed the emotional weight that comes from living a life as being recognized as one of the beautiful people. Melanie’s attitude throughout the films confirms this. Any lawyer will tell you that appearances matter, bottom line pretty people get more breaks than ugly people. Nothing to cry about, but it is great when a director recognizes these factors and uses it to make his characters hold some sort of truth. 

 From the first scene in the bird shop we can see Melanie in all her true colors. The way she was dolled up by Hitchcock and the legendary Edith Head is stunning; she looks like a walking Barbie doll at times. In the bird shop she exuberates energy thrusting with confidence and control with the flair of someone that can get anything she wants by blinking her eyes. Without even noticing she makes the clerk in the bird store uncomfortable and discreetly forces her to deliver the birds to her house. The beauty aspect of Melanie’s character also correlates perfectly with the story as she is tired of being treated as a plaything. She wants Mitch to take her seriously and put the fun days of “Rome” behind her. Hitchcock’s careful tact in creating his characters makes great use of Tippi Hedren’s beauty. She is not just up there for show but her whole appearance is an integral part of the story. The brilliance of this film is hard to cage and gets even more impressive when Melanie and Mitch’s mother Lydia meet.  It is easy to make a film called “The Birds” concerning some random group of people. (Like most disaster films) It is another thing entirely to create a strong visual metaphor to match your story. When a film is this thought out you can’t help but watch it again to discover more of its grand ideas. Usually when a bird attacks you it is because you are too close to its nest.  In the film we have two women who have created a sort of nest around Mitch. When Melanie arrives on their territory is when things begin to go haywire. She meets Annie Hayworth first; you can sense the conflict between the two but Annie decides to stay calm thus filling her mind with a quiet rage. Shortly after that, Melanie is attacked by a Seagull. One of the theories why the birds attack goes like this: Since birds use the Earth’s magnetic fields to travel, the emotional disturbance felt by Lydia and Annie brought upon Melanie’s arrival is causing the birds to wreak havoc. It makes sense if you follow the film closely. Doesn’t matter if it’s true, no truth on the matter is ever revealed. Like a mesmerizing painting “The Birds” is instantly beautiful, yet forever long filled with mystery. 

  

As I said before Hitchcock’s “The Birds” to me is very much a poem to women and all the roles that they play in many men’s lives. For example all the important characters in the film besides Mitch are women.  Melanie is the new love interest, Annie, the ex-girlfriend, Lydia, the mother and Cathy, Mitch’s baby sister.  As you can see these are important roles that almost every man has to deal with on a day to day basis. We never truly get to know Mitch, we learn more about Mitch through the women in his life. The point of this set-up to me adds a great foundation for the film’s theme on female psychological behavior and how drastically women change throughout their lives. We have a young girl excited about her surprise birthday party, a fierce pretty young lady whose looks allow her to approach situations with very little boundaries, a bitter broken hearted woman and the abandoned mother. If you put all those pieces together you will realize that all those characters represent women in a sort of chronological order.  Most women will start life as Cathy and end up being afraid of being alone like Lydia. Mitch (which is just one letter away from Hitch) is a very simple man and that’s the whole point.  Women are emotional creatures thus go through more intense changes in life. Men do not have much maternal instincts so like Mitch we get caught in the middle of all the emotional madness. That’s basically what you are watching in “The Birds”. Mitch, dealing with an aging mother, a strange stalker-ish ex-girlfriend, a possible new love interest who demands to be taken seriously and his innocent little sister who he must protect. The horror that Hitchcock is truly trying to get across in my opinion is that the women we love are all those things at once. This represents a strong sense of fear that Hitchcock has towards women, which is apparent in many of his films. I love the honesty of what he is trying to say with his feelings, it doesn’t sound righteous but it is very honest. It takes all the silly dreams of grandeur that many people have about beautiful women and flushes it down the toilet. “The Birds” invaluable insight on these beautiful creatures called women is fascinating yet he never relies on making a point. Alfred Hitchcock, a man dedicated to voyeurism knew that there is no need for a point when behavior itself is beyond interesting.  Which when you think about it that is very akin to the feeling you get when you watch a bird flying through the sky, fascination. 

I very much admire Alfred Hitchcock’s dedication in creating a well thought out movie with many layers for us to discover, but I also love how he respects a genre. This film has some classic disaster/horror clichés which Hitchcock wisely uses as comical relief and to make the film feel like a movie. We meet an “expert”, the stubborn old lady in the diner who knows everything about birds and later in a great moment of shame hides her face in defeat. There’s the hilarious crazy drunk at the bar who speaks of the end of the world and quotes the bible. The “freaked out mother” character who worries about the children and later manically blames Melanie for the birds attacking. The characters I just broke down can be found in countless genre films like “The Birds”, and keeps the film from becoming too serious or realistic. Hitchcock made movies; he was not trying to capture some oblique truth about real life like some lost film student. He was interested in making great popcorn movies filled with suspense and interesting characters. Making popcorn movies is an art form that involves great writing, grand vision, and the talent to highlight moments from life that would bode well in a popcorn movie. What makes Alfred Hitchcock a legend is the fact that his movies were created with popcorn movie intentions but are stuffed with a wide variety of sub-text, and technical beauty that truly make them a work of art. He had the ability to confront mainstream audiences with dark truths almost on a sub-conscious level all the while keeping them exquisitely uncomfortable. 

 

Many of the best directors of the last three generations are creative children of Hitchcock. Watch Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park (The kids in the jeep scene is an homage to a similar scene in “The Birds”) Brian De Palma has dedicated much of his career to reworking some of Alfred Hitchcock’s brilliant techniques.  His dedication to creating films that have grace and beauty of the kind that only a perfectionist can deliver is a reason I believe his work will continue to inspire future generations.  A shot of Annie Hayworth standing next to her mailbox is epic because he decided to take the time to find the BEST way to frame that shot and coordinated the colors on the screen for the optimal viewing pleasure.  None of his films mired in mediocrity. He loved to be innovative and desired for us to follow him down dark tunnels that will lead to new cinematic experiences. His classic horror film “Psycho” was created with that mentality and that film changed the horror genre forever. “The Birds” works in a similar way as the film begins with Hitchcock’s love for interesting situations and later it becomes an interesting situation that gets attacked by birds. Unlike most films where it’s usually a very bland situation (with dull characters) peppered with an attack by aliens, comets or whatever Hollywood hacks agree on as a strong selling point. Hitchcock was very different in that regard; he wanted his work to mean something to transcend time. The only way to do that is to elaborate on some human truths that will never go away. Love, pain, fear, jealousy and dealing with a mother. His grand style at first makes his films seem very impersonal but if you listen and pay attention, you will begin to hear echoes of his screaming heart.    

ABOUT RCM: RUTZ Classic Movies is dedicated on writing film essays for films that in Rutz's opinion, have not gotten the credit they deserve. Next Essay: Quentin Tarantino's "Jackie Brown"