The Birds 1963 ( FILMING LOCATION ) Alfred Hitchcock

After filming "Shadow of A Doubt" in Santa Rosa in 1948, Alfred Hitchcock returned to Sonoma County in 1961 to find a remote coastal location for his next project "The Birds." He chose Bodega Bay, with surrounding bleak treeless hills, quiet fishing harbor and fog. Based on a short story by Daphne DuMaurier, the original story took place in an English seashore village where murderous birds attacked the local villagers. Evan Hunter, who had written "The Blackboard Jungle" and "Last Summer" wrote the screenplay; Alfred Hitchcock financed the film from his successful television show.

Never had a director portrayed animals working in unison with intelligence. "The Birds" became the first horror/ fantasy film. Special effects, including mechanical birds, live and wild birds on strings, and optically altered film overlays of birds in flight made this a most frightening film. The fog did not always cooperate, so much of the film needed to be tinted gray. Nearly three years were required to complete work on the film for its release in 1963.

The 150 year old Potter School behind St. Theresa's Church five miles south of Bodega Bay in Bodega, was vacant at the time of the filming. After Alfred Hitchcock's crew repaired the exterior it was used for several scenes. Today it is a private residence and is sometimes open for tours. The school teacher's house was a façade erected during the filming. The Catholic Church, briefly visible in the film, was made famous when it was photographed by Ansel Adams.

Many of the shots of the children running from the schoolhouse were done on Taylor Street in Bodega Bay above the Diekmann's Bay Store with the original two story store visible at the bay's edge. Close ups of the running scene were set up at Universal Studios with the children running on a treadmill. Taylor Street is about a half a mile north of the Visitors Center.

Various restaurant scenes, portions of the gas station fire, and the boat dock scenes where filmed at the Tides Wharf and Restaurant. The actual fire was lighted in a parking lot at Universal Studios with a mock up of Highway One and the Tides Wharf. The fire was also filmed from a helicopter for film footage that was superimposed on a painting of a fishing village. The village center in the movie was a set. The Tides Wharf was completely rebuilt in the 1990's and is located across Highway One from the Visitors Center.

The ranch house on Westshore Road, part of the Gafney ranch that had occupied Bodega Head for nearly 100 years was used for exterior shots of the Brenner House. The derelict structure, now part of the U.C. Marine Laboratory in the Sonoma Coast State Beach, was repaired by the film crew and used for exterior shots, including the children's birthday party and the end of the film. The house has been demolished, but the ancient cedar trees look much the same as they did in "The Birds." The cedar grove is across the harbor from the Visitors Center and is visible from Highway One.

The scenes of Tippi Hedren driving her Aston Martin into Bodega Bay were filmed on Bay Hill Road, about a mile and a half north of the Visitors Center. There is a guide book with more information about the filming of "The Birds" available at the Sonoma Coast Visitors Center in Bodega Bay.

[bethvirginiaphillips]

I visited Bodega Bay about 15 years ago. If you blink you go through the town it's so small. The luncheonette and school house I visited which were in the film looked just like it did on film. Nothing had changed at all in 40 years. Walking down the driveway from the school house I visualized those school kids running from the birds with Suzanne Pleshette nd thought it pretty cool that I was walking in their shoes. I still have my "The Birds" sweat shirt with Hitchcock's famous profile on it, which always gets comments on the rare times I wear it. Just a little while from Santa Rosa, California, it is a step back in time when it really was an Ozzie and Harriet/Leave it To Beaver world that I recall growing up in...a time of fun and promise, of safety and love and civility where no dream was too big to think could come true....and we will never see it again.

[Fandango]

Not much has changed since I toured Bodega Bay in 1976 except for the school house which had no large trees where the playground was. The playground was just an empty field. Many people did not know that, other than the Tides, there really were no other buildings and certainly not a general store. Also, the wharf where Melanie rents the boat was not there either. Thank you so much for doing this. On that trip in '76 I thought Bodega Bay was a beautiful place, and it still is! That's awesome!!!!

[grahamhill]

Another incredible Herve Attia movie location video... I was the 'unofficial' studio historian for MCA-Universal when Mr. Hitchcock was still on the lot with his own office bungalow.

Hitch was the third largest stockholder of MCA, and he started out in the business in the art department, so he well knew how important the look of a film was and the crucial role of having iconic locations for his movies. The matte paintings and other photographic tricks coupled with trainer Ray Berwicks 'birds' and those that Disney animated, all helped make THE BIRDS a classic.

The irony is, even with beautiful locations Hitchcock loathed the physical production of making a movie... for him, his enjoyment came more in the pre-production planning, the extensive use of storyboarding every shot, and getting the script polished.

Hitch would've loved Herve's videos!

[bobloss]

Since I was a child "The Birds" has remained in my top 3 all-time faves of horror films. Well Done!

[davidcawrowl]

I was visiting there a few years ago, and Tippi was there signing autographs. I got an 8 by 10 of her with Hitchcock. She drew pictures of birds above her signature. Nice lady.

[CarollFord]

How wonderful to go back nearly sixty years later and hardly anything changed.💖🇬🇧

[ChicagoBeaver]

I remember watching this as a young kid, it used to be on TV every year. From start to finish I was glued to that TV screen. Hitchcock knew how to put the fear in you without blood and gore, he was the master. Well done sir!

[paulm.newitt]

In about 1965, our family went to see Bodega Bay, found the school, and had lunch at the old Tides restaurant. At each booth, they had a framed black & white 8x10 production still on the wall. Your video is excellent--so captivating and for anyone who's been there--your perspective is as creepy as the original movie! Very cool!!!

[barryo]

Brilliant. Can't help thinking it looked better back then though

[declanmcleod]

I've been to last place my grandmother visited, as she got sick while there, and passed away..., .but loved the village! And the drive on PCH was stunning!

[will]

Absolutely fantastic! 'The birds' is my all time favourite film, and Ive always wanted to see where it was filmed and your film makes that possible. The clips are great and superimposed on to today's scenes. I was SO impressed im gonna watch this over and over. Thankyou Herve. BRILLIANT !!! I wanna come to Bodega

[mamalovesthebeach]

Well done!

I live on a famous Birds location and we get scads of visitors every summer taking pictures. There is a portion of this film that was shot on Windy Lane as well. I'd venture to say that an equal amount was filmed on Windy Lane and Taylor Street.

I remember seeing this film when it came out and it was terrifying to a child.
To relive 'The Birds' the best place to visit is the Bodega Country Store in the town of Bodega (not Bodega Bay). The proprietor, Michael, has a mannequin with a 'Hitch' mask and dressed in Hitchcock's typical black suit. The Bodega Country Store is chock full of Hitchcock memorabilia and even a 'Birds' museum next door.

[rgrndu]

When I was a kid in the 70's they use to show this movie every year on one of the UHF channels and I never missed it. I still love it to this day. I made a trip to Bodega/Bodega Bay in '92 mainly to see the schoolhouse. Beautiful area. Herve, excellent job making this video. Thank you.

[felixbautista]

 Hats off to this remarkable vid....  thank you so much for posting.

[lettyguerra]

My husband and I honeymooned in Inverness/Point Reyes CA about 55 miles south of Bodega Bay. The entire trip was beautiful! We made plans to include Bodega Bay, because I love this movie. I even brought along 2 fake black birds to take pictures with. I took pics of my husband pretending to run right in front of the schoolhouse. It was so funny, and there were other people there and they asked to borrow them, and of course I said yes as long as I can take their pictures too. They were great sports and they took great pictures. Now bodega bay where the tides is is by the water, but the schoolhouse is back about 8 miles inland. It really was a great place and made a memorable honeymoon! FYI, Inverness CA is where you find the Point Reyes Lighthouse where they filmed the exterior of the horror movie The Fog with Janet Lee, Jaime Lee Curtis, and Adrian Barbeau. Beautiful place too!

[skymaster]

Who the hell would give this a thumbs down this guy is brilliant, take a look at his other videos they are mind boggling.

[cjsansoo]

Thank you so much for showing this. I have lived in southern California most of my life and always wanted to travel to Bodega Bay. The Birds is my all-time favorite movie and now I feel as though I've been there. You have no idea how much this means to me. Thanks again!!!

[johnnrobin]

A visit to Bodega bay was always on my bucket list.  Finally got there last year.  My sister warned me how different the real town is from the movie... but I wasn't disappointed.  I suppose the highlight is the schoolhouse.  The bay itself is often at low tide and smells bad.  Regrettably... the Tides Restaurant feels lonely and sterile.  I guess I did expect to sit at a counter and hang-out with the locals... but no... it's for tourists.  Wonderful work on this video.

[Maxid]

I went looking for the schoolhouse and the docks a long time ago. I was obsessed with Alfred Hitchcock and lived within driving distance. I had depend on memory to identify spots. Today I'd just play the movie on a tablet on site.

[iwannajob]

Thanks for doing this. So much fun to see the movie shots versus the real locations.