Date:         Fri, 28 Apr 1995 11:41:40 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         nrubin@s1.csuhayward.edu (Martha Rubin)
Subject:      bodega/hitchcock/birds info


While scouting Bodega sites, we stopped of at the tourist/info bureau,
and I picked up the following info on the area about Alfred
Hitchcock's "The Birds," which may interest some of you...

---

In 1961 Alfred Hitchcock decided that the towns of Bodega and
Bodega Bay were going to be the setting for his next thriller
featuring:  Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy, Rod Taylor, Suzanne
Pleshette, and a selection of different species of birds.  At that
time the special effects were enough to thrill and frighten the
young and old and still do to this day.  Mechanical and live trained
birds were used in the film along with optically altered film overlay
of flying birds.  The process of making this particular film took 
years to complete with a great many technical problems to overcome.
It was completed and released in 1963.

They chose the Bodega Bay area for the weather and skyline, which
at that time was subdued and open.  The old Potter Schoolhouse in
the town of Bodega was slated for demolition when Hitchcock 
discovered it and had it shored up and rebuilt for the filming.  It 
still stands to this day.

The Tides Wharf restaurant and parking lot in Bodega Bay
were used for the gas station and boat dock scene (the gas
station was blown up on the studio lot).  The Tides complex
has been expanded and remodeled since then.  The Brenner farmhouse 
was located across the bay on Bodega Head at the old shack
owned at that time by Rose Gaffney.  She rented the property to
them.  They fabricated a facade for the shack and out-buildings;
these structures burnt down in the late sicties.  The other farmhouse
where the farmer is killed in his home by birds still stands;
it was private then and is still private now.

All of the inside scenes were recreated very specifically from the
orignal buildings and shot within the studios, only outside
shots were filmed on location.

Mr. Hitchcock got the inspiration for his film from the Daphne
Du Maurier "The Birds" screenplay.

Over thirty years later, the visitor center in Bodega Bay
receives thousands of Hitchcock fans every year looking for
glimpses of scenes from the movie that continues to frighten 
the world.

ref:  "Cinefantastique" vol. 20, #2