The Birds (1963)
You likely know the simple story. A bunch of birds attack a town, without warning or explanation. So what elevates Alfred Hitchcock’s animal slasher film into an essential experience of 1960s cinema? Believe it or not, it’s because of this lack of warning or explanation. In a cinematic time where everything has a backstory, shared universe and easter-egg-laden justification, “The Birds” continues to shock in its abrupt, cruel chaos.