Hollywood: Alfred, Squeeze Me a Grape

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Much of the film was shot on location at Bodega Bay, a Pacific-front hamlet 60 miles north of San Francisco. In Hollywood now, the company works within a polyethylene bag that completely surrounds the set, preventing the birds from flying into light banks and catwalks. Grips entice the birds back and forth across the set with food; air jets on the cameras are used to coax the birds away from the lens, and other blasts of air are used to set them flapping about wildly on cue. Humane Society observers hover around to make sure "the birds don't get too tired." The gory scenes, of course, hold the greatest fascination for Hitchcock. In some scenes, actors smear their hands with hamburger, put their hands over their eyes and timidly wait for the birds to peck at them. "There will be some fine scenes of birds pecking people's eyes out," Hitchcock says with relish. "I can see it now —squeezed grapes hanging down the cheeks."