The first Hitchcock I remember is The Birds. It scared me for....as long as I can remember. Especially when I was in my young teens and the birds would dive at me as I rode by bike around the lake
You've just reminded me of something eerie that I experienced in Port Deposit, Maryland, in the fall of 1970.
I was attending Radioman school at Naval Training Center Bainbridge, Md., a WWII-era Navy installation that was, at the time, where females went to Navy boot camp, plus the site of a few training schools.
The barracks were old, roach-infested and any student who could find a room off base was paid an allowance to do so. I rented a room for $10 a week from a lady with a nice little house on a hill. Her yard was huge.
One Saturday afternoon -- brisk and clear, as I recall -- I went out to my car (I was probably going to drive to Baltimore to see a movie) and suddenly FROZE where I stood. THOUSANDS of birds had descended upon the surrounding grounds. There was a lot of chirping going on as they pecked at the ground. I had never been so close to so many birds in my life. I probably held my breath a little longer than I should. A shadow swooped over me and I looked up. I saw what looked like thousands more birds in a migratory flight.
I calmed myself, got in my car, and went on my way.