‘Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story’ Clip: How One of Hollywood’s Unsung Heroes Made ‘The Birds’ Come Alive
Today is the fifty-forth anniversary of the release of Alfred Hitchcock‘s classic horror film “The Birds,” and what better way to celebrate than watching one of the major contributors talk about his role on the film?
Harold Michelson was not only the storyboard artist on “The Birds,” but also one of the Hollywood Golden Age’s major unsung heroes, which makes him such a fitting and fascinating subject for Daniel Raim and Danny DeVito’s documentary “Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story.”
Michelson and his wife Lillian, a revered film researcher, quietly became the film industry’s secret weapons, though their contributions were largely uncredited, meaning that their story has never been told until now. The two were partially responsible for films like “The Graduate,” “Rosemary’s Baby,” and “Scarface.”
Also, Princess Fiona’s parents in “Shrek 2” were named after them, so yeah, you know they’re important.
READ MORE: How Alfred Hitchcock, ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ and More Influenced Wes Anderson — Watch
In our exclusive clip from the film, Harold discusses creating his “visual screenplay” while going through the drawings he did for the storyboard. According to him, Hitchcock insisted on shooting and editing the film the way Michelson had drawn it.
“Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story” opens in New York on April 28 and in Los Angeles May 12. Check out our exclusive clip below.
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