Tuesday, January 13, 2009

The Birds Barbie


Like most girls growing up, I had a Barbie doll. I loved how modern and chic she was and the tiny clothes & accessories were the best part. To celebrate the film The Birds’ 45th anniversary, Mattel has released The Birds Barbie doll, which is based off the ill-fated heroine Tippi Hedren, who fashioned a green skirt suit during one of the movie’s iconic scenes. This absolutely made me roar with laughter and I’m afraid I really need one to display as artwork, plus you’ve got to love the birds attached to her clothes and hair. When I was growing up here in L.A., I lived across the street from two red-headed neighbor kids that were child actors. Their big claim to fame was they were featured as children getting attacked by birds in the movie. Available here for $55.75.

3 comments:

Krysta said...

Both horrifying and hilarious.

Anonymous said...

Thank you, Design Nomad. I'd never've known about this obscure object of desire if not for you.
It's worth noting that, except for the film's opening sequence, and one very brief scene later in the picture, that green dress is the only wardrobe Hedren wears for its entire 2-hour running time.
What makes this "Barbie" incarnation especially amusing to Hitchcock fans is that the director himself was the first to think of it: sometime during, or just after, the making the film (1962), Hitchcock sent Tippi Hedren's 5-year old daughter an elaborate doll, dressed as Melanie Daniels, the character her mother plays in The Birds. "Complete," according to one biography, "with miniature green suit and elegant coiffure."

design nomad said...

She arrived today in the mail and looks great! I was hoping the birds were made with real little feathers (they are plastic), but the effect is still good.