The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
| release date | November 30 1969 |
| studio | Blue Underground |
| director | Dario Argento |
| writer | Dario Argento |
| starring | Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Enrico Maria Salerno, Eva Renzi, Umberto Raho |
| rating | R |
| tagline | If you think you are being followed home from this movie, keep telling yourself that it's all in you |
| trailer 1 | Trailer #1 |
4 Comments
Awesome movie!
From the opening sceane at the art museum to the rooftop ending BIRD is another great Argento film. The acting is good if you can get an original ITALIAN version with subs. The directing is some of his best this movie is one of my favorite Argento films. I think it stands out in the giallo genre with it’s unique script and powerful atmosphere and camra angels Argento has done it again!!! A truly great horror mystery film that will put a creep little smile on your face!!! THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE is a fantastic movie that deserves the 10 out of 10 rating I give it!!!!
oh fuck yeah!!!!!
If I were to sit here and rate and write reviews of every old movie based on their importance to cinema, I’d have to give the majority of them a perfect score. I don’t write reviews like that, and I find people who do misleading. If you look over most of the positive reviews for The Bird with the Crystal Plumage on any site, you’re likely to find they talk about the history and importance of the film, but never the film itself. More specifically, never the typical story itself. If that’s what you base your opinions on, there isn’t anything I can say to change your mind. However, if anyone is sick of hearing on-sided praise for The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, simply because it’s old or simply because it’s Dario Argento’s first film and want and honest reveiw of the movie, read this.
First and foremost, this is not even close to Dario Argento’s worst film. Compared to his most recent, Mother of Tears, this film is unarguably better. The main problem I always have with Argento films is that he unabashedly pumps his movies filled with cheese; The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is nothing like that. It has a typical Giallo plot that is solid and doesn’t allow room for cheese. And that’s also it’s flaw. Being solid, the plot is also unoriginal, even for its time, and just downright average at best. It ends with the average reversal of expectations that if you don’t expect at the end of movies like this, you’re simply naive. The plot most resembles the four-year-younger, and somewhat superior slasher Black Christmas. That isn’t saying much, however, because, as I’ve said, the plot has been used so many times I’m sure people were even sick of it back in 1970.
With all that said, not too many people are going to find this uninteresting. It opens with a very memorable first scene and ends with a very memorable ending. Between those two points, the whodunit elements are all fairly fast-paced and even a little immersing. Argento uses a lot of small elements and some interesting plot points to keep the pace up. Sadly, you realize it’s all just a formulamatic mess.
Argento’s directing is simply flawless here, even more so than his more popular movies. His repeating use of white is stunning, likewise is the music. Everything reeks of his personal style that I’ve yet to see another director imitate. He understands how to make a scene the most effective it can be, and that is the single reason I give The Bird with the Crystal Plumage as high of a score as I am. Without the directing, this wouldn’t even be worth watching.
And that is simply all there is to say. The movie is light on plot and heavy on atmosphere. By 1970s standards, this must have been a somewhat entertaining, if not typical, whodunit. By today’s standards, however, there is little reason to watch The Bird with the Crystal Plumage unless you’re a horror buff or a cinema buff.
This Argento movie is a true study of suspense. Not really a straightforward Giallo horror film, Bird is almost Hitchcockian in its delivery. The tension builds toward the final act and adds a nice twist to round the plot out. Argento’s directing is sharp and beautiful. His use of angles and lighting are truly on display in this film. For Argento fans, this film is a must. For those looking for more Giallo-like horror, I would go with Suspiria or Deep Red.
loved this movie!!! One of my favorite Argento movies.
Argento’s first film remains his stylish best. It’s also one of his better acted films with a top notch intrigue.
Amazing movie!! Argento always uses color so beautifully. The ending was great, never saw it coming.
“The Bird with the Crystal Plumage” was the directorial debut of the great Dario Argento; a filmmaker from Italy who primarily enjoyed working in the horror and thriller genres. He didn’t often branch out, but he was always willing. However, be it a drama, a comedy, or a darned action movie that he makes next; the man will always be known for the kinds of films that he made and made well. My personal favorite out of all Argento’s features is “Deep Red”. His acclaimed “Suspiria” would come in second. And as of now, I’m pretty sure that this film deserves third place. It’s the film that put the director on the map as someone to watch; someone to care about. This is the film that helped re-launch the sub-genre of “Giallo Horror”; a little thing that started with masterpieces such as the early works of Mario Bava. Argento’s film is just as good. “The Bird with the Crystal Plumage” is all about plot and all about style. It works like a good deal of Argento’s films work, although it doesn’t quite go as “all-the-way” with surrealism as his later features would. He could only do so much with what he got, and I assume that wasn’t much, at that. But when you’ve got “not much” and you’re still able to make a great piece of cinema and a riveting work of art, then maybe money and production value doesn’t matter so much anymore. Perhaps it’s all in the ambition and skill of the filmmaker. Times have changed; for both the worst and for the best.
Drawing heavily from the stylistic influences of Hitchcock’s feature films, Argento’s very own movie is very much interested in all of its elements. Much like the films of good old Hitchcock, it cares most about establishing a mood and creating an atmosphere in a number of different ways. Argento is like a more daring and bloodthirsty Hitchcock; sometimes, equally as good and skillfully at what he does. Argento has had his flops; but let’s embrace those several successful films that he had before we criticize him as a man and as a filmmaker. This is one of his best.
“The Bird with the Crystal Plumage” has it all; images that stick with us long after the credits have begun to roll, solid performances from the entire cast, an engaging plot with many complex, deceptive but overall intriguing points, and a haunting musical score courtesy of the legendary Ennio Morricone, who does some rather impressive work here; not one of his best scores, or one of his most memorable, but a good one nonetheless. The story involves an artist in the form of a writer, a common character in the Argento films to follow, who one night walks the lonely streets of Italy (he’s an American in a new sort of world, so it would seem) and finds himself the sole witness of a brutal murder attempt. The assailant escapes through a door within the building (a large sheet of glass window allows the character to see what’s happening inside to begin with), while the lady who he was attacking survives thanks to the character’s contribution and ability to communicate with someone on the outside, in spite of being locked in by the villainous being.
You would think that the hero would be able to forget this unfortunate incident soon after and let the local authorities do their job in delving as deep as they can into this murder mystery, but instead, the writer gets far more involved than he originally intended or expected. He can’t seem to shake the images of violence and pure cruelty that he saw that night. He starts hearing taunting voices and thinks himself mad; that is until the escapee continues his/her killing spree, promting the writer character to take immediate action. He feels guilty for not doing anything more than “his part” in the beginning of the case, and now that the plot has thickened, he has been given a chance. But will he catch the killer and prove victorious when it comes to impressing the police and pretty much everyone else around him? Will his obsession take him to dark places, and will it be a turn-off for his girlfriend? This is one of those rare, fascinating films where I find myself saying: you’ll just have to find out for yourself. But maybe that’s the case with every film, every thriller; even the ones I don’t particularly like. Because you never know who’s going to be entertained, inspired, or thrilled.
Argento’s craft comes in his ability to creep you the hell out, yet still provide a story where we care about the characters. This is seldom the case, even with some of his better features, but it’s the case here; and that’s all that really matters. “The Bird with the Crystal Plumage” intends on delivering a celluloid nightmare and that is what it gives us; a film that toys with our fears of the dark, the unknown, and all those things misunderstood and impossible to comprehend. The film may not appeal to absolutely everyone due to the fact that Italian horror requires a certain state-of-mind and perhaps even an acquired taste. However, I’m telling all those who can appreciate movies like this to see it as soon as possible; while those alienated amongst the Italian horror buffs should still consider giving it a go, even if it might not appeal to them instantly. I think it’s an excellent, flawless Giallo thriller that evokes horror and fascination as its key emotions. It is violent, relentless for its time, and indeed, quite thrilling. But it’s also well-told, well-made, and visually artistic. I kind of have to admire Argento’s attention to detail in the film’s prolific opening murder sequence; where we are given glimpses of large bird sculptures and walls that are white, white, white. Sights such as these are not easily forgotten, and that’s what I love about the film. It’s quite the ride; quite the achievement. One of the best directorial debuts, probably of all-time. And that’s saying something, isn’t it?
I’m ashamed to say that I haven’t seen many of Dario Argento’s films. Although what I’ve seen is arguably his best: Phenemona, Suspiria, Deep Red and now this. I can now say that I’m getting very much into this Giallo genre and I’m certainly appreciating Dario Argento’s fantastic style. His debut offers a lot, although I’m not sure if it’s better than Deep Red, although it is pacier I think Deep Red had an even more striking style and intriging plot!
Right from the opening scene The Bird with the Cyrstal Plumage (I’ll call it Bird for short!) should immediately have you hooked! It’s our main hero witnessing a murder, whilst walking past a striking art gallery. Immediately we’ve got a well thought out set design and great directing work that puts us in the mind of the innocent. From then on it’s a classic giallo detective story. A thriller with a heavy focus on horror, Argento’s sort of like a hardcore Hitchcock! Although the gore isn’t as generous as his later films, the scenes of murder are very well shot and memorable.
The script is pacy and intelligent. Bird fills its running time with ease, unlike Deep Red which I felt ran over for about 15 minutes. Like the main character, you feel engaged in the mystery and can’t wait until the ending! Not because it’s so bad you can’t wait for it to be over, but because you know there’s going to be a shocking reveal like with all his films! Bird certainly doesn’t disappoint and the twists keep on coming, building up to a fantastic climax where you feel as paranoid as the protaganist as everyone’s a suspect!
Bird is classic giallo. The only fault I could find is that I watched it in Italian with subs and the dubbing was really bad, but that’s usually the case for retro giallo. It’s a great mystery with memorable characters and impactful directing. It’s filled with suspense and a nice loud giallo score. So put on your black gloves and get down to your local DVD shop and buy this gem! (Although Amazon will probably have it for cheaper, but then you wouldn’t get to show off your gloves!)