The Bird With the Crystal Plumage (1970)

A Stunning Directorial Debut From The Italian Hitchcock!

Because Dario Argento's latest film, "The Mother of Tears," will soon enjoy its American release, I wanted to revisit the first film he wrote and directed, "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage." Still regarded as one of his finest gialli, "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage" has a lean plot: a serial killer is terrorizing Rome. Beautiful, young women with no connection are being brutally stabbed. An American writer, Sam Dalmas (Tony Musante of "We Own the Night") witnesses an attack. Him and his girlfriend Julia (giallo queen Suzy Kendall of Sergio Martino's "Torso" and Umberto Lenzi's "Spasmo") are eventually stalked and attacked by the black-gloved killer.

It is no wonder that Argento is referred to as the Italian Hitchcock. His film is rife with suspense, mystery and shocking, innovative murder sequences that rival the shower scene in "Psycho." His set pieces are dazzling; they range from grungy stone buildings in the country to fog-enshrouded city streets to psychedelic high rise apartments. A great musical score is provided by the legendary Ennio Morricone who has scored hundreds of Italian gialli and Spaghetti Westerns.

"The Bird with the Crystal Plumage" is the first in Argento's Animal Trilogy. The second one, "The Cat O' Nine Tails" is my favorite of the three because of the endearing relationship between the blind man and his daughter. I've never seen the third one, "Four Flies on Gray Velvet," and don't understand why no one has given it an American release. Thankfully we have "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage." If you are a fan of Dario Argento and/or a fan of Italian gialli, you must see "The Bird with the Crystal Plumage" - a beautiful giallo named after a beautiful bird.
September 20, 2008

A good beginning for Dario, but not as intense or as brilliant as the later stuff....

I am a huge Dario Argento fan, but I've never really cared for his early work. This is his first film, and while very good in spots, is also kind of boring, even if you see it in widescreen (which you should). This film has the usual Argento plot (artist of some kind, usually an English speaking one, is in Italy and gets caught up in a murder mystery), and while it's not as frightening, surreal, or as intense as his best work (the 1975-1987 years are his best), it does have some very good scenes and an excellent twist at the end of the film. There's some very good mise en scene, with Argento using the frame very well. But there seems to be a lifelessness to this film, almost somnabulistic at times. The lead actor, Tony Musante, seems to be distant and aloof, and the other performers are just as absent, so to speak. Ennio Morricone's music is pretty haunting, but it's not as good as Goblin's soundtracks were/are. Perhaps if this was the first film of his I saw, I would like it more. Still, if you're a Dario fan, you should see this. It's the best of his animal trilogy, or, it's better than the 2nd one in the animal trilogy, Cat O Nine Tails, which is one of Dario's worst films. I haven't seen Four Flies on Grey Velvet, the third in the trilogy, except for one scene included in the documentary Dario Argento's World of Horror. Actually, most people haven't seen that one. Watch The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (great title) if you're interested in Dario. Otherwise, watch his masterful period starting with Deep Red. July 28, 2008

Nothing promotes fear like the unknown

Slicing the way for the 70's resurgence in horror, this immediately established Argento as a horror heavyweight. This stylized whodunit set the tone for a long line of slasher flicks involving women as the targets of terror.
Bird with the Crystal Plumage was an excellent start to Argento's illustrious career. Paranoia and fear run rampant in this modern day Jack the Ripper tale. 4.5 stars

-POP QUIZ-
True or False
Argento is the reason women started carrying pepper spray. June 29, 2008

Excellent Thriller from the master of horror.

One viewing of Argentos first film and you can tell he was destined to become one of the greatest horror directors who ever lived. Getting his first job directing from his father (who was a big time producer at the time), The Bird with the Crystal Plumage uses all the great techniques that made his later films so great. The Dream-like cinematography, the use of bright colors and lighting, and of course the stylistic death sequences. Where Bird really shines though is the writing. Considering Argento was a writer before he became a director this is no surprise. It's obvious that Argento took more than a couple cues from Hitchcock, but he takes a lot of Hitchcocks techniques and makes them his own with a more stylistic, dark, and violent tone. Bird is not Argentos best film but essential viewing for any die-hard Argentophiles like myself. BUY IT NOW!!!!!!! May 8, 2008

A must have for all Dario Argento's fans and horror films lovers

This is a very good quality product (2 disc special edition). The movie is the first Dario Argento's film, a clue to understand the director's artistic path. If you just like horror films, maybe you won't jump on your sit (but then again maybe you will), but if you are a horror film collector, you can't miss this one. March 4, 2008

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