The Bird with the Crystal Plumage

This was the first film that the famous Italian horror master Dario Argento made, and it has some of the (expected) amateurishness of a directorial debut (especially in the guidance of some of the actors). The plot, mixing slasher-movie elements with a homage to Hitchcock, is clever enough to keep your interest, but the movie as a whole doesn't go far beyond the level of respectable mediocrity. (**)

Bird with the Crystal Plumage, the first and best of the "Animals" trilogy is an important film. First of all, it's the directorial debut of a man who is without doubt one of the finest and most important horror directors to ever pick up a camera, and secondly because this is a film that set a lot of the ground rules that Argento would abide by in his later movies; such as the harassing phone calls, the protagonist that sees something that later turns out to be something else and, of course, the black gloved killer. The plot follows Sam Dalmas, an American writer, staying in Rome that witnesses the attempted murder of a young woman inside an art gallery. After initially helping the police by telling them as much as he knows, Sam decides to conduct an investigation into the murder on his own. However, as he delves deeper and deeper into the mystery, he becomes more and more intrigued and has to find out who the killer is - even though he might just end up the next victim. The principal reason that Bird With the Crystal Plumage succeeds is it's plotting. Italian horror has never been known for coherent plots, but with this film you'd be forgiven for forgetting that. Unlike with some of his other films, Argento clearly knows what he wants to do with this film and he does it. The plotting is efficient, and little time is wasted deviating away from the central premise, which allows Argento to connect with story and bring out the best from it. The film creates an almost constant sense of dread and tension, and we really feel like the killer is on our protagonist's tail all the time. This is done by all sorts of methods, such as the phone calls from the killer to things such as our hero being chased while out for a walk with his girlfriend. Argento constantly keeps his audience on the edge of their seat by throwing in these things, and also by the way that the murder investigation is conduced. Argento puts his audience at the centre of the riddle and via the various clues that Argento gives us, we are able to work the mystery out for ourselves. Bird With the Crystal Plumage also features an incredible soundtrack courtesy of a man that is probably the greatest composer of all time – Ennio Morricone. Ennio's score doesn't rival the ones that he did for Sergio Leone (what does?), but it is a great score in it's own right and more than does the film proud. Even though this film is the first that Argento ever directed, it easily stands up to the rest of his oeuvre and surpasses most of it, mostly due to the fact that it's such an assured picture. With his later Giallo's, such as Profondo Rosso or Tenebre, Argento would become more ambitious and start adding more to his plots, and don't get me wrong; I'm a big fan of those films, but with this one Argento has proved that a film doesn't need a big plot to create an enticing mystery. Bird With the Crystal Plumage is at the very top of the Giallo sub genre and easily ranks as one of the best films that Argento ever made. Highly recommended viewing.

I finally saw "THE BIRD WITH THE CRYTAL PLUMAGE" for the first time and I have to say that it's pretty good. The only thing I can fault Dario Argento's first movie is the overall familiarity of this type of movie. In 1969, there weren't that many of these type of sexy thrillers and Bird must have looked (even more) dazzling and original then. But today, stylish sex thrillers are a dime a dozen, thanks mostly to the success of the wretched (and unstylish) Basic Instinct, which obviously was "inspired" by the plethora of sexy, often lurid, disturbing and sleazy giallo films made in Italy in the 1970s. But one can't fault Bird and other giallos for spawning the whole (and now) boring genre. I really enjoyed the fact of who the killer is. Dario plays with the audiences' assumptions throughout the movie, in the way it's filmed and with the P.O.V. shots. Because of this clever direction, the ending must have seemed really weird, disturbing back in 1969. Again, these shocking endings have become trite today but I'm certain the ending was a major factor for the worldwide success of the film. It's played intelligently and because of this, the whole integrity of the movie remains intact, even after all these years. The film is not without its faults. It drags somewhat in the middle and the "explanation" ending is a tad trite but the film has many memorable moments too, like when Sam goes to the painter and his cats or the antique shop. The later is a funny scene, refreshingly played with genuine playfulness, mainly towards actor Tony Musante's overt hunkiness. Susan Kendall looks amazing, with her blonde hair and big eyes. Kendall and Musante make a great couple. In fact, the whole film is really good looking, even after all these years. This thanks mostly to cinematographer Vittorio Storaro's truly stunning camera work. "THE BIRD WITH THE CRYTAL PLUMAGE" is an enjoyable thriller. And I agree with the one who wrote that it's probably Dario's most balanced movie ever. And Ennio Morricone's typically unusual music is excellent. The DVD has the soundtrack as a bonus, which is great. But the image of the VCI DVD is not the best quality. The image is seriously grainy. I wish they'd release a new DVD with a better transfer.

Splendid debut film for Italian horror master Dario Argento that nearly single-handedly launched the giallo genre. American writer vacationing in Italy prevents a murder at an art gallery, then finds himself a pawn in the killer's deadly game. Argento, who would go on to make such classic horror films as Deep Red (1975) and Suspiria (1977), shows his directorial talents well with this first film. Argento makes excellent use of such simple elements, like darkness, close up shots, and rustic locations to give this film a wonderfully garish style! He builds tight suspense through out the film, all the while giving us a nicely twisted murder mystery. The mystery is a gripping one, based upon Frederic Brown's novel The Screaming Mimi. The climax of the film is a truly clever twist. Composer Ennio Morricone adds greatly to the films dark atmosphere with his hauntingly beautiful music score. The film also sports one of the best titles of the giallo genre 'The Bird with the Crystal Plumage'. The films cast does some good performances, the best being sexy Tony Musante as the films hero turned civilian investigator. A terrific film, that is a must see not just for fans of Argentos work, but for those seeking a great thriller or clever murder mystery. **** out of ****

"American" "writer" and Starsky lookalike witnesses an attempted murder in an art gallery which the police connect to a leather catsuit-wearing serial killer. Naturally, he begins his own investigation. 'Feed it into the computer - that's narrowed it down to 150,000!' *Spoiler* The whole story hinges on the fact that the police stop Sam, the incredibly fluent Italian-speaking American, from leaving the country because they think he may remember something vital about the 'murderer'. Never mind that they have a perfect witness in the non-killed victim, because if they questioned her too closely that might give the ending away. 'Bring on the perverts - no, not the transvestite!' So that mystery's the only reason to sit through this stylised, amateurish, silly film, apart from the laugh-out-loud moments which I won't spoil apart from pointing you in the direction of when Sam is trapped in the art gallery lobby. An actor surrounded by four glass walls, trying to get out. What an audition that must have been. To be fair, the police chief is convincing (apart from his ghostly moustache), and it's lit and photographed OK, and Suzy Kendall adds a bit of boy interest. If it were a comic book, it would be a mouldy copy of 'Strange Tales' found in a garden shed: worth looking at if you were completely bored, but don't imagine it's a rarity.

This film is Italian made and poorly done. Very low budget. You can either watch it in English and try to ignore the fact that the voices don't match the movement of the mouths or listen in Italian and try to keep up with the subtitles, which I usually don't have a problem with. The acting is mediocre at best. The dialogue-English or Italian is at times ridiculous. It seems they tried to add some humor and it is just a mess. There are moments when it seems like a skit on SNL. I still think Susperia is Argento's very best film and I've seen almost all of them. Put it to you this way-I could never sit through this again!!

Dario Argento's first dip into the directorial pool is a pot-boiler somewhere in the realm between Hitchcock and Jack the Ripper, classic noir and the "modern" cat-and-mouse serial killer picture. Argento's method's may still be in a slightly embryonic state (i.e. his intense stylistic flourishes, which by the 80s would seem totally ridiculous in comparison to Crystal Plumage), but already on his first film as director- not on writer, however, as he penned all odds and sorts of spaghetti westerns and thrillers- he assumes control like it's second nature. Suspense sequences involving the coolly suited knife-wielding killer, with Argento trademark black gloves, and a long trench-coat and black hat, come off without a hitch, and not without the kind of excess gore that he and other Italian Giallo directors got branded with throughout the 70s and 80s. Damned if I'll say this, it's probably the one film by the director you can show unashamedly to your grandmother. Tony Musante, an actor I've never come across, impresses (as far as a protagonist in an Argento film can such as this) as an American with his girlfriend who are in Italy for some reason or another (a writer it would seem, as we only are told in one or two scenes, which is just as well). He witnesses an attack on a woman inside an art gallery, the only witness in a string of what has already been vicious murders by butcher knife, all women, all unconnected. He just wants to leave, but he has to stick around to give more details. And then, lo and behold, he grows more and more intrigued and involved in the case till, of course, he and his girlfriend become a target by this sadistic killer! All of this is handled by Argento as if they're not the conventions that we all know in this kind of thriller; he approaches all of them with a fresh take, and adds in doses of unexpected humor to keep things interesting (the painter behind the possible clue-painting with the killer in a field and his cats is incredibly funny). But it would be just one thing if Argento kept at making near-golden Hitchcockian ideals and the pulpy juices of a genre piece moving along. Argento is out to depict a sense of paranoia, growing and growing upon an aesthetic that is not quite the Master of Suspense, and not quite your common Dirty Harry thriller (though Ennio Morricone's score sounds like a mix of his quintessential touch and some Lalo Schifrin thrown in for good measure). In a sense Vittorio Storaro's cinematography throws one off guard; it's at times not so shot like your common thriller, but as something more ambitious, something that drills away through its premise to dig up any pure cinematic threat to the characters. This might sound a little pretentious, but just watch certain sequences, like when Sam is being trailed by the man in the yellow jacket, or when the second female victim is seen, point of view changing without a beat misses on either end. Thanks to Argento's backup of Storaro and Morricone, he has here a twisting tale of a psycho killer with an artistic edge. It's clear to see, even with the ending that yells out as Psycho exposition rip-off, that he was on his way to a solid career.

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 review 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. 3/10

It's of course definitely true that the earliest Giallo's are also most definitely the best ones and the same can be said for Dario Argento's movies. And this movie was not just his first Giallo but also his first movie in general! And what a great debut it was for him! This movie is definitely being one of his bests and one of the better Giallo movies out there in general. Finally a good Giallo again! I absolutely love the genre but I have to admit that most of the movies in it are extremely mediocre. Absolutely nothing tops "Profondo rosso", which also got directed by Argento but I can at least say that this movie comes close at times and especially considering that this is one of the earliest movies out of the genre, I really have to take my hat off for this one. Some good mystery, some good characters, some great tension and killings. In other words, plenty to enjoy for the Giallo lovers in this movie. I think that this movie did a great job with its storytelling and the way it was handling its almost constantly present tension and mystery. Also good news about all of it is that it doesn't fall flat at the end, as often is the case with these type of movies. The movie uses some great and at times also innovative cinematography, which helps to create a certain mood and tension for the movie, which all definitely helps to make this a very effective one within its genre. And if you still aren't convinced to watch this movie, let me throw in a couple of more names, besides Dario Argento's; Ennio Morricone and Reggie Nalder. Nalder is a great character actor, I have seen popping up in a wide variety of movies. I have even seen a skin flick with him in it, which is all the more shocking once you know how Reggie Nalder looks. Luckily he himself didn't got * in it but I always enjoy seeing him in movies and he often plays the quiet, scary looking henchman, as he basically also does in this movie. And then there is also still the Ennio Morricone musical score. Most people don't really know it but by far most of Morricone's musical scores are some weird ones, that still have lots of quality to them though. As does the score to this movie, which is one Ennio Morricone himself is even proud off, since he often plays it at some of his concerts. Finally a Giallo movie again of which I can truly and honestly say it's a great one, that I absolutely enjoyed watching. 8/10 http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

In Italy, the American writer Sam Dalmas (Tony Musant) witnesses an attempt of murder of the owner of an art gallery, Monica Ranieri (Eva Renzi), a couple of days before returning home. Inspector Morosini (Enrico Maria Salerno), who is in charge of investigating the three previous murderers of the serial-killer, asks for help to Dalmas and takes his passport. Dalmas decides to stay with his girlfriend Julia (Suzy Kendall) and to help the police in the investigation. The killer threatens Dalmas and Julia by phone and the police overhears a strange noise in the tape. Soon the serial killer stalks Julia and Damas. Who might be the killer? "L' Uccello dalle Piume di Cristallo" is a giallo by Dario Argento in his debut as director. The flawed story has an excellent pace and keeps the attention of the viewer until the surprising twist in the very end; the mystery recalls Hitchcock's style; the camera work uses unusual angles and positions; and there is a great tense scene, when Damas witnesses through the window the attack in the gallery, with Monica Ranieri wounded on the floor, and he is unable to help her. My vote is seven. Title (Brazil): "O Pássaro das Plumas de Cristal ("The Bird of the Crystal Plumage") Note: On 08 March 2016, I saw this film again.