The Bird With the Crystal Plumage

Starring:Mario Adorf, Omar Bonaro, Giuseppe Castellano, Giovanni Di Benedetto, Gildo Di Marco, Bruno Erba, Suzy Kendall, Carla Mancini, Fulvio Mingozzi, Tony Musante, Pino Patti, Werner Peters, Umberto Raho, Eva Renzi, Renato Romano, Enrico Maria Salerno, Annamaria Spogli, Rosita Torosh, Karen Valenti
Studio: Vci Video
Product Type: DVD

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Sam Dalmas (Tony Musante) is an American reporter living in Rome who witnesses what appears to be a murder. Trapped by a glass wall, he can't intervene, but does manage to scare off the killer. Wounded, the victim survives, and Dalmas's curiosity drives him to look further into the story, but he soon finds himself and his girlfriend in jeopardy and stalked by the would-be murderer. Director Dario Argento's debut film is a remarkable work, more restrained than many of his later films. Based on an obscure 1950s pulp novel, Bird draws heavily on Hitchcock, as well as on American novelists such as Dashiell Hammett and Cornell Woolrich. At the same time, its execution makes it a highly original, inventive, and fast-paced film that plays with the conventions of the thriller genre. As was often the case with Hitchcock's work, Dalmas is a spectator to the original crime, reflecting the voyeuristic role of the film audience. He's an ordinary guy who unravels the circumstances of the crime until he comes across the most unlikely scenario, a device also reminiscent of Hitchcock. The score, editing, and camera work, however, give the film a distinctly Italian stamp, and established Argento as a stylish, innovative director to watch. The scene in which Dalmas is chased through the streets by a gun-toting assassin, in particular, is a little gem of suspense. Modern-day thrillers should hope to live up to this film's intelligence, energy, and intricate plot twists. --Jerry Renshaw

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant debut for Dario Argento.......2007-05-20

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage was the directorial debut for Dario Argento, prior to this he wrote several screenplays. In my opinion The Bird with the Crystal Plumage rates as one of the best debuts.

While not the first Giallo this one took the genre to a whole new level and would show Argento was a director with great promise and he would totally live up to that and would go on and do some great work.

The only real flaw seen in Argento flicks are the screenplays, which is weird considering he started off as a writer. Now don't get me wrong I'm not saying Argento is a bad writer, he isn't by any means, but that is the only place he's flawed and I think a lot of Argento fans would likely agree.

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage though shows that Argento is in fact a fantastic writer. The movie is cleverly plotted and the characters are very well written for. Even though this was his first movie as a director if you didn't know any better one would think Dario Argento was already a proven director.

There are absolutely no flaws as a director; Dario Argento's scenes are paced brilliantly without a slow moment to be found. Each scene Argento brings out the best. While there is some action in the movie it's much more character driven.

Visually Dario Argento does a fantastic job, but doesn't he always? I don't think there is a better visual director than Dario Argento. The guy really knows how to work the camera and can make any scene brilliant.

The score by Ennio Morricone was just mind blowing; The Bird with the Crystal Plumage features without a doubt one of the best scores in a movie. The score really adds an eerie feel to the movie.

The highlight of the movie for me was around the 30-minute mark; the kill scene was very suspenseful; from the way it was shot to the score, which really added even more to an already brilliant scene.

The actors are all excellent and Tony Mustante makes for a great lead, he delivers a very solid performance.

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage has plenty of twists and turns with a great twist ending. The movie is very well made and filled with tension through out, while it doesn't rate as my favorite Argento movie it does come damn close.

If Alfred Hitchcock may be the master of suspense, but Dario Argento can definitely give him a run for his money.

In closing, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is a well made suspenseful flick with twists and turns it really was a great mystery and a must see for Argento and Giallo fans

Argento's 1st Remains a Stunner.......2007-03-01

For many years, I'd felt that of the Argento films I'd seen, Deep Red (Profundo Roso) was easily my favorite. However, recently I ordered - on DVD - that movie, Suspiria, Inferno, and Bird Witb a Crystal Plumage. And while I'm glad to have all four in my collection, I've concluded that - at least for the time being - Bird has become my top choice, which surprises me.

Bird really benefits from the increased production values of DVD over VHS (I've owned a copy for the past decade): the cinematography (thank you, Vittorio Storaro & crew) is astounding. There are times when I feel like I can reach right out and touch buildings, foliage, people. It's that visually tactile. Also, the film is very tight. Little, if any, wasted space - and it's a talky picture, too. Fortunately, a good chunk of the dialogue is funny, sometimes hilarious (check out the scene when protagonist Tony Musante visits a painter whose work looks to be a significant clue in a series of mysterious murders that Musante is investigating in tandem with the police).

The mystery's a good one, too. And the use of repetition works like repeated motifs/actions should: a fascinating revelation of the process of memory - and how we may construct and reconstruct events through it. Though Bird's use of repetition looks something like DePalma's Blow Out (released over a decade later than Bird), it has more in common with that other late '60s enigmatic masterwork, Blow Up.

We also benefit from an imaginative musical soundtrack by the recent lifetime Academy Award winner, Ennio Morricone, who scored several of Argento's earliest efforts, including Four Flies on Grey Velvet (where has that gone?) and Cat o' Nine Tails. While I enjoy the pulsing, thrashing musics of Goblin in Deep Red and Suspiria, Morricone's pieces are more surprising and impishly playful - in much the same way Argento plays with us - including his use of a false ending.

Okay, so it's his first major direction. And the dubbing into English is, well, dubbing into English. But the suspense builds and builds, intelligently, leaving this viewer more than satisfied - after repeated screenings. If you're into Argento and you've overlooked this one, please get with it! And if you're a newcomer to this horror/mystery master, this is an excellent place to start. And do see it on DVD.

amazing giallo.......2007-02-16

this is argentos first horror film and one of my favourites how it all comes together at the end is amazing one of the best giallos i've ever seen!!!

Stylish Horror.......2006-08-31

Often reviews describe the Bird with the Crystal Plumage as Dario Argento developing his style. In fact, it is a classic of the horror genre and an obvious influence on John Carpenter. Though somewhat closer to suspense than horror the cinematography of the scenes with the killer attacking with a knife are jolting and shocking and with the (for the times) explicit scenes restored you have a classic film right there. Later films by Argento would be mired down in style over substance. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, although obviously influenced by Hitchcock was taking Mario Bava to a new level and a blue print for the European horror film.

"Bring in the perverts!".......2006-03-10

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is not particularly gory, but it does establish a blueprint for most of Dario Argento's later work, with the crucial misunderstood attempted murder both referencing Antonioni's Blow-Up and prefiguring the killer-in-plain-sight twist of Deep Red. Best of all is Argento's mastery of vivid color and the Scope frame (the gallery window is even designed at an exact 2.35:1 to match the screen ratio). It still lacks the bravura and panache that would distinguish Deep Red, Suspiria and Inferno, and the best that can be said of the performances is that they don't get in the way: Tony Musante's hero and Mario Adorf's cameo as a cat-eating artist pass muster, as does Enrico Maria Salerno, the Italian voice of Clint Eastwood in Sergio Leone's westerns (the perverse side of my nature thought Eastwood could at least have returned the compliment by dubbing him into English), but Suzy Kendall definitely looks better than she acts and some of the supporting cast pull out most of the stops. Still how can you not love a film with lines like "How many times do I have to tell you, Ursula Andress belongs with the transvestites, not the perverts!"

Blue Underground's new DVD is some 30 seconds longer than the previous VCI issue and boasts superb picture quality and a choice of English or Italian tracks (it was shot in English, as per all of Argento's films). The extras aren't plentiful enough to justify a second disc - some 47 minutes of interviews, including an inadvertently revealing one by Eva Renzi pretty much badmouthing anyone who ever offered her a part for destroying her career - but if you don't have the film it's worth picking up for the remastering alone.

Average customer rating:

Brilliant debut for Dario Argento
Argento's 1st Remains a Stunner
amazing giallo
Stylish Horror
"Bring in the perverts!"

The Bird With the Crystal Plumage
Starring: Mario Adorf , Omar Bonaro , Giuseppe Castellano , Giovanni Di Benedetto , and Gildo Di Marco
Manufacturer: Vci Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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The Cat o' Nine Tails
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ASIN: B00000JT2R
Release Date: 1999-11-16

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Description

An American writer (Tony Musante - Toma, TV series) traveling in Rome is the only witness to an attempted murder by a sinister man in a raincoat and black leather gloves, though he is powerless to do anything to stop him. With a feeling that something is not quite right about the scene he has witnessed and the police's inability to make any progress, he launches his own personal investigation -- and nearly loses his life in the process. While this modern day Jack-the-Ripper type is slithering through the dark byways of Rome slicing up pretty girls, director Dario Argento is carving up the emotions of terrified viewers. Dark deeds are mixed with black comedy worthy of Hitchcock in a film of almost unbearable tension and nail-biting suspense. Italian Director/Screenwriter Dario Argento specializes in stylish thrillers. His works include "Deep Red", "Suspiria", "Inferno", "Demons" and "Creepers". Bonus Features: Interactive Menus| Biographies| Theatrical Trailer| Previews| New Dolby Stereo Surround Track| Enhanced 16x9 Transfer| Bonus: Contains the complete Original Music Sound Track. Specs: DVD9; Dolby Digital Stereo Surround; 98 minutes; Color; 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio; MPAA - R; Year - 1970; SRP - $14.99.

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant debut for Dario Argento.......2007-05-20

Argento's 1st Remains a Stunner.......2007-03-01

amazing giallo.......2007-02-16

this is argentos first horror film and one of my favourites how it all comes together at the end is amazing one of the best giallos i've ever seen!!!

Stylish Horror.......2006-08-31

"Bring in the perverts!".......2006-03-10

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (L'Uccello dalle piume di cristallo) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Great Britain ]

Average customer rating:

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (L'Uccello dalle piume di cristallo) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Great Britain ]
Director: Dario Argento
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Product Description

Great Britain released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. LANGUAGES: English (Dolby Digital 2.0), SYNOPSIS: Sam, an American writer in Rome, witnesses a murder attempt on the wife of the owner of an art gallery by a sinister man in a raincoat and black leather gloves - but Sam is powerless to do anything as he gets trapped between a double set of glass doors in going to her aid. The woman survives, and the police say that she is the first surviving victim of a notorious serial killer. But when they fail to make any progress with the case, Sam decides to investigate on his own, turning up several clues that point in the direction of just one possible suspect - assuming that he really knows who he's looking for... SPECIAL FEATURES: Behind the scenes, Interactive Menu, Photo Gallery,

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage [Region 2]

Average customer rating:

Brilliant debut for Dario Argento
Argento's 1st Remains a Stunner
amazing giallo
Stylish Horror
"Bring in the perverts!"

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage [Region 2]

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

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The Cat o' Nine Tails
Deep Red
Inferno
Suspiria
Opera

ASIN: B00004WCL5

Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant debut for Dario Argento.......2007-05-20

Argento's 1st Remains a Stunner.......2007-03-01

amazing giallo.......2007-02-16

this is argentos first horror film and one of my favourites how it all comes together at the end is amazing one of the best giallos i've ever seen!!!

Stylish Horror.......2006-08-31

"Bring in the perverts!".......2006-03-10

Average customer rating:

The Bird With the Crystal Plumage
Starring: Mario Adorf , Suzy Kendall , Carla Mancini , Fulvio Mingozzi , and Tony Musante
Director: Dario Argento
Manufacturer: Blue Underground
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000B9E2MM
Release Date: 2005-10-25

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