L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo (1970)

Director:

Dario Argento

Writer:

Dario Argento (writer)

Release Date:

12 June 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

A stunning portrait in psycho-terror!

Plot:

A writer is stalked by a serial killer after witnessing a murder attempt on one woman's life.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Killer | Serial Killer | Writer | Murder Attempt

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Tony Musante	...	Sam Dalmas
Suzy Kendall	...	Julia
Enrico Maria Salerno	...	Inspector Morosini
Eva Renzi	...	Monica Ranieri
Umberto Raho	...	Alberto Ranieri
Renato Romano	...	Professor Carlo Dover (as Raf Valenti)
Giuseppe Castellano	...	Monti
Mario Adorf	...	Berto Consalvi
Pino Patti	...	Faiena
Gildo Di Marco	...	Garullo
Rosita Torosh	...	4th Victim (as Rosa Toros)
Omar Bonaro	...	Police Detective
Fulvio Mingozzi	...	Police Detective
Werner Peters	...	Antique Dealer
Karen Valenti	...	Tina, 5th Victim

Also Known As:

Bird with the Glass Feathers
Das Geheimnis der schwarzen Handschuhe (West Germany)
Phantom of Terror
Point of Terror (USA) (alternative title)
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (USA)
The Gallery Murders

Runtime:

98 min | Argentina:105 min | Germany:101 min | Netherlands:92 min | USA:96 min | Finland:97 min (1972) | Belgium:108 min (VHS version)

Country:

Italy | West Germany

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | Australia:MA | USA:Not Rated (DVD rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Singapore:PG | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Italy:VM14 | Norway:16 (1971) | Sweden:15 (cut) | UK:15 (video re-rating) (2005) | UK:18 (video rating) (1983) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG | West Germany:16 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Agnano, Naples, Campania, Italy

Company:

Central Cinema Company Film (CCC)

Trivia:

At one point an executive producer wanted Dario Argento removed from the production when he was disappointed by a screening of some dailies. When Argento's father Salvatore Argento went to the exec's office to talk to him he found the exec's secretary visibly shaken. When he asked the secretary what was troubling her she said she saw the screening and the footage terrified her. Salvatore Argento then asked her to go tell her boss about her reaction to the screening. She convinced the executive to keep Dario Argento on as director.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Language: It's never explained whether Dalmas speaks fluent Italian, or whether all the Italians (including the imprisoned pimp) speak fluent English. Furthermore, the computer print-out at the forensics lab is for some reason in English.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Out of the Shadows (2005) (V)

Argento's first giallo. Interesting and packs a great ending

Dario Argento has come a long way since his first giallo. With classics such as Deep Red, Suspiria and Tenebrae under his belt he is often recognised as Italy's greatest horror director (rightly so). His style that he uses in all his movies is very noticeable here. The excellent score, long tracking shots, bloody murders and the shocking twist at the end. Although Bird with the Crystal Plumage is not as gruesome as his others and the twist not as shocking, he had to start somewhere.

Sam, an American writer in Rome witnesses the stabbing of woman in an art gallery but is powerless to help as he is trapped between two glass doors. The woman survives though, and the police tell Sam she is the first surviving victim of a serial killer. The police keep Sam in Rome which annoys him quite a bit but he soon starts to investigate after someone tries to kill him.

Bird with the Crystal Plumage, although not his best work, is still an intriguing and well-made movie. The acting is good, the score excellent and the twist sure surprised me! This is highly recommended for Argento fans.

4/5