The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo (original title)

Director:

Dario Argento

Writer:

Dario Argento
(more)

Release Date:

12 June 1970 (USA)

Genre:

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:

Killer | Serial Killer | Writer | Murder | 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
Carla Mancini	...	Girl watching TV
Bruno Erba	...	Police Detective
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dario Argento	...	Murderer's Hands (uncredited)
Giovanni Di Benedetto	...	Professor Rinaldi (uncredited)
Reggie Nalder	...	Needles, Yellow Jacket Assassin (uncredited)
Annamaria Spogli	...	Sandra Roversi, 3rd Victim (uncredited)
Maria Tedeschi	...	Old Lady in Fog (uncredited)

Directed by
Dario Argento

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Dario Argento
Fredric Brown		novel "The Screaming Mimi" (uncredited)

Produced by
Salvatore Argento	....	producer
Artur Brauner	....	executive producer: CCC Filmkunst (uncredited)

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Vittorio Storaro

Film Editing by
Franco Fraticelli

Production Design by
Dario Micheli

Costume Design by
Dario Micheli

Makeup Department
Giuseppe Ferranti	....	makeup artist (as Pino Ferrante)
Lidia Puglia	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Rudolf Hertzog	....	production manager (as Rudolph Hertzog Jr.)
Umberto Sambuco	....	production supervisor
Camillo Teti	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roberto Pariante	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Luciano Anzellotti	....	sound effects
Alberto Bartolomei	....	sound mixer
Carlo Diotavelli	....	sound
Eugenio Fiori	....	boom operator

Camera and Electrical Department
Muova Dial	....	still photographer
Enrico Umetelli	....	camera operator
Arturo Zavattini	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Cesarina Casini	....	first assistant editor
Sergio Fraticelli	....	second assistant editor
Neri Nazzareno	....	final colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Bruno Nicolai	....	conductor

Other crew
Lida Chitarrini	....	script girl
Roberto Pietti	....	dialogue director
Robert Rietty	....	dialogue director
Angelo Tavazzi	....	administrator
Luciano Vittori	....	title designer
Anna Eugeni	....	voice dubbing: Suzy Kendall (uncredited)
Adriano Micantoni	....	voice dubbing: Mario Adriano (uncredited)
Gigi Pirarba	....	voice dubbing: Tony Musante (uncredited)
Silvano Tranquilli	....	voice dubbing: Raf Valenti (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Central Cinema Company Film (CCC)
• Glazier
• Seda Spettacoli

Distributors

• Constantin Film (1970) (West Germany) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Universal Marion Corporation (UMC) (1970) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• United Artists (1971) (France) (theatrical) (as Les Artistes Associés S. A. )
• Suomi-Filmi (1972) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1977) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• 21st Century Film Corporation (1982) (USA) (theatrical) (retitled re-release)
• Spectrum (1984) (Belgium) (video)
• VCI Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• DMEG (2004) (Sweden) (video)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Blue Underground (2005) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Future Film (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Blue Underground (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2004) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• Poletel (Brazil) (VHS)
• United Video (VHS)
• VCI Entertainment (2010) (USA) (all media)
• VCI Home Video (video)

Also Known As:

"L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo" - Italy (original title)
"Point of Terror" - USA (alternative title)
"The Phantom of Terror" - USA (reissue title)

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:

Director trademark: [Dario Argento] Character recalls clues from memory.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: At Wilkinson foundation near the beginning of the movie, the silhouette of a cameraman can be seen in the displays glass.

Quotes:

Inspector Morosini:Bring out the perverts!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Solitude of Prime Numbers (2010)

Superior Thriller

Ominous music and lush cinematography override a sparse script to create a Jack-the-Ripper type thriller, which is deeply introspective, moody, and haunting.

Indeed, the script can be treacherous if used to try and solve this whodunit puzzle, which is best handled by removing psychological assumptions rather than by piecing together logical clues. Even so, the murder mystery plot is to some extent illogical.

The strength of the film though lies in its suspense, which is almost unbeatable. It rivals any of Hitchcock's works, to which it is repeatedly compared. The scene showing a knife chipping away at a wooden door is reminiscent of, and more frightening than, scenes showing bird beaks chipping away at a farmhouse door in Hitchcock's "The Birds".

I like the film too because it is so nostalgic. The reel-to-reel tape recorder and dozens of other props and visual cues, the references to philosophy and mysticism, the Morricone film score which at times sounds like the film scores from his spaghetti Westerns, all conspire to transport the viewer back to the Age of Aquarius.

The acting is fine. Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, and Enrico Salerno are perfect for the roles they play.

This is one scary movie. Minor flaws notwithstanding, "The Bird With The Crystal Plumage" is top-notch entertainment for fans of suspense thrillers.