or a first film from a director, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is as good as it gets. The fact that Dario Argento’s film is so good should come as no surprise, as he has always been one of the most intelligent and intellectual directors working within the horror genre. The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is one of the most simple and straightforward gialli within the Argento omnibus… and yet it might be one of the most effective. While Mario Bava’s work on Blood and Black Lace and The Girl Who Knew Too Much may be responsible for ushering in the genre, it’s Argento’s excellence that put gialli on the map. Nowhere is this more apparent than with The Bird with the Crystal Plumage.

The film is a simple enough tale. It’s about an American dude who witnesses an attempted murder at an art museum. The strange Italian police question the man, and then cut him loose, where he begins to set about finding out who the killer is… with the odd collusion of the police who seem to be all for a citizen doing their work. It’s a typical case of sexually repressed killer against oddly obsessed detective, with a few nice twists thrown in. As a forerunner of the traditional gialli format, it’s about as perfect as they come.

Argento, despite this being his first effort, is on top of his game. Every character within the film seems to have a life and personality all their own. No one character is more interesting than the next, which is rarely the case for any movie, let alone a giallo. Argento’s shot selection is superb and the film feels like a piece of art rather than a sleazy flick about a killer cutting up girls while they’re walking around in their sexy underwear. In short, it’s all you could ask for visually and storytelling-wise from a director.
On top of that, Argento’s collaboration with soundtrack master Ennio Morricone is unforgettable. The soundtrack on this bastard is outstanding, and worthy of owning all on its own. Argento uses it perfectly to accentuate his best scenes and build tension throughout the movie. Few movies are as audibly enjoyable as this.

The cast of the movie is solid, despite suffering from dubbing necessitated by an international cast.. Tony Musante is solid as Sam Dalmas, the poor bystander who is sucked into a serial killer investigation. Enrico Maria Salerno provides a nice bit of color as Inspector Morosini… an atypical detective who seems all for civilian participation in his case. The rest of the cast is solid, offbeat, and thoroughly enjoyable to watch, as well.

For a flick from 1970, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is about as violent as they come. Yeah, it can’t compare to today’s orgies of blood and guts, but there’s something to be said for subtlety, as The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is far more effective than your typical horror movie. The body count is small and not particularly brutal, but it feels as if more is going on in the film.

If you’re looking for a nice place to get started in the realm of gialli, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is a great place to start. It’s typical of the genre, and done so well, that you can’t help but want to see more movies like it.

Final Synopsis: Every first-time director wishes they could have a film as good as this. It’s standard-issue Argento, and you’ll love every minute of it. Give it a watch when you get a chance. If you’re a horror fan, you should just buy it.

Points Lost: -1 for distracting dubbing

Lesson Learned: Falling from a fifth story building must suck.

Burning Question: What does cat taste like?

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
9/10

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) - New DVD Movie Reviews9.0101

Tags: 1970, dario argento, enrico maria salerno, european, european horror, eva renzi, foreign, foreign horror, foreign movie, giallo, horror, italian, italian horror, latest movie reviews, suzy kendall, tony musante, umberto raho