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Monday, February 12, 2024

THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE / L'UCCELLO DALLE PIUME DI CRISTALLO (1970)

You’d never guess this ‘Giallo‘ (the color saturated Blood & Busts Italian horror genre) was Dario Argento’s debut as writer/director.  On the other hand, you’d easily guess that Giallo would become his signature form.  Immediately assured behind the camera, and smart enough to land Ennio Morricone to score and Vittorio Storaro as cinematographer.  That said, the film now more interesting for its influence than for itself.  A tricked up serial killer/police procedural with American-in-Rome Tony Musante getting a glimpse of the murderer in action and, once the police figure out he’s not the killer, helping as amateur investigator and as bait.  Same goes for his live-in Suzy Kendall.  But the clock is ticking two ways, first because the killer strikes again (and again) and second because these two are about to split for the States.  Argento keeps everything as pulpy as possible (there’s an art galley with darty objets d’art at the center of things), but Jeez-Louise these two lovebirds are nonchalant about the dangerous situation they’re involved in.  They never met a dark staircase, alley, second-floor, locked window or basement they didn’t want to step into.  You start rooting for the mysterious slasher to rid the world of these dopes.  Interestingly, while Musante regularly exposes his chest, Kendall keeps demurely covered.  Now that’s unusual in these Italian things.

ATTENTION MUST BE PAID:  What does hold up are some off-the-wall supporting characters.  Especially, one secretive avant-garde artist and a stutterer who uses the phrase ‘So Long’ to get ‘unstuck.'  And keep a lookout for the Royal Albert Hall assassin from Hitchcock's THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH 1954 remake.

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