L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo (1970)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

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:

Serial Killer | Writer | Murder | Killer | 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 | 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:

Incir De Paolis Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Central Cinema Company Film (CCC)

Trivia:

This was the first solo directing credit for Dario Argento.

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Grindhouse (2007)

The seeds of the genre had already been sown but here Argento strikes out stylishly and makes a massive mark

Very fine debut that set the trend for giallo for the next half dozen years. The seeds of the genre had already been sown but here Argento strikes out stylishly and makes a massive mark. It was interesting watching this again after having seen so many giallo since first seeing this and seeing just how much influence this had been. There are elements, particularly visually, that we will see developed in later Argento films as well as the many imitators. So many red herrings and unanswered questions, of course, but by now we are used to that and others would be freed by this incompleteness to go on and create marvellous colourful multi-layered nonsense for us all to revel in. The Morricone score must also be mentioned for it is of monumental proportions covering the widest range possible from the children's voices through symphonic passages and to the almost abstract.