| "A stunning portrait in psycho-terror" |
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| aka L'UCCELLO DALLE PIUME DI CRISTALLO BIRD WITH THE GLASS FEATHERS THE GALLERY MURDERS PHANTOM OF TERROR (1969) 98 mins SEDA SPETTACOLI ; ITALY |
| [video - laserdisc - dvd] | [artwork][fotobusa][lobbycard][photo][slideshow] |
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Whilst walking past a chic art gallery in Rome one night, writer Sam Dalmas (Musante), glances through the showroom window and sees a man, dressed entirely in black, trying to brutally stab a woman with a knife. Something was very definitely wrong with this deathly tableau as he recalls it. But what? He is questioned by the Police who treat him as a suspect in the recent killing spree that has gripped the city until an attempt on his life convinces them otherwise. His obsession to learn the truth lead him, and his girlfriend Julia (Kendall), ever deeper into danger as the killer continues to murder throughout the city. |
| He believes that the murders are somehow linked to a disturbing painting of a woman being stabbed. After the couples escape from another attempt on their lives, he receives a telephone call from the killer but what is that strange sound in the background...? By any standards this is a good film, but as a directorial debut, this is a great film. Argento shows his great flare almost from the start with the attempted art gallery murder. All the now familiar Argento trademarks get their first outing, roving camera shots, unusual camera angles, irrelevant cutaways, close-ups of the murder weapons and the killers gloved hands. |  |
| There are some wonderful moments such as the chase through the bus park, the killer selecting from an array of weapons whilst looking at the painting, Sam's visit to the painter, the attack on Susy whilst he is away and of course the grand finale. The attack on the scantily clad woman that takes place in her own apartment on her own bed is still shocking today. It is however wonderfully shot and could be seen as the start of Argento's reputation for misogyny. All events are carried out to a wonderful Ennio Morricone score which set the standard for the directors subsequent films and indeed gialli in general. This is the film that got Argento the 'Italian Hitchcock' tag but that is very unfair. For one thing it is far better made than any Hitchcock film with that directors over reliance on back projection. |
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As Argento himself stated, "Maybe I have inherited Hitchcock's audience, but certainly not his themes". This is a far darker film than Hitchcock could ever have made. The only minus point is ... well there isn't one really. As with a lot of Italian films, the standard of dubbing is pretty poor. But then it is an Italian picture and I am talking about the English language version. I would rather see it with subtitles. (Interestingly, the UK DVD is a subtitled version but unfortunately is cut). A cracking film then with an almost entirely unexpected twist ending. |
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reviewed by NJD |
| credits | |
| cast: | Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Enrico Maria Salerno, Eva Renzi, Werner Peters, Mario Adorf |
| director: | Dario Argento |
| producer: | Salvatore Argento, Artur Brauner |
| screenplay: | Dario Argento |
| cinematography: | Vittorio Storaro |
| music: | Ennio Morricone |
| sfx: | Pino Ferranti |
| technical information | |
| negative: | 35mm |
| print: | 35mm |
| aspect ratio: | 2.35:1 |
| format: | Cromoscope |
| [artwork][fotobusa][lobbycard][photo][slideshow] |
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