The newest addition to the stable of horror and sci-fi on Ultra HD is Dario Argento’s debut feature, the game-changer that launched the full-blown giallo thriller. Argento takes a few twists from the Hitchcock playbook but otherwise shapes his whodunnit with a new, slick style of his own. Cinematography by Vittorio Storaro and design by Dario Micheli emphasize visual texture and tactility — we contemplate soft skin, slippery plastic and sharp straight razors. The horrors embrace architecture and high fashion, exchanging visual fetishes for psychological depth. And don’t forget a typically eccentric Ennio Morricone music score. As always, Arrow includes a full menu of extra delights.
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
Ultra HD + Blu-ray
Arrow Academy
1970 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 97 min. / Street Date July 27, 2021 / L’uccello dalle piume di cristallo / Limited Edition
Starring: Starring: Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Enrico Maria Salerno, Eva Renzi, Umberto Raho, Raf Valenti, Giuseppe Castellano,...
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
Ultra HD + Blu-ray
Arrow Academy
1970 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 97 min. / Street Date July 27, 2021 / L’uccello dalle piume di cristallo / Limited Edition
Starring: Starring: Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Enrico Maria Salerno, Eva Renzi, Umberto Raho, Raf Valenti, Giuseppe Castellano,...
- 7/24/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
“You tell your father Garry Hamilton is back in town and I will see him at sundown”
Vengeance Trails – Four Classic European Westerns From the 1960s Available on Blu-ray July 27th From Arrow Video. Ordering information can be found Here. Check out this trailer:
Gathered for the first time are four of the most bloodthirsty westerns with the kind of men that live only to kill!
In the mid-1960s, the runaway success of Sergio Leone’s “Dollars” trilogy gave rise to an explosion of similar productions as filmmakers by the dozen sought to capitalize on this new, uniquely Italian take on the western, characterized by their deeply cynical outlook, morally compromised antiheroes and unflinching depictions savage violence. This specially curated selection gathers together four outstanding examples of the genre from the height of its popularity, all centered around a theme of revenge. In Lucio Fulci’s Massacre Time (1966), Franco Nero...
Vengeance Trails – Four Classic European Westerns From the 1960s Available on Blu-ray July 27th From Arrow Video. Ordering information can be found Here. Check out this trailer:
Gathered for the first time are four of the most bloodthirsty westerns with the kind of men that live only to kill!
In the mid-1960s, the runaway success of Sergio Leone’s “Dollars” trilogy gave rise to an explosion of similar productions as filmmakers by the dozen sought to capitalize on this new, uniquely Italian take on the western, characterized by their deeply cynical outlook, morally compromised antiheroes and unflinching depictions savage violence. This specially curated selection gathers together four outstanding examples of the genre from the height of its popularity, all centered around a theme of revenge. In Lucio Fulci’s Massacre Time (1966), Franco Nero...
- 6/24/2021
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Years Of Lead: Five Classic Italian Crime Thrillers 1973-1977 will be available on Blu-ray June 22nd from Arrow Video. The titles are: Savage Three (1975), Like Rabid Dogs (1976),, Colt 38 Special Squad (1976), Highway Racer (1977) and Highway Racer (1977),
The 1970s were a time of intense uncertainty and instability in Italy. Political corruption and widespread acts of left and right-wing terrorism, alongside a breakdown in social cohesion and a loss of trust in public institutions such as the government and police, created a febrile atmosphere of cynicism, paranoia and unexploded rage. Throughout this period, these sentiments found expression in a series of brutal, often morally ambiguous crime thrillers which tapped into the atmosphere of violence and instability that defined the so-called Years of Lead.
This box set gathers five films from the heyday of the “poliziotteschi” – the umbrella term used to describe this diverse body of films. In Vittorio Salerno’s Savage Three (1975) and...
The 1970s were a time of intense uncertainty and instability in Italy. Political corruption and widespread acts of left and right-wing terrorism, alongside a breakdown in social cohesion and a loss of trust in public institutions such as the government and police, created a febrile atmosphere of cynicism, paranoia and unexploded rage. Throughout this period, these sentiments found expression in a series of brutal, often morally ambiguous crime thrillers which tapped into the atmosphere of violence and instability that defined the so-called Years of Lead.
This box set gathers five films from the heyday of the “poliziotteschi” – the umbrella term used to describe this diverse body of films. In Vittorio Salerno’s Savage Three (1975) and...
- 5/11/2021
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
This debut feature of muscleman favorite Reg Park is one of the better sword ‘n’ sandal epics; it has good action and a terrific villainess in Fay Spain. The okay story is Benoit’s L’Atlantide, re-shaped to fit the fad for all things Hercules. The Film Detective’s disc is the Woolner Bros.’ American release, trimmed by half a reel and given an entirely new audio mix. It’s still an impressive show.
Hercules and the Captive Women
Blu-ray
The Film Detective
1961/ 1963 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 95, 101 min. / Street Date April 13, 2021 / Ercole alla conquista di Atlantide, Hercules Conquers Atlantis / 24.99
Starring: Reg Park, Fay Spain, Ettore Manni, Luciano Marin, Laura Efrikian, Enrico Maria Salerno, Ivo Garrani, Gian Maria Volontè, Mario Petri, Salvatore Furnari, Maurizio Coffarelli, Nicola Sperli.
Cinematography: Carlo Carlini
Film Editor: Maurizio Lucidi
Original Music: Gino Marinuzzi Jr., Armando Trovajoli
Written by Vittorio Cottafavi, Sandro Continenza, Duccio Tessari, Nicolò Ferrari using a...
Hercules and the Captive Women
Blu-ray
The Film Detective
1961/ 1963 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 95, 101 min. / Street Date April 13, 2021 / Ercole alla conquista di Atlantide, Hercules Conquers Atlantis / 24.99
Starring: Reg Park, Fay Spain, Ettore Manni, Luciano Marin, Laura Efrikian, Enrico Maria Salerno, Ivo Garrani, Gian Maria Volontè, Mario Petri, Salvatore Furnari, Maurizio Coffarelli, Nicola Sperli.
Cinematography: Carlo Carlini
Film Editor: Maurizio Lucidi
Original Music: Gino Marinuzzi Jr., Armando Trovajoli
Written by Vittorio Cottafavi, Sandro Continenza, Duccio Tessari, Nicolò Ferrari using a...
- 4/6/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
[This October is "Gialloween" on Daily Dead, as we celebrate the Halloween season by diving into the macabre mysteries, creepy kills, and eccentric characters found in some of our favorite giallo films! Keep checking back on Daily Dead this month for more retrospectives on classic, cult, and altogether unforgettable gialli, and visit our online hub to catch up on all of our Gialloween special features!]
The beginning isn’t always the start; what appears to be fully formed still has branches screaming at the roots of whence it came. This is my florid way of saying that Dario Argento’s remarkable The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) may not be Giallo Ground Zero, but rather cemented the form in ways still felt today. This is one of the best feature debuts in all of horror.
Argento had already been involved with the Italian film industry before Bird; starting out as a film critic before moving on to screenwriting (he co-wrote the story for Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West), and eventually wresting control for himself. The result is a film that not only captured audiences back in his homeland, but had some critics calling him the “Italian Hitchcock”. A little early in the game perhaps - but this happens when someone...
The beginning isn’t always the start; what appears to be fully formed still has branches screaming at the roots of whence it came. This is my florid way of saying that Dario Argento’s remarkable The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) may not be Giallo Ground Zero, but rather cemented the form in ways still felt today. This is one of the best feature debuts in all of horror.
Argento had already been involved with the Italian film industry before Bird; starting out as a film critic before moving on to screenwriting (he co-wrote the story for Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West), and eventually wresting control for himself. The result is a film that not only captured audiences back in his homeland, but had some critics calling him the “Italian Hitchcock”. A little early in the game perhaps - but this happens when someone...
- 10/17/2020
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
Stars: Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Enrico Maria Salerno, Eva Renzi, Umberto Raho, Renato Romano, Giuseppe Castellano, Mario Adorf, Pino Patti, Gildo Di Marco | Written and Directed by Dario Argento
When you hear the name Dario Argento you know what to expect. In many ways, he is the gateway director to Italian horror, and with The Bird with the Crystal Plumage we see his debut into directing. While not his best work, it set many precedents for the Argento style…
Sam Dalmas (Tony Musante), an American writer finds himself witnessing a murder while on a trip to Italy. Unable to help the victim of the attack, luckily, the victim manages to survive. In the following days though Sam finds himself stalked by the killer, who he in parallel becomes obsessed with.
While I do like The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, I do find that Deep Red is his superior film which follows a similar narrative. What we have with Plumage though is an Argento film which has differences from certain traits the director has. One thing that doesn’t change of course is the fact that this is a Giallo. The mystery killer in the dark coat, the black gloves and the obsession with killing with knives is all in place. While the ending may not be what is expected, Argento is a director and writer who often gives a successful twist. In The Bird with the Crystal Plumage he gives one of his most memorable, and that is created through the museum scene.
In putting Sam in a boxed off glass room of the art gallery entrance, unable to get out to get help and unable to get into the museum itself he is left helpless, forced into being a voyeur to the murder. It is in this situation that the clues are put into place for what is a memorable ending. It is also interesting that the revelation is much similar to Deep Red in that it is interpretation and the memory of the crime scene that leads to the reveal of the killer.
A big difference to Argento’s later work is that the music for The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is done by Ennio Morricone. While I am a fan of Goblin who you usually think of when it comes to Argento, Morricone’s music is still very good, and fans of Quentin Tarantino will recognise the main theme. In fact, they’ll also see that Tarantino was paying homage to the opening of this movie in Death Proof.
Looking past the film itself and looking at the special features included with the Arrow Video release, there is an impressive list of interviews, as well as looks at the Giallo in relation to Argento’s work. The interviews with Argento himself are the highlight, but the interview with actor Gildo Di Marco (Garullo the pimp) is a very nice addition. He may have only had a bit-part in the film, but his performance was memorable enough to stick in people’s minds.
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is a solid release, especially for lovers of Dario Argento’s work. Not only his directorial debut, it set the scene for many of his future hits and featured one of the most memorable scenes with the art gallery scene. Deep Red may be better, but this is a necessary inclusion into any horror fans collections.
***** 5/5
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is available on Limited Edition Arrow Video Blu-Ray and DVD in the UK now.
Review originally posted on PissedOffGeek...
When you hear the name Dario Argento you know what to expect. In many ways, he is the gateway director to Italian horror, and with The Bird with the Crystal Plumage we see his debut into directing. While not his best work, it set many precedents for the Argento style…
Sam Dalmas (Tony Musante), an American writer finds himself witnessing a murder while on a trip to Italy. Unable to help the victim of the attack, luckily, the victim manages to survive. In the following days though Sam finds himself stalked by the killer, who he in parallel becomes obsessed with.
While I do like The Bird with the Crystal Plumage, I do find that Deep Red is his superior film which follows a similar narrative. What we have with Plumage though is an Argento film which has differences from certain traits the director has. One thing that doesn’t change of course is the fact that this is a Giallo. The mystery killer in the dark coat, the black gloves and the obsession with killing with knives is all in place. While the ending may not be what is expected, Argento is a director and writer who often gives a successful twist. In The Bird with the Crystal Plumage he gives one of his most memorable, and that is created through the museum scene.
In putting Sam in a boxed off glass room of the art gallery entrance, unable to get out to get help and unable to get into the museum itself he is left helpless, forced into being a voyeur to the murder. It is in this situation that the clues are put into place for what is a memorable ending. It is also interesting that the revelation is much similar to Deep Red in that it is interpretation and the memory of the crime scene that leads to the reveal of the killer.
A big difference to Argento’s later work is that the music for The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is done by Ennio Morricone. While I am a fan of Goblin who you usually think of when it comes to Argento, Morricone’s music is still very good, and fans of Quentin Tarantino will recognise the main theme. In fact, they’ll also see that Tarantino was paying homage to the opening of this movie in Death Proof.
Looking past the film itself and looking at the special features included with the Arrow Video release, there is an impressive list of interviews, as well as looks at the Giallo in relation to Argento’s work. The interviews with Argento himself are the highlight, but the interview with actor Gildo Di Marco (Garullo the pimp) is a very nice addition. He may have only had a bit-part in the film, but his performance was memorable enough to stick in people’s minds.
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is a solid release, especially for lovers of Dario Argento’s work. Not only his directorial debut, it set the scene for many of his future hits and featured one of the most memorable scenes with the art gallery scene. Deep Red may be better, but this is a necessary inclusion into any horror fans collections.
***** 5/5
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is available on Limited Edition Arrow Video Blu-Ray and DVD in the UK now.
Review originally posted on PissedOffGeek...
- 6/23/2017
- by Paul Metcalf
- Nerdly
This time they may have gotten it right! If a knife or a straight razor won’t do, how about killing a victim with 500-pound metal artwork studded with spikes? Dario Argento distilled a new kind of slick, visually fetishistic horror who-dunnit thriller subgenre with this shocker, aided by the dreamy cinematography of Vittorio Storaro.
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
Blu-ray + DVD
Arrow Video USA
1971 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 96 min. / Street Date June 20, 2017 / L’uccello dalle piume di cristallo / Available from Arrow Video/ 49.95
/ 49.95
Starring: Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Enrico Maria Salerno, Eva Renzi, Umberto Raho, Raf Valenti, Giuseppe Castellano, Mario Adorf, Pino Patti, Gildo Di Marco, Rosita Torosh, Omar Bonaro, Fulvio Mingozzi, Werner Peters, Karen Valenti, Carla Mancini, Reggie Nalder.
Cinematography: Vittorio Storaro
Film Editor: Franco Fraticelli
Original Music: Ennio Morricone
Written by Dario Argento from a novel by Fredric Brown
Produced by Salvatore Argento, Artur Brauner
Directed by Dario Argento...
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage
Blu-ray + DVD
Arrow Video USA
1971 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 96 min. / Street Date June 20, 2017 / L’uccello dalle piume di cristallo / Available from Arrow Video/ 49.95
/ 49.95
Starring: Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Enrico Maria Salerno, Eva Renzi, Umberto Raho, Raf Valenti, Giuseppe Castellano, Mario Adorf, Pino Patti, Gildo Di Marco, Rosita Torosh, Omar Bonaro, Fulvio Mingozzi, Werner Peters, Karen Valenti, Carla Mancini, Reggie Nalder.
Cinematography: Vittorio Storaro
Film Editor: Franco Fraticelli
Original Music: Ennio Morricone
Written by Dario Argento from a novel by Fredric Brown
Produced by Salvatore Argento, Artur Brauner
Directed by Dario Argento...
- 6/19/2017
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
She's beautiful, desired and enjoys a social mobility in the improving Italian economy... but she's also a pawn of cruel materialist values. Stefania Sandrelli personifies a liberated spirit who lives for the moment, but who can't form the relationships we call 'living.' Antonio Pietrangeli and Ettore Scola slip an insightful drama into the young Sandrelli's lineup of comedy roles. I Knew Her Well Blu-ray The Criterion Collection 801 1965 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 115 min. / Io la conoscevo bene / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date February 23, 2016 / 39.95 Starring Stefania Sandrelli, Mario Adorf, Jean-Claude Brialy, Joachim Fuchsberger, Nino Manfredi, Enrico Maria Salerno, Ugo Tognazzi, Karin Dor, Franco Nero. Cinematography Armando Nannuzzi Production design Maurizio Chiari Film Editor Franco Fraticelli Original Music Piero Picconi Written by Antonio Pietrangeli, Ruggero Maccari, Etore Scola Produced by Turi Vasile Directed by Antonio Pietrangeli
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Did a new kind of woman emerge in the 1960s?...
Reviewed by Glenn Erickson
Did a new kind of woman emerge in the 1960s?...
- 3/15/2016
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Stars: Irene Miracle, Laura D’Angelo, Flavio Bucci, Gianfranco De Grassi, Macha Méril, Enrico Maria Salerno, Marina Berti, Franco Fabrizi | Written by Roberto Infascelli, Renato Izzo, Aldo Lado, Ettore Sanzò | Directed by Aldo Lado
With some of the recent releases from 88 Films they’ve delved into the Video Nasty vaults and picked out a chosen few for Blu-ray releases. With Night Train Murders which is part of The Italian Collection we get Aldo Lado’s take on Last House on the Left which surprisingly manages to be more effective than Wes Craven’s infamous classic.
When Margaret (Irene Miracle) and Lisa (Laura D’Angelo) decide to take the train from Germany to Verona for a Christmas vacation to visit Lisa’s family. Catching the eye of two young men Blackie (Flavio Bucci) and Curly (Gianfranco De Grassi) at first they playfully flirt with them in a conversation that seems innocent enough.
With some of the recent releases from 88 Films they’ve delved into the Video Nasty vaults and picked out a chosen few for Blu-ray releases. With Night Train Murders which is part of The Italian Collection we get Aldo Lado’s take on Last House on the Left which surprisingly manages to be more effective than Wes Craven’s infamous classic.
When Margaret (Irene Miracle) and Lisa (Laura D’Angelo) decide to take the train from Germany to Verona for a Christmas vacation to visit Lisa’s family. Catching the eye of two young men Blackie (Flavio Bucci) and Curly (Gianfranco De Grassi) at first they playfully flirt with them in a conversation that seems innocent enough.
- 3/29/2015
- by Paul Metcalf
- Nerdly
51 years ago today, on April 19th 1961, Federico Fellini's masterpiece "La Dolce Vita" arrived in U.S. theaters. The film was already a phenomenon; it had premiered in Italy the previous February, was instantly condemned by the Catholic Church (it was banned entirely in Spain until 1975), and won the Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1960. On its U.S. release, it was widely acclaimed by critics, became a huge box office hit, and picked up four Oscar nominations the following year, including director and screenplay, and won for costume design.
To mark the anniversary of the much copied, but never equalled film which follows a journalist, played by Marcello Mastroianni over the course of a tumultous week in Rome, we've assembled a selection of five pieces of info that even the biggest Fellini fans might not be aware of. Check them out below.
1. Paul Newman and Henry Fonda were considered for roles.
To mark the anniversary of the much copied, but never equalled film which follows a journalist, played by Marcello Mastroianni over the course of a tumultous week in Rome, we've assembled a selection of five pieces of info that even the biggest Fellini fans might not be aware of. Check them out below.
1. Paul Newman and Henry Fonda were considered for roles.
- 4/18/2012
- by Oliver Lyttelton
- The Playlist
As a young and influential teenager I was eager to find new (to me) and exciting films to watch, and as it so happened I stumbled across Suspiria. It might have been my father who prompted me to find it, but I do remember we sat down together to watch it. Dad spoke of an expert Italian director Dario Argento, who made interesting films called a ‘giallo’.
This was my first experience with Argento and a good introduction to the Italian ‘giallo’. It wasn’t until recently that The Bird With The Crystal Plumage came onto my radar; with Argento all I kept hearing about were the likes of Deep Red and Tenebre. I thought his first solo directorial debut would be a great addition to the 31 days line up, lets explore.
The Bird With The Crystal Plumage takes place in Italy, where a writer Sam (Tony Musante) witnesses an...
This was my first experience with Argento and a good introduction to the Italian ‘giallo’. It wasn’t until recently that The Bird With The Crystal Plumage came onto my radar; with Argento all I kept hearing about were the likes of Deep Red and Tenebre. I thought his first solo directorial debut would be a great addition to the 31 days line up, lets explore.
The Bird With The Crystal Plumage takes place in Italy, where a writer Sam (Tony Musante) witnesses an...
- 10/13/2011
- by Marcey Papandrea
- MoreHorror
On Tuesday evening, the day before the Festival officially opened, there was a press screening of the newly-restored Italian print of Fistful of Dollars. While normally the best way to watch a foreign film is in the original language with subtitles, that is not the case with Leone’s movies, unless you particularly want to hear Clint Eastwood dubbed into Italian by Enrico Maria Salerno. Contrary to rumours that recently-found additional material had been restored, the print seems much the same as that released in Italy on the Ripley’s Home Video label, only with the original opening credits – which feature as an extra on the currently-available disc – cleaned and restored, so that once again Ennio Morricone is credited as ‘Leo Nichols’, and Leone as ‘Bob Robertson’. Also, the scene in which the Rojos and the Baxters shoot it out at night in the cemetery, which was previously scratched, appears to have been cleaned up.
- 9/3/2007
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
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