Review of The Bird with the Crystal Plumage

This was the first film that the famous Italian horror master Dario Argento made, and it has some of the (expected) amateurishness of a directorial debut (especially in the guidance of some of the actors). The plot, mixing slasher-movie elements with a homage to Hitchcock, is clever enough to keep your interest, but the movie as a whole doesn't go far beyond the level of respectable mediocrity. (**)