The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)

The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970) is Dario Argento’s debut giallo: a stylish, tightly wound horror-mystery that blends a classic whodunit with sudden shocks and unsettling atmosphere. You follow Sam Dalmas, an American writer living in Rome, who becomes the only witness to an attempted murder in an art gallery. When the attack is linked to an active serial killer, Sam chooses to stay and help the police — despite menacing phone calls, a strange noise captured on tape, and the growing sense that he and his girlfriend are being hunted. Watching the film is an exercise in mounting tension and visual flair. Argento stages scenes with rain-slick streets, glass doors, shadowy corridors and the iconic image of a raincoat-and-gloves assailant, while Ennio Morricone’s score and the sound design amplify every click, whisper and sudden cut. The investigation unfolds as a series of clues, red herrings and close calls, and the movie keeps you guessing about who to trust and where danger might strike next. The experience is part puzzle, part sensory thriller: you’ll feel the paranoia build as ordinary spaces become menacing, and you’ll be propelled by a propulsive pace toward a twisty resolution. If you like atmospheric, suspense-driven cinema with bold visuals and an emphasis on mood as much as mystery, this film delivers a tense, stylish ride.

Actors: Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Enrico Maria Salerno

Director: Dario Argento

Runtime: 96 min

Genres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

6.5 /10 7.1 /10 6.8 /10