2. Bird With The Crystal Plumage (1970)
Sam is an American writer living in Rome with Guilia, his model girlfriend. Sam has terrible writer's block and is thinking of going back to the States, however, he is witness to an attack on a woman by a masked figure. He tries to help her but cannot get through the double doors to save her in time. The woman - who is called Monica and is the art gallery owner's wife - survives but the police seize Sam's passport. There is a serial killer terrorising the city, and Sam is an important witness. Sam is haunted by some clue to the murders that he is missing. He and Guilia are soon targeted by the killer who phones them up to taunt them. There is a strange chirping noise in the background of the call which is revealed to be the call of a rare bird which is known as The Bird With the Crystal Plumage. The only one in Rome is kept at the zoo - giving Sam an idea of where the killer's abode is. The end of the movie has a chase sequence when Sam is confronted by the killer who is not who you would expect it to be. The killer fails to murder him. Argento's first film, he borrowed the money for the project from his father. The storyline would go on to serve as a blueprint for future Gialli. The audacity of Argento - to mix ultra violence with sexual titillation - thrilled audiences back in 1970, and The Bird With The Crystal Plumage has received overwhelming positive reviews. I find The Bird With The Crystal Plumage to be a film that I could watch over and over again, and with each viewing, something new will spring out to capture my attention. It is so elaborate and stylish. Undoubtedly, along with Mario Bava's Blood and Black Lace, The Bird With the Crystal Plumage is one of the pioneering works of Gialli. And I reckon that 99% of Italian Giallo directors would have given their right arm to pull off something as classy, elegant and effectively brutal as this film.