The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970)

Directed by Dario Argento. Starring Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Enrico Maria Salerno, Umberto Raho, Eva Renzi, Renato Romano, Mario Adorf, Giuseppe Castellano. [PG]

Dario Argento’s feature directing debut kicked off his “Animal Trilogy” (followed by The Cat o’ Nine Tails and Four Flies on Grey Velvet) and introduced the world to his Bava-inspired take on giallo, although the emphasis here is on mystery and suspense more than the stylish set pieces and elaborate showcases of gore and terror he’d later become renowned for. An American (Musante) in Rome witnesses the attempted murder of a woman in a glass-entranced art gallery, but he didn’t get a good look at her black-raincoat-clad and gloved assailant. Police confiscate his passport in the hopes that he’ll remember something that can help them with the case, but his involvement makes him and his girlfriend (Kendall) potential next targets for the killer. A few effective fright sequences, a nifty switcheroo reveal, and better acting/dubbing than the Italian horror genre is known for make this one of the director’s most consistently engaging and spine-tingling efforts. Music composed by Ennio Morricone.

76/100