I love Dario Argento’s cinematic oeuvre. The auteur Italian director’s films are surreal, graphic, intense, and visually striking. Argento’s early career output left a profound impact on the horror genre. In fact, countless contemporary filmmakers have taken cues from his work. One contemporary creator Argento made a lasting impression on is Quentin Tarantino.
In Tarantino’s Cinema Speculation, the director admits a certain fondness for Brian De Palma’s Sisters. But he takes care to point out that time hasn’t been entirely kind to the picture. In sharing why he thinks Sisters has aged poorly, The Pulp Fiction director makes time to praise an Argento film he regards as properly timeless. Tarantino says, “And while especially compared to his better thrillers (Carrie, Dressed to Kill, and Blow Out), Sisters hasn’t aged that well (both Repulsion and The Bird With the Crystal Plumage satisfy decades later in a way that Sisters does not), in 1973, it was damned impressive.”
Tarantino is right that Sisters appears dated in comparison to a lot of De Palma’s other noteworthy offerings. But I don’t necessarily mind. Films steeped in their era allow us to look back and experience a time period in which we weren’t present. I also agree that The Bird With the Crystal Plumage is a film to which time has been kind. The clothing, hairstyles, and set design are all classic, giving the film the benefit of a nondescript vintage that doesn’t immediately betray its age.
Where is The Bird With the Crystal Plumage streaming?
If reading about Tarantino’s undying appreciation for this classic Argento film has you itching to pay it a repeat visit (or if you’ve yet to experience it), fear not. You can find The Bird With the Crystal Plumage streaming on Tubi as of the publication of this post. Hooray for that!
The setup for this Tarantino-approved chiller goes as follows:
An American writer, Sam Dalmas (Tony Musante), is living in Rome with his girlfriend, Julia (Suzy Kendall). While visiting an art gallery, Sam witnesses an unsuccessful murder attempt by a mysterious figure. As the assailant is believed to be an infamous serial killer, Sam quickly becomes a key witness in the ongoing police investigation. After he begins searching for clues that may help him identify the killer, Sam discovers that he may be the next intended victim.
That’s all we have for you at present. Stay tuned to the site for more recommendations from your favorite creators in the genre space as we uncover them. If you’d like to chat more about the cinema of the ‘70s, come find me on Threads @FunWithHorror.
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