Terry's Reviews
Page
|
||
| Movies | Music | Books |
 |
||
Movie Reviews: |
||
|
Dead Birds Columbia Tri-Star Home Video – 2005 Directed by Alex Turner Written by Simon Barrett Starring |
|
| Startling debut film from Director Alex Turner.
Almost ignoring a low budget ($1.5 mil) and short shooting schedule (only 21 days) Turner
has made a film that looks sensational, boasts standout performances from multiple actors
and is a mature psychological horror film. DEAD BIRDS begins with a bloody shootout (ala Walter Hill’s LONG RIDERS or the style of Sam Peckinpah) at a small town bank. A group of ruthless civil war deserters steal gold, which they plan to liquidate in Mexico once the authorities are off their trail. They hole up in an old abandoned plantation home but the problem is there is a supernatural entity within the plantation grounds that doesn’t want any of them to leave. Henry Thomas has come a long ways since ET. He was very good in the Spielberg blockbuster but now he is a full-grown man. Thomas plays the leader of the pack and brings a mix of toughness and intelligence that most will find appealing. Isaiah Washington is riveting as a character that seems to sense that there is something within the plantation that can stop them from ever leaving. Michael Shannon and Mark Boone are exceptional in their roles. Each one of them plays distinct characters that bring a touch of humor as well as gruffness that the story needs. Like Henry Thomas, Patrick Fugit has grown up since starring in ALMOST FAMOUS. You would think that when you are under the time constrains Turner was in while making this film that he would have naturally been inclined to rush things just to get things done. Quick takes from as many angles as possible; especially considering his music video background, which would have been the obvious approach. But thankfully that is not the case. Turner has constructed longer takes, usually involving subtle deliberate camera moves that enable the actors to have the time on each shot to bring depth and nuance to their roles. Not only that, but the longer deliberate takes help create suspense. Cinematography by Steve Yedlin (MAY) is quite good. Yedlin helps bring out the natural wood surfaces of the plantation home and the cornfield standing before it. I was also very impressed with the atmospheric music score by Pete Lopez. The sound design combined with the music really makes the film suspenseful and will give you the creeps. Making DEAD BIRDS runs just over twenty-seven minutes and features interviews with cast and crew. There is some cool footage showing that the film team was able to use, after redressing, a set Tim Burton left behind from BIG FISH. From pre-production to post we see how DEAD BIRDS was made. Good stuff. Alex Turner has a pleasant, humble way of speaking on his audio commentary. Turner is very appreciative of his cast and key crewmembers. There is also a second audio commentary where he shares the air space with some of the actors and they have fun reliving the filming experience. The Trailer and Deleted Scenes are also part of the extras. DEAD BIRDS is a film that should capture an audience on DVD. It wasn’t given the chance in a theatrical setting, which is a real shame. DEAD BIRDS is better than most of the competition that gets released and deserves to be seen. |
||
