The Bird With The Crystal Plumage (1969)

Dir: Dario Argento

An American writer in Rome witnesses a beautiful woman being stabbed by an anonymous black gloved killer in an art gallery and an entire genre is born. While Dario Argento's infamous debut may not be the first giallo film, it certainly created many of the themes, ideas and aesthetics that would subsequently shape the genre. Nowadays it's maybe hard to appreciate the sheer level of innovation that's on offer throughout "Bird" as it's been imitated so many times. But once you do, it's even harder to deny Argento's genius. Working with a top-notch crew that includes Vittorio Storaro and Ennio Morricone, he crafted a stylish, violent and inventive thriller that's still highly watchable today (and is looking better than ever on Blu Ray). It's let down only by how dated and simplistic the mystery plot appears in the light of the many wilder, crazier and more convoluted gialli that followed it. Truly, maestro, we have been spoiled. **1/2