Let’s get one thing straight right out of the gate: yes, Dario Argento’s The Bird with the Crystal Plumage has already been given the excellent Arrow Video treatment. The cult director’s debut film hit Blu-ray and DVD back in 2018, packed with the wealth of special features we’ve come to expect from Arrow. Now, however, they’ve upped their game: as this is the latest movie to be given the 4K treatment by Arrow, and boy, is it worth the upgrade.
The film itself is an undisputed classic. Though Argento would later go on to outdo himself with the likes of Suspiria and Inferno, everything we know and love about the director’s signature style is here and plain to see: the protagonist (here an excellent Tony Musante) in an unknown and hostile environment; the stylish kills; the gorgeous score; the wide array of weapons; the black gloves of the killer and gorgeous pastel settings; and twists and turns galore. Every single thing that makes Argento so beloved is at work in his first film – debuts rarely come stronger than this.
The biggest selling point of this new set is that it’s in 4K – and not the 1080p-level 4K that Arrow usually produce on their regular Blu-rays. No, this is full-blown 2160p: true 4K scan restored from the original film negative, remastered on a UHD disc with Dolby Vision. It is stunning. An Argento flick has never looked better: the pastel environments pop perfectly, the blacks of the killer’s globes and cloak are as dark as a Zack Snyder movie, and the whole picture shines with a crispness that feels fresh and invigorating, while also staying true to the fact that this movie is 50 years old.
A highlight of any Arrow release is the special features, and The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is no different. Although none of the extras are new (most are carried over from the previous Blu-ray release), they’re brilliantly fascinating. Film critic Kat Ellinger provides endless insights in her piece Black Gloves and Screaming Mimis, which examines the film’s explorations about gender, violence, impotence, and the intersections of all of these, as well as how the film fits into the giallo canon. Interviews with Argento himself and actor Gildo Di Marco are also excellent: Argento comes across as incredibly literate and humble, with great love and respect for the film form in a way that never feels obnoxious or overbearing, while Di Marco sheds some light on Argento as both a filmmaker and a person. Critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas provides a fantastic visual essay on Argento’s love of gender exploration throughout his career, but the standout feature is an archival interview with Eva Renzi, who plays Monica Ranieri in the film. Renzi is full of passion and fire, animated in her movements and words, and a joy to listen to. Her sense of self-worth is obvious and extremely admirable, and though her career never quite took off in the way she wanted it to, she was clearly a true talent who was taken too soon (Renzi passed away in 2005, just months after this interview was conducted).
The new 4K release also includes a booklet with essays by Howard Hughes, Jack Seabrook, and Rachael Nisbet, as well as some lovely artwork. As a whole set, it’s a stunner, more than worth the price for any new or existing Argento fans, and seriously worth considering if you already own it.
The Bird with the Crystal Plumage is out now on 4K UHD from Arrow Video.
