"Dead Birds"

[Draven2277]

Anyone hear anything about this movie? It's entitled "Dead Birds". It's directed by Alex Turner from a script by Simon Barrett, and stars none other than Henry Thomas (yes, from E.T.), Nicki Aycox (from Jeepers Creepers 2), Patrick Fugit (that kid from Almost Famous), and Isaiah Washington (who can also be seen in the crapfest that was Ghost Ship).

Anyway, it was just released on DVD today, March 15th 2005, and i've actually read some good things about it. Here's a synopsis (from deepdiscountdvd.com)

Eerie and atmospheric, this horror film unfolds with a chilling deliberateness that is offset by truly horrific moments. Set in Civil War-era Alabama, DEAD BIRDS follows a bickering band of deserters who have robbed a gold shipment; on the run from the law, they hide out in a deserted mansion to regroup. The estate has a rather unsavory history, however, having housed satanic rituals performed on unwilling slaves, which ended up turning children into sharp-fanged demons. The group's attempts to escape are thwarted by an increasingly aggressive supernatural presence.

Sounds pretty cool....what do you guys think?

[Cronos]

i saw this as upcoming on a site and was intrigued, it sounds like it could be kool and from the few reviews ive found they've all been pretty positive

[Jess]

I watched it last night. It was alright, I suppose. I kind of expected less of it, but only because I had watched the Toolbox Murders the night before and that was just crappy.

But no, Dead Birds was actually alright. Sure, it could have been better, I mean, the story could have been more complete and clear; but aside from that, the visuals were quite nice, especially one particular moment where that E.T. dude goes down some stairs but passes by a window before he does. I won't give anything away, but it looked awesome. I think that's what made Dead Birds enjoyable, the subtleness it has.

But another negative thing about it was that it seemed to drag on. The beginning appeared to last forever, like they were never going to get out of that damn cornfield because they were too busy talking and shooting at weird things. Weird things which should have made change their mind about staying in the house, but I suppose if they had changed their minds from the getgo, then there'd be no movie.

So yeah, if you're looking for a mediocre time that's much better than the Toolbox Murders, rent Dead Birds.

[countchocula]

I've been looking forward to Dead Birds, but I didn't know that it was released. Thanks for the reminder, Draven. I'll tack it onto my Netflix rental queue.

[Blindrift]

I do reviews on my yahoo! group, and thought I'd share my recent review of this flick to help ya'll decide if it''s rental worthy or not.

Dead Birds


The western genre collides with the Horror genre when a group of outlaws, fresh off a bloody bank robbery, seek refuge in a desolate house that is hiding a few dark secrets. Forget Injuns, it's Cowboys and Demons here. YEEHAAAAAAWWWW!!!!

Dead Birds proves that horror can work when teamed with the western genre. So all the nay sayers can officially bite me...(Cough..Vic Salva..Cough Cough) Not only does this flick work, but it also manages to be a solid horror entry.
The style is very eastern. Think "Ju-on". We get a lot of subtle imagery that turns nasty when you least expect it, which leads to a few fun jolt moments.
The western backdrop helped make the atmosphere a lot more eerie. Ya see, back in the day's of wild buffalo and crazy injuns there wasn't a thing called electricity or cell phones, or even phones for that matter. So if one was to find themselves stranded in say 1885, one would find themselves quite alone, thus making the situation much more dire. And make no beans about it, this be one dire situation. The house adds to the air of things too. The old fashioned look sets a certain mood, and the large interior helps convey how alone the cowboys really are. Add to the fact we only get to see the pad by candle light, and you get an idea of how creepy things can get.
So let's see, we got jolt scares, creepy atmosphere, big scary house. What else can we throw into this stew to make it even better? Oh yeah! How bout some good ol fashioned GORE. This movie has the good's. Exploding heads, slit throats that spew blood like it was on sale, horse bodies ripped to bits, erupting mid sections, a skinned dude, etc. Bring the steak, cause this movie will bring the ketchup.
The acting isn't half bad either. Everyone plays it low key. Henry Thomas stands out though. His character is obviously the brain of the bunch, and he's gotta keep things together while dealing with his own problem's. Thomas pulled it off nicely. Good to see him in another genre piece, hell it's good to see him period!
The score like the actors, play's it low key. It only amps up right before something bad is about to happen. The director uses it accordingly, which leads to good results.
I only have a few complaint's. One being slow start. We are hit with a killer action sequence, then left to wade through a long setup. Another peeve is the actual motive of the ghosties. We are given a short explanation, but it doesn't really shine much light on things, and the ending completely loses me. Was the director trying to leave things open for us to decide or was their a point? Cause my ass has no idea. Also, Will's flashbacks aren't explained very well. And the guilt over something he did is barely touched down on. Adding depth to these characters would have really added to the dark situation. Maybe I expect too much, oh well. I'll live.

Over all the flick delivers. I love westerns so having that genre merged with the horror genre is a special treat for me. If you enjoy creepy haunted house flicks in the vain of "Ju-on", then you'll dig this flick. The premise is original, it sports some genuinely creepy moments, and delivers the bloody goods along with some decent acting. So holster your pistol pilgrim, throw back some moonshine, and have a look at this here flick. It's a real hoot! You betcha!

I give it 3 stars out of 4

[countchocula]

Great review, Blindrift. This sounds tasty. For another engrossing horror/western hybrid, check out Legend of the Phantom Rider.