Birdy

Rating:
Summary: Hauntingly and evocative movie of friendship and devotion!
Review: "Birdy" gets my nod as one of the greatest and most compelling movies of all time in so many ways. While it is like many that focus on the effects of the war in Vietnam, this movie is the most unique story of friendship, the effects of military combat, and eccentricity like no other movie of the 1980s or ever for that matter.

Nicholas Cage and Matthew Modine star in "Birdy" as two lifelong friends from the run-down industrial ghettos of Philadelphia where they have played baseball together and 'Birdy' has had a huge passionate obsession with birds throughout his life and has dreamed of being able to fly like a bird. However, the two friends are recruited into the U.S. Army and are involved in the fighting in Vietnam and when they return, both are horribly scarred. One has suffered physical wounds with face wounds while the other has mental scars (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and being driven mad from the horrors of fighting in Vietnam, has almost withdrawn into his own 'birdland' and acting like a bird and not responding to outside social stimuli. As a result, Birdy has been hospitalized in a decrepit mental institution. Now Al Columbato must try to get his friend Birdy to be able to emerge from his catatonic state if he wants to leave the mental hospital and return to a normal life. During all of this, we can be able to see the flashbacks into Birdy and Al's past and see how 'bird boy's' obsession with birds grew increasingly strong and started to strain his social life with his friend and others around him but yet see very compelling acts of bonding between the two unlikely friends and how they've gone through so much together even before the war.

The characters are among the most compelling I've ever seen in a drama movie ever. This might be considered a 'coming of age' movie but it's so much more than just your average teen angst movie. "Birdy" delves into some of the strangest and most unique perspectives of obsessive people with their subjects of interests and the things that true friends go through in order to stay bonded forever. The photography is stunningly brilliant and stunning beautiful thanks to ironically, it's relatively primitive filming technology that was used in filming it. The grittiness of the movie while it may be a bit irritating, gives this movie a strangely opaque feel and some of the scenes which are throughout this film are absolutely moving and will tug at your heartstrings. All of the scenes of the birds flying into the air are perfectly filmed and enhance the movie's emotional quality even more. While this movie is very heavy in it's bittersweet plot, there are some really smart and honest comedic elements that are really funny without detracting anything from it's dramatic tone and the funnier parts make this movie ever more bittersweet. Sometimes I would go far enough to say that this almost has high amounts of both even though there is far, FAR more drama. "Birdy" is bizarre, psychotic, happy, sad, dark, bright, and a whole lot of other positive things.

Director Alan Parker creates one of the most compelling movies of all time. While nothing could ever go wrong with this movie, his directing made it so much more powerful, moving, funny in odd ways, and yet very vivid on such high levels unparalleled. This movie centers on some of the more unattractive areas of Philadelphia (At least at the time, I'm not sure about today) like industrial junkyards, landfills, and run down neighborhoods, but centering on one like these areas makes this movie so much more interesting and from my standpoint, aims to dispel the notion that all poor areas are necessarily dangerous and crime-ridden. While it was centered on Philadelphia, this movie reminds me of what many areas of Chicago looked like during my childhood memories: Weed-ridden, extremely gritty, seedy, and depressed (Many of them have seen serious gentrification in recent years), at least at the time.

Nicholas Cage and Matthew Modine in their earliest days of their acting careers are absolutely amazing as Al and 'birdy'. The interactions between the two characters in the movie are absolutely realistic and really bittersweet. While not throwing a beating by any means at his later movies, I personally think that Nicholas Cage's acting hasn't reached the early pinnacle as on "Birdy" but sometimes there's the saying that it's "Never as Good As The First Time" and it surely applies here. Matthew Modine is the most compelling lead in this movie as his portrayal of Birdy is incredible, vivid, and believable. By the way, he's the guy on the album cover of the soundtrack by Peter Gabriel which brings to mind the soundtrack.

The music along makes this movie really vividly bittersweet with really powerful background music that perfectly fits with the movie's really obscure tone with songs like "Under Lock and Key" and "Close Up" which is actually expanded from the 50 second version on the CD and includes the chord progression of it's parent track "Family Snapshot" and it's absolutely haunting and thought-provoking. Most of the songs on the soundtrack can be heard in the background if one listens carefully and it's absolutely haunting and makes the various scenes even more compelling. What's even more unique is how this movie doesn't seem to rely on generic orchestra background music for a change. The haunting music at the beginning has the haunting eerie song "Slow Water" mixed with the song "Quiet & Alone" and combining the two songs makes it so amazing like no other movie opening theme.

"Birdy" wasn't a massive hit in the USA due to it's unconventional nature and lack of a 'formulaic plot' especially when "Terminator" and "Temple of Doom" were riding high, but this has become one of my favorite movies of the decade. If you can find this movie on DVD, then you MUST buy this ASAP. It may be a bit slow paced at first but it allows a lot of character development and allows you to know them very well and "Birdy" will ultimately be one of the most rewarding movies you'll ever see. It is intense without being violent or bloody, or even immensely depressing.

This is quite simply the most brilliant and evocative masterpieces of the 1980s and one of histories lost treasures. I could go for a very long time with this review but since there is only a limited space for reviews on here, I have no choice but to end it here.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent original story of true friendship and humanity
Review: "Birdy" is an excellent original story of an unlikely friendship that develops into a deep emotional bond between two male friends, pure and devoid of sexual nature. While there's no female lead in this film, there are female supporting characters (including one whom briefly reveals her "significant attributes"). This film was largely overlooked by mainstream audiences because it doesn't deliver a typical entertainment formula, but, as can be told from the global spread of the reviewers here, it will greatly reward those who seek it out and can appreciate it.

Although many seem to feel the anti-war theme is a secondary part of the story, it seems the film-makers intentionally moved the story into the Vietnam era to make a more contemporarily relevant and potent statement on that level. Attributing Birdy's withdrawal to the horrors of war circa Vietnam instead of WWII certainly makes that statement more acceptable, and Birdy's desire to escape human existence completely into the world of birds seems virtually rational in this context.

As a native Philadelphian, I found it confusing trying to pinpoint which neighborhood Birdy and Al grew up in from only viewing the movie. The graffiti-less El station in the movie looks more like Frankford in Northeast Philly today than 63rd street, yet 63rd street would be much closer to the Southwest Philly area where the movie seems to have been set. The book verifies 63rd Street as the location, and also reveals enough clues to determine that Birdy and Al actually lived in Upper Darby, PA, just outside Philadelphia. (The exact location of Birdy's house could be pinpointed by determining where home-plate was situated in the local play area, as Al verifies that Birdy's yard was adjacent to left-center field, where a right-handed batter would usually place a ball hit out of play.) Even though the movie dwells on unattractive parts of the city, like junkyards and garbage dumps, it adds interest that they filmed in authentic locations in Philadelphia and New Jersey.

Rating:
Summary: Hauntingly and evocative movie of friendship and devotion!
Review: ?Birdy? gets my nod as one of the greatest and most compelling movies of all time in so many ways. While it is like many that focus on the effects of the war in Vietnam, this movie is the most unique story of friendship, the effects of military combat, and eccentricity like no other movie of the 1980s or ever for that matter.

Nicholas Cage and Matthew Modine star in ?Birdy? as two lifelong friends from the run-down industrial ghettos of Philadelphia where they have played baseball together and ?Birdy? has had a huge passionate obsession with birds throughout his life and has dreamed of being able to fly like a bird. However, the two friends are recruited into the U.S. Army and are involved in the fighting in Vietnam and when they return, both are horribly scarred. One has suffered physical wounds with face wounds while the other has mental scars (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and being driven mad from the horrors of fighting in Vietnam, has almost withdrawn into his own ?birdland? and acting like a bird and not responding to outside social stimuli. As a result, Birdy has been hospitalized in a decrepit mental institution. Now Al Columbato must try to get his friend Birdy to be able to emerge from his catatonic state if he wants to leave the mental hospital and return to a normal life. During all of this, we can be able to see the flashbacks into Birdy and Al?s past and see how ?bird boy?s? obsession with birds grew increasingly strong and started to strain his social life with his friend and others around him but yet see very compelling acts of bonding between the two unlikely friends and how they?ve gone through so much together even before the war.

The characters are among the most compelling I?ve ever seen in a drama movie ever. This might be considered a ?coming of age? movie but it?s so much more than just your average teen angst movie. ?Birdy? delves into some of the strangest and most unique perspectives of obsessive people with their subjects of interests and the things that true friends go through in order to stay bonded forever. The photography is stunningly brilliant and stunning beautiful thanks to ironically, it?s relatively primitive filming technology that was used in filming it. The grittiness of the movie while it may be a bit irritating, gives this movie a strangely opaque feel and some of the scenes which are throughout this film are absolutely moving and will tug at your heartstrings. All of the scenes of the birds flying into the air are perfectly filmed and enhance the movie?s emotional quality even more. While this movie is very heavy in it?s bittersweet plot, there are some really smart and honest comedic elements that are really funny without detracting anything from it?s dramatic tone and the funnier parts make this movie ever more bittersweet. Sometimes I would go far enough to say that this almost has high amounts of both even though there is far, FAR more drama. ?Birdy? is bizarre, psychotic, happy, sad, dark, bright, and a whole lot of other positive things.

Director Alan Parker creates one of the most compelling movies of all time. While nothing could ever go wrong with this movie, his directing made it so much more powerful, moving, funny in odd ways, and yet very vivid on such high levels unparalleled. This movie centers on some of the more unattractive areas of Philadelphia (At least at the time, I?m not sure about today) like industrial junkyards, landfills, and run down neighborhoods, but centering on one like these areas makes this movie so much more interesting and from my standpoint, aims to dispel the notion that all poor areas are necessarily dangerous and crime-ridden. While it was centered on Philadelphia, this movie reminds me of what many areas of Chicago looked like during my childhood memories: Weed-ridden, extremely gritty, seedy, and depressed (Many of them have seen serious gentrification in recent years), at least at the time.

Nicholas Cage and Matthew Modine in their earliest days of their acting careers are absolutely amazing as Al and ?birdy?. The interactions between the two characters in the movie are absolutely realistic and really bittersweet. While not throwing a beating by any means at his later movies, I personally think that Nicholas Cage?s acting hasn?t reached the early pinnacle as on ?Birdy? but sometimes there?s the saying that it?s ?Never as Good As The First Time? and it surely applies here. Matthew Modine is the most compelling lead in this movie as his portrayal of Birdy is incredible, vivid, and believable. By the way, he?s the guy on the album cover of the soundtrack by Peter Gabriel which brings to mind the soundtrack.

The music along makes this movie really vividly bittersweet with really powerful background music that perfectly fits with the movie?s really obscure tone with songs like ?Under Lock and Key? and ?Close Up? which is actually expanded from the 50 second version on the CD and includes the chord progression of it?s parent track ?Family Snapshot? and it?s absolutely haunting and thought-provoking. Most of the songs on the soundtrack can be heard in the background if one listens carefully and it?s absolutely haunting and makes the various scenes even more compelling. What?s even more unique is how this movie doesn?t seem to rely on generic orchestra background music for a change. The haunting music at the beginning has the haunting eerie song ?Slow Water? mixed with the song ?Quiet & Alone? and combining the two songs makes it so amazing like no other movie opening theme.

?Birdy? wasn?t a massive hit in the USA due to it?s unconventional nature and lack of a ?formulaic plot? especially when ?Terminator? and ?Temple of Doom? were riding high, but this has become one of my favorite movies of the decade. If you can find this movie on DVD, then you MUST buy this ASAP. It may be a bit slow paced at first but it allows a lot of character development and allows you to know them very well and ?Birdy? will ultimately be one of the most rewarding movies you?ll ever see. It is intense without being violent or bloody, or even immensely depressing.

This is quite simply the most brilliant and evocative masterpieces of the 1980s and one of histories lost treasures. I could go for a very long time with this review but since there is only a limited space for reviews on here, I have no choice but to end it here.

Rating:
Summary: It makes you want to fly
Review: A masterpiece of a movie: Great story line, excellent acting and brilliant camera work. Modine and Cage made an awsome team with a lot of chemistry - it felt very real. A "kind of" war movie with - fortunately - little war but a lot of human consequences - a glimpse into everyone's humanity. Surprising ending! :-)

Rating:
Summary: A Movie About Strength and Resilience
Review: A tremendous film that captures the coming of age of two men, one man who is psychologically mature but socially withdrawn and the other man, his opposite. Together they find and draw strength from each other in order to survive the traumas of their lives, from the simple yet deep traumas of high school to the essential trauma of how does a man survive in a world of death and chaos. Modine and Cage are excellent in these early roles, with Modine especially interesting to watch in comparison to his role in "Full Metal Jacket". Technically, the film is excellent as well with Peter Gabriel's score adding an emotional overlay to key parts of the film. It is hard not to be moved by his score as we look through the bird's eyes in its headlong rush towards death. Those few seconds of film perhaps encapsulate most fully the fate that awaits innocence at the hands of war and the need of every being to seek solace and commiseration from those close to the heart.

Rating:
Summary: Wish I could die and be born again as a bird!
Review: Absolutely marvellous cinema experience. Much has been said and written about this one describing it as a anti-war movie. Personally I like to think of it as being an artwork about passion pushed to the limits of a mania, although it's hard sometimes to tell one from the other; or simply as a tale about a friendship and coming of age; or better yet, a movie about freedom, and as such, a better title for this one could have been "The wings of freedom". In some way it has much in common with "The Wall" and "Angel heart" which was released two years after this movie. Definitely Alan Parker is very keen on dark movies.

Anyway, this one has all the ingredients of a great film: a wonderful story, a magnificient director, terrific young actors. One big surprising thing though is why this work was highly appreciated at Cannes Festival while it was completely ignored at the Oscars.

Rating:
Summary: Don't speak if it is not a sign of love.
Review: Alan Parker signs here an absolute masterpiece, not becomes it deals with the painful growing of two teenagers into adulthood, not because it deals with the blocking of adulthood in childish hatred by the Vietnam war, but because it deals with the problem of communication between people, a communication that must be a commitment to some kind of common goal or dream or interest. Communication is impossible if there is nothing in common between the two persons. This leads us to a lot of thinking because we constantly communicate with strangers and without any ambition or desire to share anything with them. In fact it's more hatred than communication, a hatred that is covered up by the communication but in no way nullified. The second reason why this film is a masterpiece is the realization, if you enter its arguments entirely, that only some brutal and totally meaningless event can lead anyone sane and healthy into closing up the channels of artificial and depthless communication. But this absolute refusal to say anything to anyone because it is meaningless and depthless is in no way insanity. It is in fact associated by Parker with self-protection. And there the film becomes tragic because society will necessarily interpret this refusal of superficial and meaningless communication as a rejection of society, hence as a sure sign of insanity. Brilliant indeed.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Perpignan at Mende.

Rating:
Summary: A tremendously moving experience
Review: Birdy portrays the dreams and affections of boys and young men with a rare veracity, particularly for a film made in the US. It depicts a deeply textured friendship and the obsessive vision of one of the friends with enormous depth, texture, honesty, beauty and....dare one say it, sensitivity and becomes, in its way, a direct descendant of Huckleberry Finn. The acting of Nicholas Cage and especially Matthew Bodine is nothing short of brilliant. This is the only time I can remember preferring the movie to the book.

Rating:
Summary: This is an excellent film
Review: Buy this video now! A very touching film with terrific acting. This is one of the best movies I have ever seen. Plus it has a great musical score by Peter Gabriel. Matthew Modine and Nicholas Cage do a wonderful job at creating believable personalities for their characters!

Rating:
Summary: Birdy.
Review: Character-driven film which explores the friendship between two young men, one of them relatively normal (Cage) but physically scarred by 'Nam (could have been any war)...and the other (Modine,_Full Metal Jacket_) who more and more sees the world through the beady eyes of birds, with as consequence gradual alienation from his 'fellow men and women'.

There are not many reviews here belonging to Birdy, but it was a hit at Cannes (a while ago) and is generally considered a staple of 'good-film-making'. Anyway, people who come here hoping to learn more about it are likely to be real admirers of fine cinematic art, in my opinion. Possible complaints (NOT mine) would be that Birdy is slow and goes nowhere at all and has a weak ending. To those people, go watch something in which dozens of cars explode for no apparent reason.

Anyway, after the horrors of war (this is not Platoon, however, Birdy is, how to put this nicely, not littered with dead people), Modine ends up hospitalized (I gave nothing away; this is the start of Birdy). Cage tries to pull him back into sanity, and it's through chronological flashbacks (many excellent scenes, by the way) that their friendship is shown.

Fascinating characters, brilliantly written, and great acting. As others pointed out, the soundtrack is indeed memorable.
Unfortunately for me, I realized but late why it was so important that the window should open. Stupid me. I hope you are brighter of mind.