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Badmovies.org Forum  |  Movies  |  Bad Movies  |  KILLING BIRDS: OK zombie flick from Joe D'Amato. « previous next »
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Author Topic: KILLING BIRDS: OK zombie flick from Joe D'Amato.  (Read 1056 times)
Chris K.
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« on: August 20, 2003, 01:43:56 AM »

The plot: In the late 1960's, a Vietnam vet returns to his private home in the woods only to find his wife cheating on him. The vet kills the lover and his wife, his baby, and two other folks. Then, the vet's pet birds pluck his eyes out. Fast forward to 1987, a couple of college students are documenting a rare bird and happen to be in the area of the Vietnam vet's abandoned home. The vet, now a doctor studying birds, is tormented by the rare birds that plucked his eyes out. Even worse, the college students are attacked by murderous zombies!

KILLING BIRDS was produced by both Joe D'Amato's Filmirage S.r.l. and Franco Gaudenzi's Flora Film S.r.l., which was shot on location in Louisiana for that special 'American' touch. When watching KILLING BIRDS, it comes across as any other D'Amato-Filmirage horror feature. The interiors and exteriors of the old abandoned house would also be used in Claudio Fragasso's BEYOND DARKNESS (1990); the Carlo Maria Cordio music would also pop up in GHOSTHOUSE (1986), TROLL 2 (1990), and CONTAMINATION .7 (1991; U.S. Video Title: THE CRAWLERS); and actress Leslie Cumming would be in WITCHOUSE (1988). Combine all this together and KILLING BIRDS has Joe D'Amato-Filmirage stamped all over it. And their is an added attraction: Robert Vaughn! Considering his film background, one would find it hard to believe that Vaughn is in an Italian horror film from D'Amato. But then, what about Vaughn's appearance in POOTY TANG? Now that realy stunned me, so I was not very shocked at Vaughn's appearence in KILLING BIRDS. However, I was disappointed as Vaughn is only a token character as he comes across as the better actor than the rest of the cast members.

While I was interested in the story, the fact that it took quite a while to get there was something I wasn't prepared for. The connection between the rare birds and the dead rising isn't explained too well, so I really wished their would have been more exposition in the plot. The acting is also a problem. While Vaughn comes across as the better performer, I wonder if he was embarassed being next to the other performers. I know I would as the acting was just dull. But what's amazing is that the acting is not from English dubbed vocalists; the entire cast speaks English on live sound and it's just disappointing. It's nice to hear the original cast members speak, but I'll take out-of-synch English dubbing over this. The gore effects aren't much of a draw either as when something happens, you think the gore would get all gooey and gross. But then, when the gore shows up it's just nothing but a bunch of red kyro syrup placed on the performers necks to make it look like a "gore" effect. But then, this could all be due to certain budget restraints that the film went through. Director Claudio Lattanzi (billed in the credits as 'Claude Milliken') wasn't picking up the slack, so D'Amato-who was serving as the film's main cinematographer-had to pick up the slack as the film went over schedule. Even so, D'Amato and Lattanzi try to create a NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD film, with THE EVIL DEAD and THE BIRDS serving as the backdrops. If only the film were able to deliver this all 100% successful. On the plus side, the camerawork is quite good and the locations are beautiful. But it just doesn't cut it; the film needed some more work and the results are obvious.

Shriek Show presents KILLING BIRDS in it's original 1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio. Considering that this film was made in 1987, one would assume that due to the low budget that the quality wouldn't be any good. Well, if only that were true to those who doubt low budget filmmaking as KILLING BIRDS transfer is stunning. Grain does show in the darker scenes, but the Eastmancolor print is very colorful. The sound, on the other hand, is only so-so. The music is loud, but the dialouge isn't very clear. If only Shriek Show would have tweaked with the audio a bit, I wouldn't be saying the audio is so-so. But even so, the audio is okay. Just don't expect a fantastic Surround Sound track. I must say that on the end credits it mentions that the film was recorded in 'UltraStero'. Then again, after seeing this credit I should have expected the sound to be in Surround Sound!

Extra features on the DVD are somewhat sparce, but what's displayed is pleasing in some regards. First up is a 'Trailer Selection': KILLING BIRDS, Umberto Lenzi's BLACK DEMONS (1991), Lucio Fulci's ZOMBI 2 (1979), and a new film FLESH FOR THE BEAST (2003) which is an upcoming film produced by Shriek Show. Next is a 10 minute interview with Robert Vaughn in which he discusses his involvement with KILLING BIRDS, how he became an actor, and a few stories on the Roger Corman film TEENAGE CAVEMAN (1958). Overall, Vaughn doesn't seem to hold any resentment towards KILLING BIRDS and comes across as an interesting performer. And last, but not least, is a 'Photo Gallery' which displays the English International posters and publicity photo's of KILLING BIRDS.

As it stands, KILLING BIRDS is a semi-effective horror film that, while nowhere near as good as it's backdrop influences, comes across as a film that beats a horror film of today. And I don't know if that's a good thing or not.

P.S. Special note: the DVD cover is titled ZOMBIE 5: KILLING BIRDS. While this might be a response to ZOMBI 3 and ZOMBIE 4: AFTER DEATH, KILLING BIRDS is not a direct sequel to Fulci's ZOMBI 2! This is just another marketing ploy created by Shriek Show.
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Scott
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« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2003, 09:54:30 AM »

Sounds interesting, I seen this film on a shelve somewhere. Hopefully a rental store, but probably at Best Buy.

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Chris K.
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« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2003, 08:49:19 PM »

Chris K. wrote:

> While I was interested in the story, the fact that it took
> quite a while to get there was something I wasn't prepared for.
> The connection between the rare birds and the dead rising isn't
> Just don't expect a fantastic Surround
> Sound track. I must say that on the end credits it mentions
> that the film was recorded in 'UltraStero'. Then again, after
> seeing this credit I should have expected the sound to be in
> Surround Sound!

I just watched KILLING BIRDS again and the sound is presented in it's original 'UltraStereo'. I thought it was only in flat Mono, but I was mistaken.
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