This is the most insane and important movie I have watched in a long time. There are so many reasons why BIRDY is a legendary film. This is the epitome of the exact type of movie you will never see funded by Hollywood again. EVER AGAIN. I think I've had someone mention this movie to me maybe ONCE, or TWICE tops in my entire life, and it came out the year before I was born, in 1984.
First, let me hook you in by mentioning that through all the never-ending Nicolas Cage discourse our generation goes through, it is a disgrace that BIRDY is never mentioned. Outside of VALLEY GIRL, this was Nic Cage's first major role, and I would now place it in my Top 5 Nicolas Cage roles/movies (the others being Wild At Heart, Leaving Las Vegas, Mandy, and Vampire's Kiss). You get a FULL dose of over-the-top dramatic Cage here, and it's colossal.
This movie has elevated director Alan Parker to my list of favorite film directors of all time. When I first saw MIDNIGHT EXPRESS about a decade ago, I'd originally checked it out because I was a fan of the iconic music score by Giorgio Moroder - though I noted that it was the first major thing Oliver Stone ever wrote, for some reason the director's name never stuck with me. Last year, I checked out the bizarre 1986 film ANGEL HEART and realized it was by the same guy who made MIDNIGHT EXPRESS. Though ANGEL HEART didn't quite reach the masterpiece status that MIDNIGHT EXPRESS and BIRDY did for me, it is still one that wholly stands out, and more importantly, a movie that I feel was a massive inspiration, if not the primary inspiration for one of my favorite films of all time, JACOB'S LADDER. In fact, after watching BIRDY, I'm feeling even more certain that director Adrian Lyne must have been a huge Alan Parker fan. Next on my Alan Parker list will be PINK FLOYD: THE WALL, which I still haven't seen! I've only heard how terrifying it is?!
As I churned through the first 20-30 minutes of BIRDY, I thought to myself, "Wow, this is a truly absurd movie. I dunno how seriously I will be able to take it but it is really impressing me with it's style and commitment, regardless". I figured I'd walk away chuckling, appreciating it for it's silliness, but still viewing it as an 8 out of 10 movie for it's craft and ridiculousness. But, as the movie carried on, it truly, truly sucks you in, and turns its own intentional madness into a tender rollercoaster ride which will leave you asking questions not just about the movie itself, but about your own emotions. I haven't seen a movie with such psychological complexity in a very long time. The concept, which seems so goofy and straightforward in the beginning, actually becomes more metaphorically complex with each scene at the film progresses. I almost couldn't believe how invested I was emotionally by the time I got the second half. To make such an absurd concept work this well is an absolute wonder.
The hauntingly beautiful music score began grabbing me from the very early parts of the film, but it only gets more lush and emotive as the film carries on. When it was over I looked it up and saw that it's by none other than the legend Peter Gabriel himself. I've heard many praise his music score for Last Temptation of Christ but had never heard this one mentioned. This one is light years above that one to me personally. This is an A+ film score... innovative, powerful, emotive, lush, dynamic, and perfectly complimentary. I will be listening to this score for the rest of my life.
Aside from Nic Cage we have one more lead, Matthew Modine, who puts in a phenomenal performance here. Really, really selling the psychopath you are rooting for. I knew I recognized him but wasn't sure why - he's one of the leads in Full Metal Jacket. By the end of this movie, you want to see this MF grow some wings and successfully fly away. Dude wants to be a bird - it has to be for a reason...I buy it.
BIRDY manages to feel like some form of hallucination or dream once you get deep enough into it. It has hills and valleys, from good times to very unexpected bad times, and it never stops mutating, but the whole thing feels entirely cohesive. It's a masterpiece beyond most movies - it doesn't just feel like a movie - it feels like more than that. It's its own bizarre, organic, living breathing thing. I guarantee that not everyone will see the value in it, but, to me, it's transcendent and it's already reaching a place where it retains some sort of "ancient magic". I'm so happy I watched it. (It's currently free on Amazon Prime).
First, let me hook you in by mentioning that through all the never-ending Nicolas Cage discourse our generation goes through, it is a disgrace that BIRDY is never mentioned. Outside of VALLEY GIRL, this was Nic Cage's first major role, and I would now place it in my Top 5 Nicolas Cage roles/movies (the others being Wild At Heart, Leaving Las Vegas, Mandy, and Vampire's Kiss). You get a FULL dose of over-the-top dramatic Cage here, and it's colossal.
This movie has elevated director Alan Parker to my list of favorite film directors of all time. When I first saw MIDNIGHT EXPRESS about a decade ago, I'd originally checked it out because I was a fan of the iconic music score by Giorgio Moroder - though I noted that it was the first major thing Oliver Stone ever wrote, for some reason the director's name never stuck with me. Last year, I checked out the bizarre 1986 film ANGEL HEART and realized it was by the same guy who made MIDNIGHT EXPRESS. Though ANGEL HEART didn't quite reach the masterpiece status that MIDNIGHT EXPRESS and BIRDY did for me, it is still one that wholly stands out, and more importantly, a movie that I feel was a massive inspiration, if not the primary inspiration for one of my favorite films of all time, JACOB'S LADDER. In fact, after watching BIRDY, I'm feeling even more certain that director Adrian Lyne must have been a huge Alan Parker fan. Next on my Alan Parker list will be PINK FLOYD: THE WALL, which I still haven't seen! I've only heard how terrifying it is?!
As I churned through the first 20-30 minutes of BIRDY, I thought to myself, "Wow, this is a truly absurd movie. I dunno how seriously I will be able to take it but it is really impressing me with it's style and commitment, regardless". I figured I'd walk away chuckling, appreciating it for it's silliness, but still viewing it as an 8 out of 10 movie for it's craft and ridiculousness. But, as the movie carried on, it truly, truly sucks you in, and turns its own intentional madness into a tender rollercoaster ride which will leave you asking questions not just about the movie itself, but about your own emotions. I haven't seen a movie with such psychological complexity in a very long time. The concept, which seems so goofy and straightforward in the beginning, actually becomes more metaphorically complex with each scene at the film progresses. I almost couldn't believe how invested I was emotionally by the time I got the second half. To make such an absurd concept work this well is an absolute wonder.
The hauntingly beautiful music score began grabbing me from the very early parts of the film, but it only gets more lush and emotive as the film carries on. When it was over I looked it up and saw that it's by none other than the legend Peter Gabriel himself. I've heard many praise his music score for Last Temptation of Christ but had never heard this one mentioned. This one is light years above that one to me personally. This is an A+ film score... innovative, powerful, emotive, lush, dynamic, and perfectly complimentary. I will be listening to this score for the rest of my life.
Aside from Nic Cage we have one more lead, Matthew Modine, who puts in a phenomenal performance here. Really, really selling the psychopath you are rooting for. I knew I recognized him but wasn't sure why - he's one of the leads in Full Metal Jacket. By the end of this movie, you want to see this MF grow some wings and successfully fly away. Dude wants to be a bird - it has to be for a reason...I buy it.
BIRDY manages to feel like some form of hallucination or dream once you get deep enough into it. It has hills and valleys, from good times to very unexpected bad times, and it never stops mutating, but the whole thing feels entirely cohesive. It's a masterpiece beyond most movies - it doesn't just feel like a movie - it feels like more than that. It's its own bizarre, organic, living breathing thing. I guarantee that not everyone will see the value in it, but, to me, it's transcendent and it's already reaching a place where it retains some sort of "ancient magic". I'm so happy I watched it. (It's currently free on Amazon Prime).