SYNOPSICS
Dead Birds (2004) is a English movie. Alex Turner has directed this movie. Henry Thomas,Patrick Fugit,Nicki Aycox,Michael Shannon are the starring of this movie. It was released in 2004. Dead Birds (2004) is considered one of the best Horror,Thriller,Western movie in India and around the world.
In Civil War-era Alabama, a band of outlaws takes refuge at an abandoned plantation after robbing a bank that held a cache of Confederate gold. Led by William, the group includes Sam, Todd, Annabelle, Clyde and Joseph. They intend to flee to Mexico, but nightfall and a thunderstorm force the robbers to remain in place. As the night wears on, each member of the group begins to have visions of the atrocities that occurred within the house. As supernatural forces begin to manifest themselves, the six turn on one another.
Dead Birds (2004) Trailers
Same Actors
Same Director
Dead Birds (2004) Reviews
Damnation and Doom at the Plantation of the Dead.
Dead Birds is directed by Alex Turner and written by Simon Barrett. It stars Henry Thomas, Nicki Aycox, Isaiah Washington, Patrick Fugit, Michael Shannon, Mark Boone Junior, Harris Mann and Muse Watson. Music is scored by Peter Lopez and cinematography by Steve Yedlin. 1863 and it's the back end of the American Civil War, a group of Confederate deserters rob their own army's gold being delivered to the bank of Fairhope. Leaving a bloody trail in their wake, the group set off for Mexico but must stop for rest and recuperation at a deserted farm mansion over looking a long dead plantation. With a storm moving in and tempers among the thieves running high, it soon becomes evident that something otherworldly resides at the house and the surrounding area. Dead Birds is a little cracker, a straight to video horror film that to my mind puts to shame some of the big budgeted piles of crap that get released to the multiplexes on a seemingly weekly basis. Of course, horror is very subjective, where along with comedy it forms a pair of genres guaranteed to produce films that will never ever please everyone. Falling into the haunted house sub-genre of horror, Dead Birds, in spite of its unique Civil War period setting, has been lambasted by many a horror fan for not being fresh, that it's a collage of other horror movies. There's some truth to that, but we could level that charge at 98% of horror movies anyway! But Dead Birds (crap title btw) does have a cult fan base, a fan base I'm very much proud to be part of. Alex Turner, for his first feature length debut, has crafted a haunted house picture that positively pulses with dread, with its slow deliberate pacing and hushed conversational tones, the atmosphere crackles with unease. The opening credits are jet black and rise from the earth like spectral portents of death. Then after the fireworks of the robbery, things settle into a sort of ethereal rhythm. The gang make their way to their doom through a murky landscape until they reach what they don't know is their final destination; the plantation, a place that just reeks of death and disharmony. The cornfield is long dead and home to a strange creature, the battered old scarecrow looks ripe for a fright and a dead bird on the floor is ominous. The house itself is a two story wooden type not used often in tales of this type. It looks moody, as does the servants quarters, there's also a creepy barn with its hayloft and a water well of course. These are genre staples for sure, but Turner gathers all the clichés and gives them a new lease of life in a new period setting. The secret is in the lighting, Turner and Yedlin (Brick/Looper) light from down low, giving off a wonderful eerie effect as the gang trudge around this place of misery. It may sound like an oxy-moronic statement, but this is one beautifully shot horror film. Then there's the shocks, the boo-jump moments (sadly revealed in the trailer for those unfortunate to not see the film first), these are not frequent so as to make the film reliant on them, they are used sparingly and only to advance the plot as the plantation's history literally comes to life. The cast are on fine form (Thomas and Washington standing out), working well with a dynamic infused with greed, mistrust, jealousy and racism. Lopez's musical score blends foreboding rumbles with spine chilling shards of noise, while Turner slots in some oblique angles to further enhance the feeling of hopeless disorientation. It may cover familiar ground, that of a bunch of folk in a spooky house being bumped off one by one, with suspicions aroused, but Dead Birds is very much its own animal. Hee, literally. 8/10
A fun little horror picture.
I have long felt that the western genre was ripe to be mixed with the horror genre and it's nice to finally see someone agree with me. Mixing the elements alone wouldn't have worked if the film was lacking, fortunately that is not the case. During the civil war period, a gang performs a violent bank robbery and then steals off, heading for the border with Mexico. Along the way they stop for rest at an abandoned farm. During their stay it begins to become increasingly clear that things are not right with the house and the land it occupies. Before long survival becomes the only question. The set-up itself is not original, but the time period most certainly is. It takes an already violent period in history and puts an even darker twist on it. Complimenting the action well is an overall nice cast that seem to fit their roles and avoid chewing the scenery. I give biggest props to the creature designers; though there is precious little footage of the beasts, what you do get to see is unique and frightening. One of the better horror films in recent years, combining atmosphere and suspense with some good-old-fashioned visceral scares for max effect. The only glaring problem is a prodding mid-section of the film that runs on a little too long without much happening. Quality scares worth a look. 8/10
Better than expected--well-made and scary
After robbing a bank (quite violently I might add), a group of crooks head out to an abandoned Alabama farm house, but strange goins' ons' begin to occur, and one by one, the crooks get killed off in gory ways. Once in a while, you pick up a film you've never heard prior to seeing it in the videostore that turns out a hundred times better than you expect. "Dead Birds" is one such film, or it was for me at least. The acting is all-around great. The cast is also unusually good for a DTV horror film, including Henry Thomas (Gangs of New York) and Nicki Lynn Aycox(Jeepers Creepers 2). Director Alex Turner has done a fantastic job with his directional debut. The film has a terrific atmosphere and a great, polished look. He handles the scary moments like a pro and I plan to keep my eye on any future projects from Mr. Turner, he obviously has quite a bit of talent. The production values were excellent. The make-up and creature effects were great and the period costumes, sets, etc. are very convincing. Kudos to the entire crew on this one for managing to transcend their low-budget roots and pulling off a thoroughly believable, impressive-looking film on all levels. The score, by Peter Lopez, was great. Very ambient, haunting and scary as hell; I'd like to own the soundtrack and hope to hear more of Lopez's work in the future. A great horror movie. Slick, scary, well-made and acted, "Dead Birds" is a flick all horror fans will enjoy. Definitely deserves a place along with "Saw" and "Dawn of the Dead" as one of the best horror films of 2004. 8.5/10.
It's watchable, not as bad as other's have portrayed it
This isn't great horror, but it's definitely good enough to watch; I would watch it again in a minute. Certainly the territory has been covered before with shock horror and a twist ending, but I wasn't expecting some great burst of originality, just a decent movie experience, and I found it. There are the standard horror clichés; people where they shouldn't be, ignoring all the warning signs and acting somewhat stupidly. You've seen it before, you'll see it again, and it's here in all it's splendor - however, that doesn't spoil the movie. There are decent special effects, some good shock moments, and a twist at the end to fulfill your expectations and keep you from falling asleep. It's worth a rental if you're in the mood for some horror and nothing else catches your eye.
Classic horror
From the opening of the film to the final frame I really felt like I was watching something I had not seen before. It was a great horror film but it also made me think of the Twilght Zone. The look of the film was beautiful, very dark and brooding. Someone mentioned a Polanski influence but I see it more as Polanski by way of early Cronenberg or John Carpenter. Unlike some of the other people who have commented here, I enjoyed the fact that the film took its time setting up the events in the house. It made the scares that much more effective. I would like to see the film again (I saw it at the Toronto International Film Festival) Does anyone know when it will be in theaters?