i only saw about two thirds of this film, but the bit in the cellar where that black womans stomach falls open and this weird thing starts rising up...
is there any explanation for that later in the film? if not, does anybody know what it is?
You have to see the rest of the film to understand this mystery!!
shareI have seen the rest of this film and still do not have a clue as to why it is called dead birds. Anyone want to clear that up for me?
shareThe title is an allegory for William's gang - the people who wind up hiding in the house. Sort of like if you called a movie "Sitting Ducks" but saw no ducks in it - you might then apply it to the people who kept getting picked off throughout the movie rather than wonder where all the ducks are.
shareI watched the film and I still didn't get it. What was it?
shareOn the commentary the director explains that this is a sacrifice the man of the house was doing, in order to work his magic (reference by the spell book). The "thing" is her intestines. They look they way they do because it is supposed to be the man lifting them out of her during the sacrifice, but we don't see him, just her. This is somewhat unnecissary to understand however, and the director also notes how many thought it was a sacrifice and that the intestines were the release of the demons, coming out from her. He said that that was okay. That it worked too.
I don't think the backstory in the entirity (which is detailed on the commentary tracks) is very important to understand completely - as long as you get that black magic there released possession-like demons that destroyed the family and now prey those passing by.
I have the VHS version of this movie, and I don't think there are is any commentary with it, but thank you for clearing that up so well. I am going back to watch it again-I think I missed some things that might help it make more sense to me. :-)
sharethen the director should have made that clearer in the film - I thought it was some creature coming out of her
shareyes!
No mystery
They needed a better arts department to show it was her stomach bits being pulled out for a sacrifice, not large bits of goopy red rope that almost looked like a creature (chestburster style)
I personally think it was one of the demons or evil spirits that was summoned up by the plantation owner.
That black woman slave was a sacrifice to the demons he was summoning forth.
It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere.
Voltaire