MovieChat Forums > Dead Birds (2005) Discussion > the birds

the birds

posted 20 years ago by martyvowell
10 replies | jump to latest

This movie was sweet. This isn't a hater comment but im sick of this ring crap, the scariest movie ever? Come on. No offense to you ring lovers but that move didn't have verymuch substance at all. The concept was just plain stipid and if it weren't for that cheap girl in the closet scare than I bet that movie would not even be remembered.

Dead Birds was very slick and very dark. the atmosphere was awesome in that house, and in my opinion wwhat made this movie scarier than the ring was the build up in scenes. Instead of a calm comversation with a dead girl flasing up, there are things going on building up the the scare. I dont even like horror movies that jum out scare tactics, they're cheap and are too lazy to build suspense and tension by using story, creepy atmosphere and events. The question i have is about what do the dead birds on the ground represent? Does it possibly represent the people in the house as a forshadowing tool?

Dont try to bash me about the ring thing either, I'm just sharing my opinion and "you're stupid and have no idea what a good horror movie is!" in no way proves your point.

[–] hoodyrock 20 years ago

If you watch it with the directors commentary, he does imply that the dead birds represent the people who are about to die. Nice call.
And yes, way scarier than The Ring or The Grudge, or any of the other weak horror movies that get by with hot chicks in the lead. For me, it's the subtle sounds (and the lack of sound) that creates the eerie mood and lets you know that something is very wrong with this place. Good make-up effects, good editing (the whole gimpse into hell bit), great acting, and awesome sound makes this one of the best horror films I've seen in a long time.

[–] YouIsDead 20 years ago

I agree that sound design is what mostly makes a horror film. Lack of sound too, but hoodyrock, lack of sound does not apply to Dead Birds. ;-) I don't think there was 10 seconds in this film without sound. It has that creepy low frequency noise all throughout the entire movie, in a manner similar to David Lynch's films and, to some degree, Se7en. In fact, the score of Dead Birds is very reminiscent of Howard Shore's work on Se7en.

I just finished watching Dead Birds and enjoyed it a lot. I admire the fact that the movie never tried stupid humor, it stayed true to its goal of scaring all throughout and the ending was very good. I always fear being let down by the ending of a horror film, because that happens a lot. Many films are very good, until they end. But Dead Birds' end did not let me down.

Another good recent underground american horror movie I recomend is Tobe Hooper's Toolbox Murders, check out that one, it also maintains a creepy on-the-edge-of-your-seat atmosphere from begining to end, no humor.

[–] ss5mmyers 20 years ago

Agreed. Deadbirds was right on track. Hard to believe but the highest ranking horror movies of this year are the lesser known like this and malevolence. This movie delved back into territory untouched in a long time. Truly original in its plot. The best parts had to be the kids and the demon faces. You don't have time to analyze the normal faces before they demon out on you. perfect 10.

[–] stephencray 20 years ago

"And yes, way scarier than The Ring or The Grudge"

Really? I liked Dead Birds myself, but the imagry reminded me entirely of "Ju-On: The Grudge", right down to the ghostly son and wife (with a liberal amount of "Evil Dead" tossed into the mix as well.

PAX...

[–] 20 years ago

[deleted]

[–] faustshausuk 20 years ago

I really want to see this movie, but a comparison to The Toolbox Murders puts me off. Why? Because it was probably one of the least scary, most poorly executed movies of the past few years.

However, this is from someone who hasn't seen the original. Maybe it's an improvement and that's why it's well received by some.

[–] ValleyLad2005 19 years ago

I dont thunk this has anything to do with the toolbox murders. The only thing thats thats the same is that you have spells in both films. thats it.

Dead Birds is really good. And I agree, Way better that the grudge or The Ring. I am not saying that they were crap. It was different to watch, a horror film set in the old days in alabama. It was way cool. The only light they had was the lamps they carried, everything in the house was eerie because they looked so old, the house itself looked really eerie.

If you dont understand somethigns in the film go to this website

http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_3871.html

It has everything that you may want to know from the director himself.

Bye

[–] oroonocross 19 years ago

No, the movie was completely lame ass boring. I really can't imagine why:
A. People would want to be in this movie
B. This movie was even made

I mean, it debuted in Toronto. It there was a bright spot in the center of the universe, Toronto is the city its farthest from.

[–] YouIsDead 19 years ago

faustshausuk - "I really want to see this movie, but a comparison to The Toolbox Murders puts me off. Why? Because it was probably one of the least scary, most poorly executed movies of the past few years."

Well, sorry for misguiding you, I didn't mean that the two movies were comparable directly... They are very different. I just mentioned Toolbox Murders cause neither of them tries humor. Similarities end right there.

I agree that Toolbox Murders looks very cheap and poorly executed, in fact it looks made in the late 70's / early 80's but that was its charm to me. Acting is very bad and the camera sometimes shakes all over the place with very odd angles but it takes you to those glory days of horror movies before this puritan age we're currently living. The photography was actually what I liked more in Toolbox Murders.

Now for Dead Birds, nothing like that. It's a straight horror movie not about a killer that takes place all at night in an old cabin. The tone of Dead Birds is like the first 40 minutes of Lynch's Lost Highway, if you will. Slow pace, all dark, hard to see, and a constant uncomfortable low frequency noise over the soundtrack. See it. :-)

[–] CrimsonKingLives 19 years ago

hey i just rented this movie tonite, it looks scary and im just wondering...is it really? Those-things on the cover look terrifying, and i'm not a wuss, but i tend to look beyond what's shown in the film to what's really scary, and well it sounds just really scary, so will someone fill me in on that plz, thx