Dead Birds (2005) | DVD Reviews | DVDs

Reviewed by Carol Sullivan

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Released: March 15, 2005
Rating: R for strong violence and gore

Director: Alex Turner
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DVD FEATURES
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Commentary With Director Alex Turner

Cast and Crew Commentary

Dead Birds Trailer

Making Dead Birds

Deleted Scenes

Anyone Else Alive in Here?
Who'd You Say Runs This House We're Going To?
Maybe a Boar and a Dog Had a Kid...
That Thing Is God Damned Useless Sam
Something Spooked Him...

Previews

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"I've opened the door...and they are here forever..."
- Farmer

Every horror fan can sympathize with me on this scenario: We find a movie we've never heard of. We then rent it on spec and, once we've watched it, we wanna fling it out the nearest window... We then realize exactly why we've never heard of it before-it's terrible!!!!

Am I right, folks? Well, let me give you hope. I have found one of those rare and delicious exceptions to the rule: a film that has renewed my faith in under-the-radar horror movies.

The year is 1863 and we are in Alabama as a scruffy gang of thieves is robbing a small town bank. The gang, led by William (Henry Thomas, Desperation) and his girlfriend, Annabelle (Nicki Aycox, Jeepers Creepers 2), kill everyone in their path as they make their escape into the nearby woods. Miles from nowhere, they then hole-up for the night in an abandoned farm house that William has heard tell of.

Now this is one creepy southern mansion; surrounded by fields of dead corn and lonely woods, where the only sound is the whine of cicadas.

As a thunderstorm approaches, the tired and half-drunken thieves begin to hear scratches in the walls, eerie laughter and voices from the nearby well. As they do not trust one other with the stolen gold, they try to stay awake as the horrible mansion comes alive. Seems like the farmer that lived there before had tried to bring his wife back from the dead and opened a demon's gateway, in the process...

I found it fascinating that the writer, Simon Barrett, chose to have this story take place in the Civil War era. It was a original and refreshing twist on the expected horror-fare. Having the movie in such a setting must have been a challenge, but the imaginative filmmakers saw to every detail in this period film. Each character is acted to perfection and has the right clothes, accents and references to slavery that were prevalent at the time. When things get scary and smack of the supernatural, what do these characters do? Why, they draw their six-shooters, what else? This adds an unexpected layer to the overall atmosphere.

In his directorial debut, Alex Turner does an impressive job of bringing this troubled time in history to life. Great angles and moody shots of this creepy old house speak volumes on what one can do with even a limited budget.

All in all, Dead Birds has everything that a horror fan could want; it's creepy, gruesome and terrifically scary. I love it when a movie that I've never heard of exceeds my expectations. So, don't let this one get by you; you'd really be missing a quality movie. It's well made, well acted and very disturbing!

Recommended as a rental and/or purchase.

Overall Rating: 4

VIDEO | Official Trailer

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