DVD Collectors Online

The Bird With the Crystal Plumage, a review by Danae Cassandra

Film #2 of Scavenger Hunt 22
Task #26: Watch an Italian horror movie (because 17 is unlucky in Italy)



The Bird With the Crystal Plumage (L'Uccello dalle piume di cristallo)
Year of Release: 1970
Directed By: Dario Argento
Starring: Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Enrico Maria Salerno, Eva Renzi, Umberto Raho
Genre: Horror, Suspense/Thriller, Giallo

Overview:My Thoughts:
I watched this back in October, and I gave it such a high rating that my mom really wanted to watch it as well, so it seemed like the perfect choice for this task in the scavenger hunt.

As far as the second viewing goes, I still think just as well of the film this time as I did two months ago. Mom really enjoyed the film as well, especially that things don't always go the way you expect them to. While the apartment scene is the most actively horrific, the ending still holds the most horror for me, simply in its implications. I'm also still impressed by how beautiful the film is - the lighting, color palette and cinematography. I would still really highly recommend this film, it is so good.

Bechdel Test: Fail

Mako Mori Test: Fail

Overall: 4/5

(From Scavenger Hunt #22 on December 31st, 2016)

Deadtime Stories, a review by addicted2dvd

Deadtime Stories
Your favorite nightmares come to life in a horror/fantasy salute to the age-old bedtime story ritual. Travel on a mysterious journey to a medieval world populated by blood-crazed witches, evil experiments and captive maidens.

Then from the catacombs and dark caverns of medieval Europe, you plunge into modern suburbia and the frolicsome adventures of a nubile lady jogger stalked by a savage werewolf.

Finally, sensuality becomes macabre black comedy as you follow the trail of three escaped mental patients who share a country house with a daffy murderess.

My Thoughts:
Time for a new Anthology horror. I thought I might have seen this one before... but I didn't. I must have just remembered seeing the case at the video store or something. It is a good movie.... but is far from the best anthology horror I ever seen. Really is pretty low-budget... and some of the acting left much to be desired. But it had it's moments. I think of all the stories I liked the werewolf story the best. The witch story was pretty cool as well... but the last story didn't work very well for me. It was actually more silly then anything.



(From Weekend Movie Marathon: 1/9 - 1/11 on January 10th, 2009)

"Stargate SG-1" Marathon, a review by DJ Doena

Synopsis: SG-1 is still searching for the "Lost City" or - as Jonas translates it now - "City of the Lost", a city of the Ancients that wasn't fully completed. They try to find the city with the help of the Gate addresses Jack entered into the computer when he had the knowledge of the Ancients. But they find something different - someone, to be precise.

My Opinion: The attack on Anubis's ship was a nice homage to the battle above Yavin in Star Wars IV, including Jack's comment that his F-302 (it's obviously not eXperimental anymore) should have the call sign "Red Leader". Michael Shanks has re-joined the main cast and returns to his role as Dr. Daniel Jackson. And while I liked Jonas, Daniel is somehow better. Jack and Daniel know each other for over seven years and even in the end Jonas was still "the new guy". The chemistry between Jack and Daniel worked instantaneously again in terms of: they like each other but are totally different.

Synopsis: Daniel and Jonas are still aboard Anubis's ship which hovers now over the capitol of Kelowna. Anubis wants to have the Naqahdriah and the knowledge of how to create a stable reaction.

My Opinion: On one hand it's understandable that Jonas returns home. Daniel is back and all three countries on his home planet know about the Stargate now. It's a bit sad, though. But since Daniel and he had basically the same role within SG-1 it would be hard to acknowledge this fact in future scripts.

Synopsis: When Jack awakes one morning, he is a teenanger of fifteen years. No one believes that he is Colonel Jack O'Neill. After his DNA has been confirmed they try to find out what happened and how to reverse it.

My Opinion: This time I even looked on the clock. The first appearance of RDA was in the 31st minute of this 42 minute episode. On the other hand one has to get used to it since his screen time will drop considerably from the 8th season on.
But it was good to see that not all Asgard are good and perfect, that even they have black sheeps.

Synopsis: After T'ealc has been wounded on a mission, he begins to doubt himself. Since he has lost "Junior" and has begun to inject Tretonin he doesn't feel as a full-fledged Jaffa anymore. But then there's a new crisis arising, Bra'tac and Rya'c are prisoners in a work camp that one only leaves dead.

My Opinion: A very good episode to show that something has changed for Teal'c. A symbiote has been part of his body for about 90 years (Teal'c is approximately 104 years old at this time) and now this part is missing. I can imagine that this is hard to get used to. I also liked the scene where his son helped im through the crisis by letting Teal'c kill the other Jaffa with his bare hands.

(From "Stargate SG-1" Marathon on April 13th, 2008)