Birdy (film)
| Birdy | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Alan Parker |
| Produced by |
Ned Kopp David Manson Alan Marshall |
| Written by |
Sandy Kroopf Jack Behr William Wharton (novel) |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Peter Gabriel |
| Cinematography | Michael Seresin |
| Edited by | Gerry Hambling |
| Distributed by | TriStar Pictures |
Release dates | December 21, 1984 |
Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $7.5 million |
| Box office | $1,455,045 |
Birdy is a 1984 American drama film directed by Alan Parker, and stars Matthew Modine and Nicolas Cage. It is based on William Wharton's novel of the same name, although the film is set in the Vietnam War era and not during World War II.
Synopsis
Two teens, Birdy (Modine) and Al (Cage), become friends at school and serve in Vietnam. Birdy has long been disturbingly fixated with birds and his Vietnam experiences push him over the edge: returning from the war, he is hospitalized for a psychiatric assessment and Al tries to reach him before he'll be separated from Birdy, leaving him alone and lost. As the story develops, flashback scenes show their lives as teens in a working-class neighborhood of Philadelphia in the 1960s, and their developing friendship and viewpoints.
Cast
- Matthew Modine as Birdy
- Nicolas Cage as Al Columbato
- John Harkins as Dr. Weiss
- Sandy Baron as Mr. Columbato
- Karen Young as Hannah Rourke
- Bruno Kirby as Renaldi
- Nancy Fish as Mrs. Prevost
- George Buck as Birdy's Father
- Dolores Sage as Birdy's Mother
- Pat Ryan as Joe Sagessa
- James Santini as Mario Columbato
- Maud Winchester as Doris Robinson
- Marshall Bell as Ronsky
- Elizabeth Whitcraft as Rosanne
- Sandra Beall as Shirley
- Victoria Nekko as Claire
- Crystal Field as Mrs. Columbato
- John Brumfeld as Mr. Kohler
Soundtrack
The film's soundtrack was written and performed by Peter Gabriel. The music includes adaptations of tracks on Gabriel's third and fourth albums. The music makes heavy use of the Fairlight CMI IIx music computer, an early sampling system. Peter Gabriel was one of the first buyers of the Fairlight CMI IIx.
Reception
The film received the Grand Prize of the Jury at the 1985 Cannes Film Festival.[1] Roger Ebert gave the film four stars (out of four),[2] and at Rotten Tomatoes currently (2011) it has a rating of 88% based on 25 reviews. Halliwell's Film Guide claimed the film "somewhat lacks plot advancement" and is "too self-indulgent even to earn marks for trying."[3] allmovie.com's review states that the movie "maintains its focus on the humanity of central characters",[4] as well as giving credit to the lead actors, stating that "Modine delivers a stirring performance as the title character, and Cage's blend of intensity and vulnerability is perfect for the role of Birdy's concerned friend".[5]
References
- ↑ "Festival de Cannes: Birdy". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
- ↑ http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19840101/REVIEWS/401010309/1023
- ↑ Halliwell's Film Guide, 13th edition - ISBN 0-00-638868-X.
- ↑ hhttp://www.allmovie.com/movie/birdy-v60910/review
- ↑ hhttp://www.allmovie.com/movie/birdy-v60910/review
External links
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