Dead Birds Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
There are worse things than dying
In 1863, in Fairhope, Alabama, a group of former Confederate soldiers robbers a commerce bank and kills many clients and employees. While escaping to Mexico, they spend the night in an isolated house that belonged to a dead soldier of their company. When weird events happen in the stormy night, they find that the dwellers are demons.
| Henry Thomas | William |
| Patrick Fugit | Sam |
| Nicki Aycox | Annabelle |
| Michael Shannon | Clyde |
| Muse Watson | Father |
| Mark Boone Junior | Joseph |
| Isaiah Washington | Todd |
| Harris Mann | Jeffy Hollister |
| Melanie Abramoff | Girl Ghost |
| Donna Biscoe | Black Woman |
| Brian Bremer | Hysterical Man |
| Russ Comegys | Kormer |
| David Dwyer | MacCready |
| Michael Faella | Johnson |
| Steve Green | Boy Ghost |
| Alex Turner |
5.70 out of 10 (2899 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Not good
posted on 29 Jun 2009This was not a good movie. It has its moments, but they are too inter-spaced by routine scenes that try to be atmospheric but fail to be anything other than average. Apart from a few scenes that are more shocking than actually scary, the basement scene being a perfect example of this ****spoiler: we get to see a disemboweled slave screaming in sheer horror****The plot, somewhat random and never too solid, tries to gain a justification through a series of flash backs, never quite making a point. Tying up the events with an historically defined time frame ("the old days of the wild, wild west") only dragged it through a muddled compound of anachronisms and made the paper thing characters even less believable. In fact, just about the only thing that is decent about this movie is the house itself, especially in the first scenes, when we get to see it brooding over a large, darkening field of corn. Sadly, it is hardly enough to save this flawed piece of wannabe horror. There is a twist at the end, but overall it is predictable and bellow average.
Fantastic movie!!!
posted on 23 Jun 2009I watch a lot of horror movies and I really enjoyed this one. I guess what I liked best about it was the time period. It takes place in the United States during the Civil War. The only horror movies I ever see that take place in the 1800s are about Jack the Ripper, so this movie was definitely unusual.It is about one woman and several men that rob and a bank and then look for a place to hide out. One of the guys knows of an abandoned farm place. They finally find the place and have to walk across a corn field to get to the plantation house. Night comes and then the terror begins! Scary as h@#%! Great movie!!
Better than expected period horror with creepy atmosphere
posted on 24 May 2009A group Confederate deserters rob a bank, killing anyone in their way, and find their way to an old plantation where they plan to hide out. Unfortunately, something else has already claimed it as home. The first part of Dead Birds is so over-the-top with violence, silly gore effects, and stupid behavior, that I thought I was going to hate it. I am glad I stayed with it because this is a damn decent horror movie and one of the better recent offerings from the haunted house subgenre. The huge empty plantation has a very eerie atmosphere the moment the soldiers step in it. The score (which sometimes consists of a single hum) is excellent and really creeped me out. I muted the volume several times to make sure the sound wasn't coming from somewhere in my apartment. The special effects are hit or miss--some of the CGI is effectively frightening, some is overkill. The same goes for the make-up effects. The direction and camera-work are both impressive. Lots of attention is given to small details, making it more complex than your average straight-to-vid horror fare. The acting is at times great (Patrick Fugit, Henry Washington) or deadpan (Henry Thomas does not make a believable leader). The storyline is well structured, but the script could have used better dialogue to complement it. The Dead Birds borrows ideas from many other horror movies, but presents them from a fresh angle. The film requires the viewer to think about it a bit, but if you think too hard it falls flat. So don't. One of the better "period" horrors I've seen. My Rating: 7/10.
Dead Birds Movie Explained
posted on 16 May 2009The link below will take you to an article on "Dead Birds", a definitive guide to clearing up any misinformation or confusion about the movie, which was compiled by Elaine Lamkin with the assistance of the Director and the Writer of Dead Birds. Remember the small piece of jewelry Todd takes out of his shirt while sitting alone in the Hollister house? Find out what it was, plus the real meaning behind the title and other bits you may have missed or didn't understand.WARNING!!!! Here there be many spoilers if you haven't seen the film! Stop now and watch the movie first!http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_3871.html
DUDE!! See This....
posted on 14 May 2009When I'm watching a good "creep" flick, I have a certain posture in my movie-watching chair: leaning forward, fists clenched, eyes sorta bugged out of my head, trying hard not to miss even a second of dialogue...I never left that position throughout this entire movie! I can't believe I never heard of its release...Don't care what you read here: if you love the supernatural/suspense genre, see this flick immediately. I don't usually gush over silly horror movies, but BOY did this satisfy. I'm probably gonna have to buy it (and I'm really old!) Can't recommend enough...gawd, that DVD loop is still blasting through my speakers, and still giving me the total creeps...SEVEN THUMBS UP!!!! (I'm from Uranus)...
Not bad, but not great either... a wasted opportunity!
posted on 10 May 2009In the wonderfully bloodthirsty opening to Dead Birds, a gang of ruthless criminals hold up a bank, killing everyone inside and getting away with a fortune in Confederate gold. They travel to a deserted farmhouse, where they intend to spend the night, before travelling to Mexico to share their ill-gotten gains.But, in the tradition of many a horror film, this particular house is home to some hideous demons, unleashed by the owner in a black-magic ritual gone wrong.Director Alex Turner is content to take his time building the tension and setting the mood, and this is perhaps his undoing; by the time he is ready to unleash the demons and let the horror truly begin, the audience has had to sit through far too much chatter from the thieves and watch their aimless wandering around the spooky old house. A few effective shocks (using pretty good CGI FX) are thrown in to liven up the proceedings, but it just isn't enough – even a few more gory moments do little to improve matters.After a promising start, I thought I had discovered a real treat. Alas, it turned out to be nothing more than a so-so affair.
Different, creepy, and COOL!
posted on 04 May 2009I hunted this movie after seeing a couple of photos in Fangoria magazine a few months ago. I expected a low-budget, low-quality, semi-scary flick (I mean, how good could a Civil War-era horror flick actually BE??), but I was horribly (in a pleasant way) surprised! While I admit that I had to watch it twice to get the whole subplot clear in my head, this movie scared the *bleep* out of me! The creatures/victims were so nightmarish that I plan to avoid children for quite a while! *Spoilers* I'm not the quickest person on the uptake when it comes to subtle plot explanations, but I have read various reviews that seem to have missed the whole point of this movie. "Dog" did not turn bad at the end of the movie; that reviewer apparently dozed off during the last few moments. The children were not brought back from the dead by their father, but were instead "changed". The end of this movie was one of the best "No F-ing Way!!" moments I've seen in a LONG time! The only scene I'm a little fuzzy on now is the slave woman's "birthing" scene - what the hell WAS that thing? In short, I loved this movie, I plan to see it at least a few more times, and I will definitely end up owning a copy. And to the director Alex Turner, if you ever do a sequel to this, can I PLEASE be in it?? I'd love to be turned into one of those creepy toothy creatures!!
The best Horror movie of the last 5 years
posted on 04 Apr 2009Head and shoulders above The Ring, The Grudge, Cursed or any of that drivel. I thought the performances were solid and the story unique enough to hold my attention throughout. Now, I love horror flicks so I know the good from the bad and this one belongs in the same class as the LeCeremonie, Halloween and even a little Three Kings (though that;s not really a horror flick -- the plot mirrors that and the haunted house type genre. But this is a period piece so the special effects are geared toward the supernatural rather than some high-tech effect. A dynamite experience I would recommend to anyone who like an effective thriller.
How horror should be done! **** out of 5
posted on 27 Mar 2009We don't see many horror flicks like this one anymore. This is something of a masterpiece in my opinion. The director really knows how to set up a scare scene. It takes a lot to scare me, and this one succeeded in doing just that. I think a huge plus is the time period they set it in. And the locations they shot this movie in are terrific. Everything really works here, acting, lighting, camera work, music, special effects. They all join forces to make something truly unique.Admittedly the plot isn't exactly all that new, but with horror in general you can't really find a plot that hasn't been used some how or another. The trick as director and writer is to make that plot your own and make something new out of it. And the certainly did make something new out of it because I can't say I've seen anything quite like this movie.I DARE you to watch this ALONE with the lights out late at night. Once the movie is over and you are in bed under the covers I think it's safe to say that you won't easily go to sleep.SCYTHE WATCH ALERT: You can see the preacher man holding a scythe when he's looking for the boy under the bed. Also you can see a scythe hanging from inside the barn in one of the later scenes. (By the way 'scythe watch' is an alert system that let's you know when a scythe can be spotted in a film)
Umm Confused to say the Least
posted on 23 Mar 2009May contain Spoiler. Odd name for a Movie,but understand the meaning from the beginning. Seemed to have missed a few points here and there but all in all a pretty good scare. Didn't really get the ending and bothered me for a couple of days until I started reading up about it, Plus watching Ghost Hunters helped with explain of different hauntings. Nice period clothes and setting of house & travels was a good part of the movie along with some Good actors. But Movies was kinda up & down. I am still confused about Who stole the Gold. I recommended it to some of My friends to see what they come up with. Not a Bad Movie, Did scare me a bit and OK Script. I'd watch it again in case I missed something. WATCH-LEARN-LISTEN & DISCUSS
Something to crow about
posted on 26 Jan 2009As an ardent horror fan, I'm quite snobby about what scares me in in films.I am happy to have come across this unexpected little DVD in Blockbuster earlier today.Strong points of the movie would be innovative genre blending, authentic Southern Gothic set, superb cast of actors and a good restraint of shock value.Also impressed by the high quality end product on such a low budget. (something like a piddling 2 mil) The only drawbacks I found were an anti-climactic denouement and not enough sympathy created for any of the characters during the robbery scene.I might add that the DVD includes an informative little Making of Dead Birds short and some deleted scenes to flesh out the story a bit.
Money might be the root of all evil, but this estate gives it a real shake.
posted on 07 Dec 2008In 1863 during the American Civil war a group of outlaws rob a bank in small town in a quick and very bloody shootout. After the successful job they take refuge in a deserted plantation house. Where, they would ride out to Mexico the following morning. But there is something not quite right about this abandon estate, because they start encountering terrifying and strange visions that have something to do with the horrific past of the house.I remember there being a whole lot of buzz around this film over a year ago. I actually got caught up in it that when I found a copy and I bought it, but sadly I was far from impressed when I finally watched it. I did not hate it, but more so disappointed. So when I was going through my collection looking for something I had not watched for a while, the film definitely caught my eye and I thought who knows maybe I'll have a change of mind. Well, that was most the definitely the case here, although it did not entirely blow me away, but I did a back-flip on my initial thoughts. Watching it late at night also helped me into it even more.Director Alex Turner's indie flick "Dead Birds" is an slow-burner, period horror story that effectively cooks up an bone jarring atmosphere and some unnerving visuals. It's simple as that - because the film's only real purpose is to raise the hairs on your skin. From Peter Lopez's densely, active to sometimes quite faint score and gloomy and very saturated colour scheme that saps the life right out of the picture. Very depressive and glum fit's the description accurately. It reminded a lot of the ghost films in the last few years, especially the crop that has flooded the Asian market. But while it has that slow and subtle build up of inspiring dread like those particular films, it also gives us some grisly violence and sadism. I found some of the sudden deaths to be rather spine-tingling and the hypnotic cinematography help's the eerie location take shape. The ghosts and demons are damn right freaky and grotesque in detail and make-up. Maybe at times it did go a bit over board in the CGI department and even so with some quick editing, but still the images have a lasting affect.Simon Barrett's story plays it out rather leisurely by giving you a piece of the puzzle here and there. It drops off many small hints to what's about to come, which makes the plot a little more complex than I initially thought - since it disguises them incredibly well. Some things are left up in the air and never truly expanded on, but I guess that's just the supernatural for ya. But saying that it still follows some conventional patterns like that of individuals cracking under the pressure and doing the mistake of going off alone, a stormy night breaks through and an isolated house that has a tragic history in the middle on nowhere. But the most common one is things that go "boo!" in the night. The way the story is structured you're just waiting for something big to breakout. The characters are by the books with some decent performances by Patrick Fugit, Isaiah Washington, Nicki Aycox and Michael Shannon, though I thought Henry Thomas was rather bland as the leader. The script is so-so, but at least it keeps it rather tight and sticks close to the people than that of heading off into another direction. The film only goes for just over 80 minutes, so it doesn't seem to overly drag. The production is rather lustrous with convincing period detail from the costumes to the backdrop.I just guess I was expecting far more from it the first time, but second time around got into this foreboding atmospheric presentation, which drills away with its intense chills and unnatural hints.
Potential but nothing really there.
posted on 30 Oct 2008I saw this movie on pay-per view one night when nothing else was on. My biggest complaint came towards the beginning when the confederates rob the bank killing a bunch of people in the process. This made me very unsympathetic towards their plight- frankly, I thought they got what they deserved! All in all it was a creepy movie. I liked the acting, especially Henry Thomas. The behind the scenes stuff was all good and the special effects looked great. I juts wish that the writers would have skipped all the gun play at the bank allowing us too have more sympathy for the Confederates. Call me old fashioned but I like my lead characters to not be thugs.
Dead movie
posted on 10 Oct 2008I'm all for atmosphere, implied horror, oddball horror stories and the like (check out my reviews) but I'm not for dull and meandering nonsense as well, and DEAD BIRDS falls into that category. DEAD BIRDS is really not that different from something like THE SKELETON KEY, which I thought was pure junk. DEAD BIRDS is a tad better than THE SKELETON KEY but still, it's not that much better. I don't know who started the trend of combining colonialism/black magic/slavery and the horror genre but up to now, those films just don't do anything for me.The surprise ending is neither surprising or an ending. Like so many films today, the ending is like the beginning and the beginning is like the ending...or vise versa, etc...mobius strip theme is overused, to say the least.The good thing about DEAD BIRDS is that it's much better than SCARECROWS.
Confederates battle the supernatural.
posted on 20 Jul 2008Suspenseful horror. A group of Civil War soldiers rob a bank and seek refuge inside an abandoned plantation mansion. A cornfield serves warning of a creepy night ahead. While a raging thunderstorm begins to consume the night, each soldier begins to have supernatural visitations from the trapped souls that suffered atrocities within the mansion walls. Evil forces still plague this mansion that once housed a very troubled family. No longer is stolen gold a priority...sustaining life and sanity is. This fantastic horror flick stars: Henry Thomas, Michael Shannon, Patrick Fugit, Nicki Lynn Aycox, Isaiah Washington and Mark Boone Junior. Genuinely scary and highly recommended.
One Of The Most Brilliant Horror Films of Late
posted on 14 Jul 2008Saw it in Toronto and not since Polanski's THE TENANT or REPULSION have I seen a film that scared me so much. Of course, the only thing of the last few years to compare it to is THE RING.I've never seen a Civil War era horror film and this was certainly original.Just haven't seen it before and it has metaphysical twist that delivers. It's a twist reminiscent of THE SIXTH SENSE, but just cooler.It may mean many things to many people, but the film is first off scary as hell and secondly, intelligent. It also some of the best performances I've seen horror film since THE OTHERS. Thomas, Fugit, Washington and Shannon just bust out.Some get and some don't. That's the best type of film. Can't wait for my friends back in the states to see it!
Presenting the movie "Shining in the Corn" set to a civil war backdrop.
posted on 06 Jul 2008By no means do I mean to imply this movie is bad or anything, but it is sort of a combination of two Stephen King movies "The Shining" and "Children of the Corn" set in the civil war times. In fact, I found this movie rather good, a nice atmospheric horror movie that isn't geared to teens as the main cast are all adults. The story, a group of what appears to be confederate soldiers robs another group of confederate soldiers while they are attempting to place it in a bank for safe keeping...basically a bank robbery. They flee to a house one of the members of thieves has been told about and plan to wait out an incoming storm and stay the night and head for Mexico in the morning. To bad things don't go as planned as there seems to be something terribly wrong at the house they are staying at. Meanwhile, two of the robbers start plotting to take all the gold for themselves and another is getting rather sick from an infection of a gunshot wound he sustained during the robbery. There also seems to be someone or something else in the house with them as they see footprints of people and of some sort of beast. There is also the occasional chuckle of a sweet child's laughter...you know the type that evil kid laugh that just makes your skin crawl. Well before you know it our group begins to get killed by something and some of them begin to receive visions of terrible things that have happened at the house. Like I said it plays out rather well, I could have used a bit more scares and gore, but I won't complain to much. As for the title of the movie not being really descriptive of said movie it is not. There is really only one dead bird that sticks out and it really has nothing to do with the plot. Really only showing that the land the robbers have now walked on is a place of death. Then again if the title description did fit the movie would be about zombie birds on the attack and that would not be very good...well it might be a little fun to watch, but most likely it would be a rather bad movie.
Weak!!!!!
posted on 22 Jun 2008This movie was really disappointing. I went with a friend that usually gets very scared at horror movies and jumps all the time and this movie failed to make anyone in the theater, it seemed, jump. The story was't too bad, it was kinda interesting but just fails to be enjoyable. This first time director really didn't do a bad job directing, he just needs to pick a better script next time. I say if your looking into seeing a horror movie, go see Reeker. Or another one that was interestingly not bad was The Roost. So really, just pass on this movie, your not missing anything special."Move along folks, nothing to see here"
Brilliant modern horror!
posted on 22 Jun 2008I don't care what some of the haters say - this is an absolutely brilliant modern horror film. This movie really stands out from most of the other horror movies I've seen lately, like Boogyman or the Grudge. It not only has a ton of spooky atmosphere but you've also got a great cast of really interesting characters. When was the last time you saw Henry Thomas and Patrick Fugit in a cool independent horror movie? The pace was what really sets the movie apart. Sure its slow but that's what makes it suspenseful. The music was haunting and when the scares come along, wow!! My wife and I jumped at least four or five times while watching this movie at home. I can't remember the last time that happened. Dead Birds is like an episode of Deadwood that takes place in the Twilight Zone. Check it out.
"I had this idea.....
posted on 16 Aug 2009...but I don't remember it all. I think was like this...." I think this is what the director was thinking. I read about this movie in Fangoria, and it sounded interesting. I saw it, and I was let down. It started out pretty well, it had that creepy atmosphere that The Others set so well, but I think that was all it had. I got the feeling that the people who were making the film had a really good idea, but failed to fully flesh it out. The actual explanation they give is kinda weak, and seems almost contrived. I would have liked a bit more background. I still gave it an 8 out 10 for some interesting visuals, and I really liked the atmosphere a lot. Oh, and whatshisface from E.T. was in it.