Birdy (1984)

Director:

Alan Parker

Writers:

Sandy Kroopf (screenplay) and
Jack Behr (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

21 December 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A soaring experience unlike anything you've ever seen before.

Plot:

Two friends arrive back from Vietnam, scarred in different ways. One has physical injuries, the other...

Plot Keywords:

Rainstorm | Fight | Streetcar | Helicopter Crash | Homing Pigeon

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Matthew Modine	...	Birdy
Nicolas Cage	...	Sgt. Alfonso 'Al' Columbato
John Harkins	...	Major Weiss M.D.
Sandy Baron	...	Mr. Columbato
Karen Young	...	Hannah Rourke
Bruno Kirby	...	Renaldi
Nancy Fish	...	Mrs. Prevost
George Buck	...	Walt - Birdy's Father
Dolores Sage	...	Birdy's Mother
Pat Ryan	...	Joe Sagessa (as Robert L. Ryan)
James Santini	...	Mario Columbato
Maud Winchester	...	Doris Robinson (as Maude Winchester)
Marshall Bell	...	Ronsky
Elizabeth Whitcraft	...	Rosanne
Sandra Beall	...	Shirley

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Norway:16 (1985) | South Korea:15 (DVD rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | New Zealand:R | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

46th Street Station, cnr Market & 46th Streets, Santa Clara, California, USA

Company:

A&M Films

Trivia:

First use of the skycam in a feature film. It was a camera held by wires supported by four cranes and controlled by computer, and was used in Birdy's dream sequence of actually being able to fly.

Quotes:

[reaction to Al extolling the female breast]
Birdy: They're just like on a cow, but in a more stupid place.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Benchwarmers (2006)

A Strange, Depressing Character Study

This is a strange and fascinating - but that likable - story about a kid who becomes obsessed with birds and then literally goes crazy. Matthew Modine plays the introverted "Birdy." A young Nicholas Cage plays his best friend, "Al."

It's not a particularly pleasant story. In fact, it's downright depressing many times. It also had an unusual ending, one the critics seemed to all pan but I liked. I thought it was neat.

The movie does keep your interest, so it gets decent points for that, and it certainly presents a unique character study.

I haven't seen this film in a long time, but after writing this review, I'd kind of like to view it again.....depressing or not.