Review: Birdy

Blu-ray: Birdy (1984)

The book \’Birdy\’ is based in WWII but director Alan Parker took William Wharton\’s story and set in 1960s Philadelphia.

The story follows two unlikely friends; Al Columbato (Nic Cage) a gawky, good looking, over confident shagger, and Birdy (Matthew Modine) a quiet odd lad who’s obsessed with Birds.  

It’s one of those coming of age  stories: young lads who face adulthood with trepidation and happily coasting along until a war fucks it all up.

The story has a flashback narrative. Al who has suffered a facial injury during the war returns to the US and to the mental institution that Birdy is being held in. Through the film and Al talking about the past, we see their friendship as Al hopes to help Birdy recover before he’s locked away forever.

As I write this it’s the 13^th December 2019 and Britain has just come out an election. I feel so terribly upset by the result of it, in all honestly having seen Birdy last night is the only thing that has remotely cheered me up. It’s a wonderful film full of heart and soul and real love and friendship that appears palpable between the 2 leads who both give amazing performances.

Birdy also has one of the stone cold BEST endings ever put on film. One that will make you have some hope.

INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

• 2K restoration supervised and approved by director Alan Parker
• Original stereo audio
• New and exclusive audio commentary with Parker and the BFI’s Justin Johnson
• The Abstraction of War (2019, 25 mins): actor Matthew Modine fondly remembers the experience of working with the cast and crew of Birdy
• Learning to Fly (2019, 14 mins): screenwriters Jack Behr and Sandy Kroopf reflect on the challenges of adapting an ‘unfilmable’ novel
• Peter Gabriel on Making the Music for ‘Birdy’ (2000, 7 mins): archival interview with the acclaimed composer

• Bird Watching (2019, 17 mins): a personal appreciation of the work of author William Wharton by filmmaker Keith Gordon

• No Hard Feelings (1976, 55 mins): Parker’s early film, which follows a troubled young man in wartime London

• Original theatrical trailer

• Image galleries: promotional and publicity material, and a selection of rare items from Matthew Modine’s personal collection
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
• Limited edition exclusive 48-page booklet with a new essay by Frank Collins, an extensive account of the making of the film by Alan Parker, an overview of critical responses, Jeff Billington on No Hard Feelings, and film credits
• UK premiere on Blu-ray
• Limited edition of 5,000 copies

Review by Tina from a disc kindly supplied by Powerhouse Films.

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