Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)
Blu-ray Company Release: Twilight Time
Starring: Betty Field, Edmond O’Brien, Karl Malden, Thelma
Ritter, Burt Lancaster, Telly Savalas, Neville Brand
Plot: Robert Stroud, the real-life two-time killer who,
during decades in solitary confinement, remade himself as one of the world’s
foremost experts on birds—this despite never having finished the third grade.
Sensitively directed by John Frankenheimer (The Train, The Manchurian
Candidate) and stunningly shot within the basic confines of a prison cell by
Burnett Guffey (Bonnie and Clyde), this landmark film features an exquisite
score by Elmer Bernstein, available on this Twilight Time release as an
isolated track.
My Review and Thoughts:
Film: (4/5)
This is a classic film that never grows old as you watch it
over and over again. Solid phenomenal performances and the direction is
something that stands out as being memorable. The flow of the film brings the
viewer into the story. I have always been fascinated with the true story about
the Birdman Robert Stroud. Many people get the story confused because it was
not Alcatraz where he kept his pet birds it was Leavenworth State Prison in
Kansas. He was moved to Alcatraz and was not allowed to have his birds. His
legend and myth like persona has created many false realities but each of those
realities hold some truths. The story is still one that fascinates the public
and it was this ultimate movie that built the persona and fascination. This is
a movie I watch about once a year and I was so excited to see it being released
by Twilight Time Blu-ray. This is a film that deserves a wonderful outlet so that a
new generation can explore and yes become fascinated with. Thankfully Twilight Time has
done that.
Directed by the master of cinema that is truly one of the greatest
directors of all time. His stamp on cinema with his gifted and masterpiece
touch lingers on everything he displayed in his many films. From the amazing
Manchurian Candidate to Black Sunday all the way to TV films such as
Andersonville and Against the Wall. He was such a gifted performer that brought
so much to cinema. I find what is so shocking and truly asinine is that he was
never nominated for best Director. Birdman is one of his defining achievements.
Robert Stroud was not a nice man by any means. He was a convicted
killer. By the time he was 18 he was a pimp and prostituted women out. He was
sentenced to 12 years for manslaughter. In jail he was a ruthless inmate that
was dangerous against other inmates and most of all staff. In jail he would
kill a jail guard by stabbing him to death. He was convicted of 1st
degree murder and was given the death penalty but was overturned and changed to
life in prison. It would be his confinement in solitary at Leavenworth that
would lead him down the path that popular culture has immortalized him with.
There he found a nest of birds in the prison yard. The birds where hurt. He
nursed them and took it upon himself to raise them. It would be this incident with
the hurt sparrows that would give him a calling. At one time he had over
300 birds he was taking care of. Now Stroud through the prisons warden was able to obtain equipment
and research information on birds. Stroud would write books on the
Diseases of Canaries which was smuggled out of the prison and published. Stroud would pioneer a lot in the field and he gained great respect for his
deeds and love affair with birds. He gained popularity and even made a business
out of the situation but it would be this reality that would alter his path.
Stroud you can’t forget was a violent man, a criminal and most of all a two
time murderer. The idea of selling and raising birds upset a lot of people and
plus, it is said, he abused the system with the equipment by making alcohol. He was
transferred to Alcatraz where he was not allowed to raise birds or have pets. Before
his death, he had been in jail 54 years of his life and might I add, on a
disturbing note, 42 of those years had been in solitary confinement. Now I am
not here to pass judgment or speak ill of the prison system. What I will say is
if there is such a thing as bettering yourself or being rehabilitated, then I
feel Stroud is a prime example of that. He was by no-means a saint, but he did
better himself and change his ways in his later years. He was diagnosed
as a psychopath during his early years and even when sent to Alcatraz the
psychologist diagnosed him as a psychopath. One must realize the overall reality of
the prison system back then especially Alcatraz.
Icon and cinema legend Burt Lancaster played The Birdman in
the film and before the shooting of the film he sit down and talked with
Stroud. Lancaster does a fantastic job. He is a legend and a true one of a kind
acting master that never grows old in the viewer’s mind as you experience any
of his films. Birdman of Alcatraz is a defining role that stands out and has
always been one of my favorite performances and most of all characters in
cinema. The film is fictionalized from a lot of the truth but the movie does a
wonderful job at creating this interesting man and his many deeds in the world
of Birds. I have always been a lover of birds. I am a diehard nature lover and
Stroud’s legacy and most of all the myth built around him is something I truly
find fascinating. He is like a modern day Brothers Grimm fairy tale. He has his
dark side and his light side. He was a mean brutal man but also a man that
could love something small and peaceful like a bird. On a side note Robert
Stroud has been the subject of other films such as the 1980 TV film Alcatraz:
The Whole Shocking Story where Art Carney played the role and also Dennis
Farina played the character in the 1987 TV film Six against the Rock.
Birdman of Alcatraz was nominated for four Academy Awards.
Lancaster was nominated for his phenomenal role as the leading actor. The other
stand out performance is by the legend Telly Savalas who also was nominated for
Supporting Role. Savalas is a legend of cinema both great and small. He was
always able to create characters through his tough and brute no non-sense style
of performing. When you look at Savalas you can’t help but think tough. He aced
his part in Birdman as he always did in cinema.
The movie was adapted from the book by Thomas E. Gaddis. Now
the reality of the film is fictional in many ways such as showcasing Stroud as
a mild mannered prisoner. In reality fellow
inmates and guards and people that knew him said he was a brute and a vicious person.
Lancaster and the book gave a somewhat hero approach to the character like we
tend to do with Western outlaws such as Billy the Kid, which in
reality they were cold blooded killers and Stroud was no different. I am
not here to speak about the truth of the character. I am just here to review the
film, and the film is amazing and the acting and direction is brilliant. Loved
the film and it’s one of those that stands the test of time as being a classic.
This is a wonderful Blu-ray. Twilight Time gave the film the
respect that it deserves. As I have stated it’s a movie that never grows old
and it’s something I return to often and now Twilight Time has given me the
amazing Blu-ray to experience this classic film in a whole new way. The music,
images and everything is 100 percent crafted in excellence. Birdman of Alcatraz shows you the mastery that Twilight Time possess, to please the audience.
Audio/Video: (4/5)
The best the film has ever been at least that I have seen. I own the VHS and the DVD and catch it on the TV every now and then and the Blu-ray looks a 100 percent better then all those. I have no fault with the transfer but I will say small spots of stock footage or grain in minor areas that does not take away anything from the movie. Over all vibrant black and white color and equally wonderful sound. Crisp, clear and beautiful. Twilight Time has done another fantastic job.
The best the film has ever been at least that I have seen. I own the VHS and the DVD and catch it on the TV every now and then and the Blu-ray looks a 100 percent better then all those. I have no fault with the transfer but I will say small spots of stock footage or grain in minor areas that does not take away anything from the movie. Over all vibrant black and white color and equally wonderful sound. Crisp, clear and beautiful. Twilight Time has done another fantastic job.
LANGUAGE: English
VIDEO: 1080p High Definition / 1.66:1
AUDIO: English 1.0 DTS-HD MA
SUBTITLES: English SDH
1962 / B & W
149 MINUTES
NOT RATED
REGION FREE
Extras: (3/5)
As always the isolated Score is amazing. I really look
forward to this extra each time I get a Twilight Time Blu-ray. Also the
commentary on this one was a great listen and it’s always interesting to hear
film historians talk about a film. It’s in-depth and educational.
Isolated Score Track
Audio Commentary with Film Historians Julie Kirgo, Paul
Seydor, and Nick Redman
Original Theatrical Trailer
Liner Notes by Julie Kirgo
Overall Product Rating: (4/5)
A must own Blu-ray that Twilight Time mastered for a new generation. Truly a wonderful film and also a wonderful product that is a true achievement of film in the respect of legendary cinema.
A must own Blu-ray that Twilight Time mastered for a new generation. Truly a wonderful film and also a wonderful product that is a true achievement of film in the respect of legendary cinema.
INFO:
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