Trivia / The Bird with the Crystal Plumage

• Completely Different Title:
  • Belgium: The Sadist with the Black Gloves
  • Finland: Bird of Death
  • Germany: The Secret of the Black Gloves
  • Hong Kong: Flower Destroyer
  • Ireland: The Gallery Murders
  • Japan: Poisonous Fangs of Joy
  • Sweden: The Sound of the Crystal Bird
• Creator Backlash: Eva Renzi was not a fan of the film nor her role in it. In an interview she stated that portraying a character who turned out to be a chuckling, crazed murderer was beneath her talent as an actress. She was convinced taking the role was career suicide, and was shocked when the film was so successful.
• Enforced Method Acting: Inverted. Tony Musante was a very intense method actor, and would frequently visit Dario Argento at 3 in the morning to discuss in-depth characterization. Argento couldn't care less, and flatly told Musante to stop visiting him.
• Fake Nationality:
  • The film was an West German-Italian co-production, so several of the cast members were German: Eva Renzi (Monica), Mario Adorf (Consalvi), Werner Peters (the Antiquarian).
  • Sam's Italian girlfriend Giulia is played by Suzy Kendall, an English actress.
• Hostility on the Set: Dario Argento and Tony Musante did not get along at all during the filmmaking. It got so bad between them, that they would use someone to pass messages to each other in order to communicate-all the while making sure they got their insults still in there. Dario stated in his autobiography after filming was done, Tony showed up to his house late one night, yelling his name and banging on the door. Dario does not know why he did that but regardless of what, he refused to open the door fearing Tony might attack him if let into the house. Years later, when there was a LA film festival celebrating Dario's work, Dario was told he could invite a few stars and Dario claimed that he invited plenty of his previous stars and co stars except for Tony, which Dario admitted was basically him being spiteful to Tony.
• Uncredited Role: Reggie Nalder as Needles.
• Writing by the Seat of Your Pants: Argento penned the screenplay in 5 days.
• What Could Have Been:
  • Terence Young was originally sought out as director.
  • At one point an executive producer wanted Dario Argento removed from the production when he was disappointed by a screening of some dailies. When Argento's father Salvatore went to the exec's office to talk to him he found the exec's secretary visibly shaken. When he asked the secretary what was troubling her she said she saw the screening and the footage terrified her. Salvatore then asked her to go tell her boss about her reaction to the screening. She convinced the executive to keep Dario on as director.

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