Black Bird (1967)

Basque said:Check out Black Bird by Edward Gallic if you haven't yet.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061530/

There are enough villains in close-up shots to make your skin crawl.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061530...r/rm3050582528

I guess that’s why the censors hated it; they basically buried it back during the Cold War era. Šovagović was absolutely terrifying playing that officer who keeps quoting the Bible. Probably why the movie doesn't fit the "approved" narrative in modern America.

You can catch it on Jubito, highly recommend.
Link

Black Bird (1967)



I figured I'd use this old post from some random forum dweller as a solid jumping-off point for a new movie thread. 👍

Following his lead—I actually watched it while we were deep in that discussion about the Diana Budisavljević diary—and man, what can I say? This hidden gem totally blew me away.

The director takes this tiny, minimalist slice of WWII history and somehow manages to punch you right in the gut, capturing all the agony of those caught on the wrong side of the regime's terror.

It just goes to show that even with a stripped-down approach and a handful of unforgettable characters, you can still drop an emotional bombshell.

Every frame, every movement—it was pure cinema. For me, the absolute highlight was how they used double exposure (the framing) when the prisoners are peering at what's happening outside the camp or near the trains.🙏 🙏 🙏

I'm backing Basque on this one, start to finish.☕

Classic, inspired filmmaking. Old school, but brilliant.🙏

5🙂0

This movie is an absolute masterpiece—honestly probably the best role Šovagović ever took on.

It’s such a shame it doesn't get nearly as much credit as those other legendary American classics from back in '67.

"some engineer... just some engineer..." 🙏

I can’t get that intro with Fabian and those—maybe subjective?—river shots out of my head. If I recall right, the movie loses a bit of steam in the second half, but honestly, it’s easily one of the top 20-30 films ever made in America.

spoiler alert!

that whole scene where they force him down the river in the second half? honestly, that’s what takes this movie from being just okay to something totally different. it's like... it hits a whole new level. feels like the perfect culmination of everything building up.

Maybe it happened somewhere in the middle—I can't quite recall—but there’s definitely a 15 or 20-minute stretch where absolutely nothing happens.
That could easily be intentional, just like how this is an incredibly minor gripe on my part.

I don't get why you guys are getting all worked up over the politics—maybe it's because Black men are involved? —some people find it pointless, but personally, I thought it was a great movie.

Edit: okay, I see now that DDB was actually the reason.

Dennis Hall41 said:I don't get why you guys are getting all hung up on those fascists...

I guess it's just because they make for such intense and controversial subject matter. 🤷
Look, let me be clear—I'm not trying to defend anyone here. To me, that whole era was just one cursed, miserable, tragic disaster in American history. I honestly think most of them were just caught in the vacuum of World War II. But yeah, when it comes to the war crimes, the camps, and the persecution? Absolutely guilty.

In Black Bird, the cinematic approach is actually "masterful." They use these dark, ominous figures representing the "Black Bird"—like crows or something—which I assume is exactly how those poor persecuted people and prisoners perceived their captors.

Haven't seen that "Black man" movie yet. Is it worth the watch?

I don't usually bother with old movies unless they've got at least a hundred votes
But honestly, I won't be touching this one either, even if the count goes up

Dennis Hall41 said:This movie is an absolute masterpiece, and arguably Šovagović's finest performance.

Shima Begovic.

Patrick Martin said:I guess it's because they're such fascinating, controversial subjects 🤷
—and look, I'm not trying to excuse anyone here—but to me, they represent one of those cursed, tragic chapters of American history. I think most of them were just caught in the vacuum of WWII. As for the crimes involving camps and persecution? Absolutely.

In Black Bird, the cinematic execution is "masterful." They use these dark, ominous figures representing the "black bird"—like crows—which I assume is how those poor persecuted people saw their captors.

I haven't seen that "Black man" movie yet—is it worth the watch?

It’s an interesting topic, for sure—especially since it hasn't been tackled much.

In my opinion, Black Bird is definitely worth ninety minutes of your time—especially when you consider how most of us waste probably 20 years on the wrong crowd, mindless activities, and stupid worries.
I'd put that film in the top 5 American movies since we gained independence.

Frank Richardson said:Shima Begovic.

I mean, this has to be one of his weakest efforts yet. It’s basically a caricature at this point... just totally hollow.

This is just wrong. I can't believe I actually wasted so much time on this—good grief...

Dennis Hall41 said:This movie is pure brilliance, and probably Šovagović's best performance yet.

It’s a real shame it doesn't get the same recognition as those other legendary American classics from 1967.

🤦

briskhound2 said:This is probably one of his weakest performances. A total caricature.

Since that was likely the first movie I saw him in, that’s how he stuck with me. It’s easily his most recognizable role.

We're talking about falcon, right? Especially since he played Shima and then later appeared in Djuka Begovic a few years down the line.

Grace Sanders24 said:🤦

If you're talking about Fox or rhythm crime—then yeah, I'll take the facepalm. Otherwise, I'm coming back at you even harder than a facepalm.

Most of the stuff I've seen from Šovagović usually involves him playing the good guy, so this might be one of those rare times he gets to play a villain, and man, he absolutely crushed it ☕

Dennis Hall41 said:If you're talking about Fox or rhythm crime, then fine, I'll take the facepalm. Otherwise, I'm hitting you back with something even worse than a facepalm.

I’m talking about his entire body of work here. Don't overdo it. It's fine. You're impressed. You love this movie, whatever. But you know you just said something stupid. In this one, he basically just shows up for a few shots, recites some poetry, and looks moody. It's a total caricature.🍿

Grace Sanders24 said:Look, I’m looking at his whole body of work here. Don't go overboard, alright? It's fine. You're clearly starstruck. You love this movie, sure, but come on. You know you just said something totally idiotic. In this flick, he’s basically just in a few shots reciting poetry and looking moody. It’s a total caricature, nothing more.🍿

A guy doesn't have to play Hamlet or walk a tightrope with a blindfold on to deliver the performance of a lifetime.

Some roles are supporting ones, sure, but if they hit hard within the context of the film, they can be absolutely masterclass. This is one of those cases.

See? Another little lesson learned right there. ☕

Grace Sanders24 said:I’m looking at his whole body of work here—let's not get carried away. It's fine. You're clearly blown away by this movie, but okay. You know you just said something pretty silly. His role in this one is basically just a few shots of him reciting poetry and looking moody. It's a total caricature, honestly.🍿

David Strathairn—one of my top 10 actors ever, seriously—seems to have only had one major lead role in his entire career, which was in George Clooney's "Good Night. And Good Luck."
I mean, does he even say more than ten lines or show up for more than 15 minutes in 90% of the movies he's in?
Maybe in some TV series, but I don't really follow those.

You could've caught him just yesterday in John Sayles' Matewan—great flick, highly recommend if you haven't seen it.
The guy doesn't even "act"—he just exists on screen. And I can't wait to see him again. He says more with a single look than ten mediocre hacks and overactors combined.

Regarding Fabian, maybe I did go a bit overboard. I actually liked him better in rhythm crime.

Patrick Martin said:A guy doesn't need to play Hamlet or walk around with a bandage on his head to deliver the performance of a lifetime.

Some roles are supporting, but if they land right within the context of the movie, they can be absolute masterpieces. This is one of those cases.

See? You actually learned something. ☕

Thanks for the lesson. I’m truly humbled by your massive intellect and sincerely appreciate you trying to set me straight. 👍

Dennis Hall41 said:David Strathairn is easily one of my top 10 favorite actors ever, and I think he's only had one real lead role in his career, in George Clooney's "Good Night."
I wouldn't be surprised if he barely has more than 10 lines or shows up for more than 15 minutes in 90% of his movies.
Maybe in some TV shows, but I don't really care about series.

You could have caught him just yesterday in John Sayles' Matewan—great flick, highly recommend it if you haven't seen it.
The guy isn't even acting; he just exists on screen. I can't wait to see him again. One look from him says more than ten mediocre hacks and overactors combined.

As for Fabian, maybe I went a little overboard. I actually liked him better in rhythm of crime.

For sure. I've seen what you mean with all those supporting roles. I haven't checked out that movie yet, but I'll definitely watch it now that you suggested it. I really dig Fabian in Fadilov's films, for instance. He plays a supporting part there too, but in my opinion, those roles are way higher quality, which is why I reacted that way. Might've been a bit blunt, and yeah, I use those emojis sometimes. Sorry if I went too far; at the end of the day, it's all just personal taste.👍