L'uccello dalle piume di cristallo; also el Pajaro de las Plumas de Cristal, The Phantom of Terror, The Gallery Murders, Le sadique aux gants noirs, L'oiseau au plumage de cristal, The Sadist With Black Gloves, The Bird With the Glass Feathers

The Bird With the Crystal Plumage is Dario Argento's directing debut, and is based off of a novel by Brian Edgar Wallace. It also borrows from Frederic Brown's Screaming Mimi. An American writer (Tony Musante) in Rome witnesses a man dressed in black attack a woman in an art gallery. The attacker traps Musante between the doors of the gallery and he is left to watch the woman struggle until the police arrive. The police question Musante and then take his passport from him. He realizes that something in the struggle didn't make sense, but isn't sure what it was. A few attempts are made on his life, and he decides that with the help of his girlfriend (Suzy Kendall) that he will try to find the identity of the attacker. The two research earlier murders committed by the same man and find a painting of a man dressed in black attacking a woman that holds a clue. The music in this film was composed by Ennio Morricone. This film was rated PG despite some intense moments. Looking back at The Bird With the Crystal Plumage you can see some of the themes and style that show up in Argento's later films.

Director: Dario Argento. Producer: Salvatore Argento. Screenwriter: Dario Argento. Cinematographer: Vittorio Storaro. Music: Ennio Morricone. Art Director: Dario Micheli. Editor: Franco Fraticelli. Make-Up Artist: Pino Ferrante.

Cast: Tony Musante (Sam Dalmas), Suzy Kendall (Julia), Eva Renzi (Monica Ranieri), Enrico Maria Salerno (Inspector Morrosini), Mario Adorf (Berto Castaldi), Renato Romano (Dover), Umberto Raho (Alberto Ranieri), Reggie Nalder.