‘The Book Of Birdie’ Blu-Ray Review – A Surreal & Darkly Magical Coming-Of-Age Journey

Birdie is a fragile and introverted teenager with a dark imagination. When her worried grandmother sends her to a dying convent, Birdie develops unusual obsessions that will mark her as either a saint or a heretic.

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Video Quality

The Book of Birdie makes its Blu-Ray debut with a fabulous 1080p video presentation that captures the textured throwback aesthetic without issue. The impressive production design, clothing, and wintery backgrounds provide worthy textural details that bring the most out of the viewing experience. The image is clear with the muted color palette showing up with great accuracy. The film finds some unique hues within the light sources. The transfer maintains its depth in the shadowy hallways and other enclaves. Black levels succumb to the smallest amount of banding in a few moments, but they largely stand firm. The skin tones are natural with rich detail present such as the consistent presence of blood in the narrative. This Blu-Ray is a fine representation of this movie that does everything it needs to do. 

Audio Quality

Yellow Veil Pictures gives this Blu-Ray a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that does not miss a step. The nuanced and effective sound design comes alive with an accuracy that should be cherished. The dialogue flows clearly without being drowned out by any competing sounds. The score is crisp and capably balanced while maintaining its fidelity. There is a small amount of texture in the lower registers when the moment commands it, but it is far from a standout in that regard. The environmental sounds of the convent engage the speakers effectively to feel spacious within the sonic confines of the stereo track. When the characters are moving down hallways, numerous unique ambient details flesh out the setting. The track captures the sonic peccadillos that make this narrative fully realized. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided. 

Special Features

• Introduction: A 49-second optional introduction in which director Elizabeth E. Schuch discusses the background of the production and her appreciation for seeking out the film on Blu-Ray. 

• Audio Commentary: Director Elizabeth E. Schuch and Rachel and Ariel from the More Deadly Podcast provide a very entertaining commentary track in which they discuss the background of the production, the elements taken from real-life experiences, working with the performers, the aesthetic of the film, and more. 

• Documentary Featurette: A seven-minute featurette that looks at the background of the shooting locations and the haunted qualities that linger. 

• Interview with Katie Haynes: A 40-minute conversation between director Elizabeth E. Schuch and actress Kathryn Haynes in which they reflect on the production of the film, the freezing shooting locations, the difficulties of the production, the most memorable scenes, the dynamics of the characters, and more. 

• The Look of Birdie – Video Essay on the Design of the Film: A 16-minute visual essay from director Elizabeth E. Schuch in which she delves into the costumes, props, production design, color palette, cinematography, and more. 

• Twist Tie: A five-minute short film that gets a bit comedic and spiritual as a woman has a memorable moment preparing food. 

• Brooklyn Horror Film Festival Introduction: A 39-second filmed festival introduction with director Elizabeth E. Schuch. 

• BTS Slideshow: A 16-minute collection of design elements from the film, early script drafts, and more. 

• Deleted Scenes: Six unused scenes totaling eight minutes are provided. 

• Outtakes

• • Behind The Scenes (4:20)

• • Extended Dance Clips (7:19)

• • Dancing Nuns Supercut (3:23)

• Audition Tests: Five audition tests totaling 17 minutes are provided.

• Store Board-To-Scenes Featurette: An 18-minute look at how initial storyboards compare to the final versions in the film. 

• US Trailer (1:12)

• The Film Team’s Thank You’s (0:38)

• Booklet: A multi-page booklet featuring essays from Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Valeria Villegas Lindvall, Directors Notes, and Writers Notes is provided. These give a great background to the creatives, behind-the-scenes details of the film, and more which strengthens your appreciation overall.  

Final Thoughts

The Book of Birdie is a very dreamy film that flirts with elements of magical realism within the context of a coming-of-age film. The result is something uniquely stirring even if the narrative can be a bit too shaggy for its own good. There are moments that may make you squirm, but we wouldn’t classify it as a horror film. We actually appreciate it even more for not succumbing to traditional genre conventions, yet some audiences may feel a bit alienated by the opaque moments of the story. The performances are great and the vibe feels right, so we consider this one worth discovering. Yellow Veil Pictures has released a Blu-Ray featuring a beautiful A/V presentation and a terrific assortment of special features. Recommended 

The Book of Birdie is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Yellow Veil Pictures and OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.