Birdy
“A soaring experience unlike anything you've ever seen before.”
Synopsis
Two young men are seriously affected by the Vietnam War. One of them has always been obsessed with birds - but now believes he really is a bird, and has been sent to a mental hospital. Can his friend help him pull through?
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2013-01-23
Top Cast
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Matthew Modine
Birdy
Nicolas Cage
Sergeant Al Columbato
John Harkins
Doctor Major Weiss
Sandy Baron
Mr. Columbato
Karen Young
Hannah Rourke
Bruno Kirby
Renaldi
Nancy Fish
Mrs. Prevost
George Buck
Birdy's Father
Dolores Sage
Birdy's Mother
Pat Ryan
Joe Sagessa
James Santini
Mario Columbato
Maud Winchester
Doris Robinson
Marshall Bell
Ronsky
Elizabeth Whitcraft
Rosanne
Sandra Beall
Shirley
Victoria Nekko
Claire
Crystal Field
Mrs. Columbato
John Brumfield
Mr. Kohler
Release History & Theatrical Window
British Film Days
Festival / Special Debut
December 14, 1984
Wide Cinema Exhibition
July 11, 2017
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$12M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$1.4M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.12x
-$10.6M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Alan Parker
- Screenplay & Story
- Sandy Kroopf, Jack Behr
- Original Score
- Peter Gabriel
- Original Title
- Birdy
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 0m
- Production Budget
- $12M
- Worldwide Gross
- $1.4M
- Production Studios
- TriStar Pictures, A&M Films
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Alan Parker
Sandy Kroopf, Jack Behr, William Wharton
Peter Gabriel
Michael Seresin
Gerry Hambling
David Manson, Alan Marshall
Department Leadership Roster
Peter Gabriel
Original Music Composer
Gerry Hambling
Editor
Michael Seresin
Director of Photography
Sandy Kroopf
Screenplay
Alan Marshall
Producer
Alan Parker
Director
Jack Behr
Screenplay
Geoffrey Kirkland
Production Design
Kristi Zea
Costume Design
M. James Arnett
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Birdy.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Birdy.
My Movies
Master List In Progress
North American Cinema
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Coming of Age
Marcelo's International movies list
Watched
All movies watched by me
War: Vietnam War
Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists
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Frequently Asked Questions About Birdy
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Birdy about?
Two young men are seriously affected by the Vietnam War. One of them has always been obsessed with birds - but now believes he really is a bird, and has been sent to a mental hospital. Can his friend help him pull through?
Who directed Birdy?
Birdy was directed by Alan Parker.
Who stars in Birdy?
The principal cast of Birdy includes Matthew Modine, Nicolas Cage, John Harkins, Sandy Baron, Karen Young.
When was Birdy released and how long is it?
Birdy was released in 1984 with a total runtime of 2h 0m.
What was the box office and production budget of Birdy?
Birdy had a reported production budget of $12M and grossed $1.4M at the worldwide box office (0.12 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Birdy?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Birdy was composed by Peter Gabriel.
Is Birdy based on a book or true story?
Birdy is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "William Wharton".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Birdy?
Birdy holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: TP; US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).