Read my spoiler-free movie review of Dancing With The Birds (2019).

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Having recently seen Netflix’s Stephen Fry narrated birds of paradise documentary Dancing With The Birds, I’ve found that I still haven’t quite moved on from the stunning images and ‘birds of paradise dance moves’ featured in the film.

‘Fashion, dance, fashion, reproduction, fashion, cockroach, FASHION and big juicy tropical fruits’.

These are just some of the words that came to mind as the film played. Why, or why have I mentioned fashion so many times? That’ll become very obvious when you look at the following images…

Sequins baby! Do you see those beautiful ‘sequins’ on the neck of the Carola’s Parotia? A.k.a the most talented dancer of them all – in my humble opinion. Dancing so tirelessly and with such focus and dedication.

After a little while, you may forget his name but his moves and that ‘sequinned neck furniture’ will likely stay with you.

It’s no wonder I loved yellow and red so much as a little girl. Here we have what is probably the most colourful bird of them all; the Guianan Cock of the Rock. Their communal mating rituals were some of the most amusing to watch, thanks in part to Fry’s humorous narration.

Let’s not forget the female Guianan Cock of the Rock. Though far less colourful, the female still managed to stand out. Also, is it just me or is the word ‘chic’ jumping out at you too, as you look at her?

The undeniably majestic Black Sickle Bill. So arresting and magnificent that not only did fashion come to mind many times as I watched this beauty, but the most fitting phrase is certainly haute couture, yes?

Something else I was reminded of was of course Charlize Theron’s Queen Ravenna costumes in Snow White And The Huntsman (2012).

Now, the Twelve Wired Bird (TW) is definitely the one I consider most strange out of all the birds featured. Unfortunately for me, even though I love yellow and black together, something about the way TW moves and dances reminded me too much of a cockroach, which then meant that TW was never going to be my favourite.

I’m just glad that those ‘wires’ aren’t painful or the result of a horrible accident. What are they really comprised of? I wonder…

Last but in no way least, we have the Flame Bowbird. Standing here and looking both ‘hot’ and like one of the most perfectly ripened and juicy mango I’ve ever seen.

I’ll remember him most for the above reasons and for being a combination of my younger self’s two favourite colours, as well as for building that artful structure made of sticks; something else that also screamed FASHION.

Watch Dancing With The Birds and see just how ‘birdlike’ we really are.

Happy Film loving

G