Instruct: Classify Amazon reviews into positive or negative sentiment
Query: First-rate storytelling

Birdman of Alcatraz is a perfect example of cinematic storytelling. I vividly remember seeing it in the theater when it came out, and being strongly affected by the story, and by Lancaster's portrayal of Stroud.Unfortunately the real Stroud was nothing at all like the character depicted in the film. He was, from all accounts, a vicious sociopath, a man who killed when it suited his needs, manipulated people around him, and was able to game the prison system to his own ends.Still, this is a wonderful film that manages to craft an uplifting story from the life of a man who had little about him to admire. Quite an accomplishment.