Product Description
-------------------
This documentary follows the ups-and-downs of a flock of
urban parrots in San Francisco and the aging bohemian who
befriends, feeds and names them. Along the way, we meet many
unforgettable characters and learn just how wondrously similar
the human and animal worlds really are.
.com
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Quiet patience and an observant eye turn a seemingly
unpromising subject into a rich and fascinating movie. The Wild
Parrots of Telegraph Hill captures the life of Mark Bittner, a
gentle homeless musician who's befriended a flock of wild parrots
in a neighborhood of San Francisco. Following Bittner, the camera
zooms in on individual parrots, revealing their individual
personalities and the traits of their species. This leads to
Bittner's own life, the network of friendships that support him,
and the ways in which the parrots--a non-native species--interact
with both the natural ecosystem and the city government; just
about every topic opens up another until a flock of colorful
birds represents a microcosm of nature and society.
Filmmaker Judy Irving has created an exemplary documentary
simply by paying attention to the details of the world around her
subject. Everything you expect from a Hollywood
blockbuster--romance, violence, humor, sorrow, strong
personalities in conflict--is here in spades, except that the
heroes and heroines have bright red and green feathers. Utterly
rewarding. --Bret Fetzer
Product Description:
An "engrossing, delightful film" (The Washington Post), The Wild
Parrots of Telegraph Hill is the bonafide er theatrical hit
of the year. The film's endearing guide is Mark Bittner, an aging
bohemian, but the supporting cast members, a rambunctious flock
of urban parrots, are the true stars, and their surprisingly
humanlike behavior makes for a wondrous and rare experience. The
film follows the ups-and-downs of these wild birds within the
green niches of San Francisco as Bittner befriends, feeds, and
names the members of the flock. Along the way, we meet many
unforgettable characters: among them Connor, the grouchy yet
lovable outcast of the flock, crying for a mate but luckless in
his pursuits, and "the lovers," Picasso and Sophie, inseparable
until Sophie is forced into mourning when Picasso disappears.
More than a mere birdwatcher, Bittner finds solace in his
immersion with these strikingly beautiful creatures - but how
will he cope when he's evicted from his sanctuary and forced to
live away from the parrots? Packed with romance, comedy and a
surprise ending that "makes you feel like you could fly out of
the theater" (San Jose Mercury News), The Wild Parrots of
Telegraph Hill shows just how wondrously similar the human and
animal worlds really can be.
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Below, Cinephile Ned Viall interviews producer/director Judy
Irving: Ned: There's a scene early on where you ask, "Why don't
you cut your hair?" Mark says, "I'm not going to cut my hair
until I have a girlfriend." So I wondered, "Will there be a scene
at the end where he cuts his hair?" Did you know what was going
to happen when you recorded that scene?
Judy: I recorded that close to the beginning of the project. I
didn't know how things would end up. As I was editing, I knew
what I was doing, though. Like in dramatic films, I wanted to
have setups and payoffs throughout the movie. That was one of
them. I also wanted folks almost to forget it after it happened.
Ned: I was struck by the narrative quality of Parrots. It’s
almost like a fiction film. There’s Connor, the outcast. He's
like the tough guy who turns out to have a heart of gold,
sticking up for the injured birds as their fellow cherry heads
attack them. Then he suffers his apparent tragic demise—like the
brother in Slumdog Millionaire.
Judy: Connor was the classic outsider. I didn’t make anything up.
The cherry heads didn't like him because of his blue head.
Discrimination happens even in the bird world.
Ned: Another part of the story arc was where you create this
beautiful world, and then it has to end. Mark has to leave.
What's going to happen to the birds?
Judy: That all happened while I was filming. Mark was living in
the cottage, and the owners had to ask him to move because it was
literally sliding down the hill. I knew that might happen when I
started filming. I just hoped I’d get enough before he had
to go. So his moving became part of the story. But in a
documentary you can't control those things. There's no script.
That's the risk you take. You just hope events will unfold in a
way that makes a good story. I much prefer storyline
documentaries to standard “talking heads and b-roll” type
documentaries
Ned: In the movie you’re not antagonistic exactly, but you keep
asking Mark questions like, how come you don't get a job?
Gradually, that changes. There’s more to him than you thought.
Judy: When I first met Mark, I wasn't sure he was movie material,
frankly. (Laughs.) After awhile I realized he was a great
storyteller, with a good voice and screen presence. I needed to
ask the questions that the audience would ask.
Ned: The film is not at all what most people expect it to be.
Judy: Right. And because of the title, a lot of guys aren’t
interested in watching it. Then their girlfriends or wives drag
them to it, and they’re moved. They find out that it's about much
more than just parrots. It's about personality, consciousness,
and life and death.
Ned: And love.
Judy: (Laughs.) And love.
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Review
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Filmmaker Judy Irving latched onto an original
subject...and just when we re prepared for the movie to end
sadly, there s a smiley-face capper. --USA Today
Charming. --Los Angeles Times
It s a lovely film, one of the most uplifting of 2005... --San
Francisco Chronicle
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