The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

There are great indi films out there and this is one of them.

Basically, its a story about an eccentric, and his study of a band of wild parrots living in San Francisco. The movie is suitable for children, and a great film to watch with family. My hat is off to the people who put this together, and the Parrot Man of Telegraph Hill.

Kudos!!!

I first heard about this film on Ebert and Roeper. I am a resident of the San Francisco bay area, but I had never heard about these parrots. What a story! Mark, the flock's "guardian," has such a close relationship with these parrots and he is able to show us just how smart they are, and how each one of them is a special individual. In writing this review, it is difficult for me to articulate how the film affected me. I loved it. It doesn't matter whether you have an interest in birds or not. It is my opinion that most people will fall in love with these parrots and their stories. Some surprises at the end, too. Check out the special features on the DVD to see various updates on the flock, Mark's trip back to see Mingus, and an interesting follow-up segment from some neighborhood residents who comment about the flock and about seeing Connor.

Wonderfully and carefully narrated, with a backdrop of San Francisco and its lovely vistas, this movie starts out being about parrots but, in so many ways, turns out to be about the needs and issues that these beautiful birds have in common with us. It's really about life with all its joys and sorrows -- one of the finest movies I've seen in many years. It starts out rather slowly, and the whole mood of the movie is very gentle, but it sneaks up on you and captures your heart.

I loaned my copy of this DVD to my brother and told him how wonderful it was. It took him over a year (and much prodding from me) to finally watch it, but when he finally did, he promptly called me to thank me and ask if he could keep it a little longer so his daughter could watch it, too.

An inherently interesting, funny and beautiful story told from a HIGHLY subjective point-of-view, THE WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL is a documentary for all ages, and would actually make an excellent introduction to the form for younger children. I say that, because I remember many years ago bringing home a documentary for my young daughter and her friends to watch (SPELLBOUND) and they were frankly puzzled as to what a documentary could be. (We've since cleared that up.)

WILD PARROTS follows the life of Mark Bittner, a middle-aged "failed" musician who many years before had moved to San Francisco's Beat / Hippie neighborhoods to make his way as a musician. He failed at that, and never really settled into a normal career either. Years on the streets, and then years squatting in a small rental cottage that didn't belong to him brought him in contact with a flock of Cherry-headed Conures that lived in the neighborhood. The flock, which probably started as a tiny handful of released pets, but flourished in the nice weather, fascinated Bittner, and over time, he became something of their caretaker, or at least, their studier and (perhaps) their friends. Each day revolves around the feeding of this flock, which over the years have come to know him extremely well. Tourists and locals alike come to see Bittner relate with his feathered buddies.

Some might call Bittner a bum. Others would call him a "free spirit." There's no doubt that he is a thoughtful and well-spoken man...a aged hippie with long hair and a scraggly beard. He clearly loves his charges...yet as he freely admits early on, they would do just fine without him. While he does personally take care of a few injured birds in his little home...the flock as a whole would thrive even if he wasn't around. His primary contribution is as their ardent observer. He knows each bird by sight, and has carefully studied their behaviors, particularly the ins-and-outs of their couplings. He has a genuine love for the birds...no one could ever question that. He's gentle with them, calls them by name, is endlessly patient with them...and for the few he's been forced to raise indoors, he's even a "father." But with those few exceptions...he hasn't saved the birds...but they've probably saved him. They've given his life its own meaning...they defined his career. Bittner is self-aware enough to understand this, and he takes the gift they've given him pretty seriously.

But the movie certainly spends the heart of its time following the parrots. It focuses on a few key "characters," and there is NO doubt that these birds are fascinating and engaging to follow. They are beautiful little creatures, and it is so easy to anthropomorphize them. Bittner believes they have feelings, and it's hard to argue with him. There is certainly little doubt that the birds are quite clever and that they all develop distinct "personalities." I found myself thoroughly engaged with them in a most childlike way. I love animals, and movies like this give such a rare glimpse of them in beautiful close-up. (This DVD is ripe for an HD upgrade...hope it happens sometime.)

So for 83 minutes, I was quite entranced. (And the lengthy bonus materials are pretty good too.) Bittner and his friends made good company. But as a documentary, I had a couple of problems. First of all, the filmmaker finds virtually no fault in this eccentric man or the things he says about the birds. They don't need him for their survival, and one could question if his interacting with them might actually put them in danger. Yet early on, one spectator questions Bittner rather pointedly and raises some very valid questions...but the film treats this guy as a kook. No one in the film really has anything bad to say about Bittner, and even the environmental questions about the dangers of "non-native" species are glossed over quickly. The film is really taking a glowing look at Bittner and his work...it is not an impassive, objective work. It doesn't dig deep. You really only get one side of the story. By no means am I saying that Bittner is actually a villain...he's seemingly quite upfront about his feelings and attitudes. But I was a little troubled by the clearly biased view of the documentarian. And just to support that, there's a little surprise at the very end of the film that proves that bias. It's a nice surprise, no doubt, but it left me pretty convinced that what I had seen was a lovingly done, beautifully entertaining fluff piece. Not a true documentary.

Nonetheless, you'll have a great time and you'll find yourself smiling for much of the film, and even shedding a tear or two. It's rated G, and would probably be great for anyone aged 11 or up. A great example of "something for the whole family."

I love this movie. The story beneath the documentary really touches your heart. I love Mark, he seems like such a gentle soul.