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| The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill | 
| Actor: Mark Bittner
Studio: DOCURAMA
Category: DVD
List Price: $26.95
Buy Used: $10.44
You Save: $16.51 (61%)
New (41) from $12.49
Avg. Customer Rating:  153 reviews
Sales Rank: 3793
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc, Surround Sound
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: G (General Audience)
Running Time: 83 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: NVGD9693D
ISBN: 0767085973
UPC: 767685969335
EAN: 9780767085977
ASIN: B000BB1534
Theatrical Release Date: 2004
Release Date: December 26, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Item in very good condition, rental overstock, may or may not include insert and/or stickers, 100% guaranteed.
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| Customer Reviews:
 A parrot lover's review July 8, 2005
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
I own eight conures, so this movie brought home many things that I have experienced with my own pals. BUT more than that, the movie brings out many feelings in life, like having to leave of losing a loved one, as well as many feelings that people encounter growing up, like not being accepted. If you have ever wondered why life isn't fair, or why bad things happen to good people, this movie will bring those feelings to the surfice. I for one plan on traveling to San Francisco to see these amazing creatures and can't wait for the DVD.
 A charming, interesting film if you like animals July 7, 2005
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
Mark Bittner's love of parrots is more "than just a hobby." Even though he spends nearly all of his waking hours caring for a flock of San Francisco's wild parrots, he downplays his true interest in the animals, afraid that his strong affection will cause him to be labeled as an eccentric. But his fear of being known as one doesn't stop him from feeding the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill everyday, letting the large flock of birds (more than two dozen) perch on his shoulders, his arms, and his head. Bittner cares for San Francisco's wild parrots as a teacher might care for a rowdy class of young students; he looks for any problems the parrots are having-if they are hungry, sad, happy-and caters to their needs, letting injured parrots stay in his house, letting reticent parrots keep their distance. He treats his parrots as equals and works to understand the parrot's feelings in human terms.
Were Mark Bittner's charming camera presence and admirable sympathy and care for the parrots the main focus of "The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill," the film would be an interesting documentary on how strongly people can become attached to animals. However, Bittner is only the costar of the film; the real focus is on the parrots themselves. When the movie begins, we see different shots of the parrots flying around San Francisco, moving through downtown, passing by the Golden Gate Bridge, landing on trees, and being fed by Mark. As the movie progresses, we become attached to the parrots in a way that Mark Bittner is attached. We learn the names of some of the parrots, and we get to know their history: whether the parrot has had a mate, how old he/she is, and how long the parrot has been with the flock. One of the most interesting parrots, named Connor, reminded me of a wise but embittered old man living with a group of young college kids, annoyed that he's surrounded by yippy, less intelligent parrots, but happy he has a group that accepts him. Another parrot, named Sophie, acts flirtatious and needy, snuggling up to a couple different mates throughout the movie. It's easy to see why Mark utilizes anthropomorphism to help explain the parrot's feelings; the scrutinizing camera supports Mark's claims that certain parrots become moody or angry.
"The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill" treats its two main subjects with great care and admiration. Mark Bittner, obviously slightly eccentric whether he can admit it or not, is never used for the audience's derisive entertainment, and the parrots are given more time in front of the camera than any human in the film. This isn't a documentary for everyone-an interest in pets and animals is pretty much required-but for those who have ever felt attachment to an animal, Mark's love for the parrots is fascinating and easily understood.
great movie June 30, 2005
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
this film will make you laugh and cry. it is the best documentary i've seen in quite some time. if i say anything more i will give away the ending!
This movie is about Parrots. June 5, 2005
13 out of 32 found this review helpful
So in undergrad I made a movie about this goldfish for my film production class. Basically I bought a feeder fish for 29 cents at the pet store and then made a video where I framed the fish in a bunch of different situations around a beach town. In an attempt to emotionally engage my audience (the professor and the 20 other stoners in the class) I made sure to frame the fish in really emotionally cloying situations (i.e dogs/cats/infants reacting to fish(a scene with a little kid smilign at the fish was especially effective)) and to top all off I set it to music, the theme from Midnight Cowboy, which if you havent heard it - is enough to make a grown man cry on its own. Anyway it worked, at the Q and A section following the screening everyone wanted to know what happened to the cute little goldfish. The little 29 cent feeder goldfish who was oblivious to everything that had taken place and had died probably 10 minutes after i finished making the video. Of course I didnt tell them that, i told them the fish was fine.
My point is that I'm somewhat experienced in the art of contrivedly editing animal footage for maximum emotional impact. And this film has plenty of that. Granted parrots are much more endearing than goldfish and I have no doubt that the parrots in this film really do exhibit the personality traits described and shown in this movie. And really I love animals. But I was really turned off by scenes in which the director was clearly aiming for deep emotional impacts through shady editing. Im mainly speaking of one of the final scenes that involves the death of one of the more endearing parrots in the film. First its explained through the narration that the parrot has disappeared, probably killed by a hawk. This narration, spoken over the last footage ever taken of this particular parrot (the parrot looks depressed as it stares into the sky) was enough to lend emotional levity to the scene. I really felt for the little guy. But this wasnt enough apparently. The filmmaker brings out a picture taken by a neighbor later that day of a hawk GORGING ON A PARROT. jesus christ dude. Then the camera zooms in on the picture, as the narrator explains that "oh yeah this is definitely that parrot you have come to know and love, see how you can sort of make out the distinctive blue feathering?" It then zooms in again a couple more times in a desperate attempt to prove to the audience that yes, yes this is really the parrot with the endearing personality that they are showing getting torn apart by a hawk. this, to me, was about as socially acceptable as someone making a great documentary about their grandfather, then after he dies sticking the camera in the coffin. slowly closing in on his dead face. LOOK, LOOK, LOOK AT MY F*CKING GRANDFATHER. LOOK AT MY DEAD GRANDFATHER. I CANT BELIEVE HE'S DEAD, OH GOD LOOK HE'S DEAD. except it would be more graphic liek he had been shot a bunch of times, he was being chewed on by an animal of some sort, and his face was all bloody and im like focusing on the head wound. (fade out)
In conclusion: this movie is about parrots. Its pretty good.
I LOVED it! June 1, 2005
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
Friends of mine have been trying to get me to see this film for months!!
On Memorial Day, 2005, I decided to see this film before it left the Embarcadero Theaters in downtown San Francisco.
What a miracle.
This film is a 'feel good'--'cry your eyes out'--'uplifting slice of life' that rarely gets celebrated in our culture.
I found this film to be 83 minutes of goodness that just sort of accidentally happened--
It is fun and healing....sounds like the best kind of miracle to me!
(I'm not going to add to the story line here....because I'm glad that when I saw the Film I knew very little about it's details.)
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