The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

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The title is deceptive, and might lead you to believe it's about the parrots. it's really about one San Francisco resident and his unusual lifestyle and his relationship to the parrots. It also didn't seem to give a well rounded account of the situation. Left me uninspired.

Its not a particularly earth-shattering documentary but it is an interesting slice of life piece that explores the things that many people probably never notice in the world around them.

The last place many would expect to find a flock of exotic parrots is in the middle of San Francisco but director Judy Irving finds just this and a rather philosophical keeper of the birds that goes... read more

Description: 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 ev 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.
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