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Movies / On DVD / Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

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Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2005)

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Reviews Counted:93

Fresh:88

Rotten:5

Average Rating:7.7/10

Consensus: Interesting and appealing as both a study of man and nature.

Rated: G

Runtime: 83 mins

Genre: Education/General Interest

Theatrical Release:Feb 11, 2005 Limited

Box Office: $2,720,531

Synopsis: An uncommon bond between man and nature is the focus of Judy Irving's wonderful and informative documentary, THE WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL. The film follows Mark Bittner, an unemployed aging... An uncommon bond between man and nature is the focus of Judy Irving's wonderful and informative documentary, THE WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL. The film follows Mark Bittner, an unemployed aging hippie, who lives off the kindness of strangers in the titular San Francisco neighborhood. His life takes on new meaning when he starts feeding a flock of wild Conures, a breed of parrot noted for its green body and cherry-red head. Native to Argentina, the birds soon feel comfortable enough to feed while perched all over Mr. Bittner. Being outcasts who yearn to remain free, a mutual respect is born between them. Daily routine soon leads to growing crowds of curious passersby, as Bittner becomes something of a local celebrity. Based on his up-close observations, Bittner gains some keen insight into the behavior of individual birds, giving them names. The resulting portraits of Connor, Mingus, Olive, Pushkin, Picasso, Sophie, and Tupelo prove that these amazing creatures deserve star credit in their own right. WILD PARROTS features some incredible close-ups, rare in-depth glimpses into the unique and often amusing habits and activities of one flock of parrots, and a surprise ending. [More]

Starring: Mark Bittner

Starring: Mark Bittner

Director: Judy Irving

Director: Judy Irving
Producer: Judy Irving
Composer: Chris Michie
Studio: Shadow Distribution

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Dec 27, 2005

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

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1 - 20 (sorted by comments)
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Audiences will find themselves loving the screeching feral creatures as much as their on-camera human friend does.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
03/04/05
E! Online
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
03/05/05
Boston Phoenix

It's a special, strangely soothing movie experience that wonderfully celebrates the intricate diversity of life on Earth and the profound emotional bond that can exist between man and beast.

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
04/15/05
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch | comment Comment
07/05/05
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: AV Club | comment Comment
09/26/05
AV Club
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
01/17/06
Sydney Morning Herald

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
04/01/06
Empire Magazine
N/R

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Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
06/24/06
Time Out
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
10/18/08
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

Funny, sweet, and unexpectedly moving, this is not just a study of man and birds, it’s also . . . a thoughtful consideration of what it means to follow one’s bliss

Full Review Source: Killer Movie Reviews | comment Comment
02/03/05
Andrea Chase
Andrea Chase
Killer Movie Reviews
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Salon.com | comment Comment
10/07/06
Andrew O'Hehir
Andrew O'Hehir
Salon.com
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Honestly earns its sentimentality, with a Zapruderish photographic reveal in the final act that's seriously the most affecting thing I've seen all year.

Full Review Source: The Stranger (Seattle, WA) | comment Comment
04/14/05
Andrew Wright
Andrew Wright
The Stranger (Seattle, WA)

Parrots not so wild.Documentary shows quirks but not much else.

Full Review Source: Sympatico.ca | comment Comment
07/20/05
Angela Baldassarre
Angela Baldassarre
Sympatico.ca

Parrots not so wild.Documentary shows quirks but not much else.

Full Review Source: Sympatico.ca | comment Comment
07/20/05
Angela Baldassarre
Angela Baldassarre
Sympatico.ca

Quite simply, a beautiful film, in both form and content.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
03/11/05
Ann Hornaday
Ann Hornaday
Washington Post

The birds...are a natural subject for a documentary film, but in the end Judy Irving's film is as much or more about Mark Bittner, a self-appointed guardian of the flock, than it is about the birds themselves.

Full Review Source: culturevulture.net | comment Comment
11/26/05
Arthur Lazere
Arthur Lazere
culturevulture.net

A quietly profound way to understand the importance of mankind's relationship with nature.

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
07/15/05
Bruce Kirkland
Bruce Kirkland
Jam! Movies

The film is that rare documentary that has romance, comedy and a surprise ending that makes you feel as if you could fly out of the theater like a cherry headed conure.

Full Review Source: San Jose Mercury News | comment Comment
02/10/05
Bruce Newman
Bruce Newman
San Jose Mercury News
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's surprising how engaging this simple little movie can be... As a nature study, the footage is amazing.

Full Review Source: TheMovieChicks.com | comment Comment
04/08/05
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone
TheMovieChicks.com

Perhaps if Judy Irving's The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill had been released in any other year, I wouldn't be so judgmental and hard to please

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
12/09/05
Chris Cabin
Chris Cabin
Filmcritic.com
 
 
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