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The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

  • 20032003
  • GG
  • 1h 23m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
3K
YOUR RATING
The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003)
Theatrical Trailer from Shadow Distribution Inc.
Play trailer2:02
4 Videos
11 Photos
Documentary
A homeless musician finds meaning to his life when he starts a friendship with dozens of parrots.A homeless musician finds meaning to his life when he starts a friendship with dozens of parrots.A homeless musician finds meaning to his life when he starts a friendship with dozens of parrots.
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
3K
YOUR RATING
    • Judy Irving
  • Stars
    • Mark Bittner
    • Maggie McCall
    • Ivan Stormgart
    • Judy Irving
  • Stars
    • Mark Bittner
    • Maggie McCall
    • Ivan Stormgart
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 47User reviews
    • 50Critic reviews
    • 80Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos4

    The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
    Trailer 2:02
    Watch The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
    The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
    Trailer 2:02
    Watch The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
    The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
    Clip 0:33
    Watch The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
    The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
    Clip 0:34
    Watch The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

    Photos11

    The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003)
    The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003)
    The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003)
    The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003)
    The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003)
    The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003)
    The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003)
    The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003)
    The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003)
    The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2003)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Mark Bittner
    • Self
    Maggie McCall
    • Self - Urban Legends
    Ivan Stormgart
    • Self - Urban Legends
    Gary Thompson
    • Self - Urban Legends
    Elizabeth Wright
    • Self - Urban Legends
    Jamie Yorck
    • Self - Urban Legends
    Judy Irving
    • Self
    • (uncredited)
      • Judy Irving
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The flock of wild parrots fly behind the red-tailed hawk in order to escape it.
    • Quotes

      Mark Bittner: We're all one river till we hit this cliff. That distance between the top of the cliff and the bottom of the cliff is our life. And all the individual little droplets think they really are individual little droplets until they hit the bottom, and then they're gone. But that droplet doesn't lose anything, it gains. It gains the rest of the river.

    • Crazy credits
      Shot on location -- no digital special effects.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous/D.E.B.S./Guess Who/The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill (2005)
    • Soundtracks
      Peace of Mind
      Performed by Mark Bittner

    User reviews47

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Endearing and Kind
    This documentary, produced, directed and edited by Judy Irving, focuses on an erstwhile homeless man named Mark Bittner. His life in and of itself is not that interesting and not the centerpiece of the film. It is what Mark Bittner has chosen to do with a few years of his life that is what makes The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill compelling. As the title implies, he takes care of a fairly large flock of wild parrots that congregate on, yes, Telegraph Hill in San Francisco.

    It's a very simple story really. Mark, by his own admission, never really pursued any kind of career, although he once aspired to be a rock star. He lived in basements and cellars and on the street. Eventually, he began to feed and become involved with the parrots. Conveniently, he found a small home on the hill that he could squat in. The owners of the home, interviewed in the film, state that it would've seemed wrong to not let him continue to stay. Unfortunately, he must leave. The owners have decided to remodel.

    The first half of the film focuses on Mark's relationship with the Parrots and how he came to be their caretakers. He has a name for each one and gives the audience stories of how he's interacted with them. Included in these reminiscences, is general background information on bird life in San Francisco and the various theories on how these South American parrots came to exist in the Bay Area.

    The second half of Parrots deals with the fate of the birds now that Mark has to vacate his small home for the last three years. Apparently, his care of the birds has attracted world wide attention, especially in Europe. There is never really any tension in the fate of Mark or the parrots since, as Mark points out, the birds are perfectly capable of taking care of themselves. The viewer probably has a little less confidence in Mark though, as he says he has no idea what he will do.

    What works so well in this film is Judy Irving's deft editing. We are constantly treated to the beauty and charm of the parrots themselves but not so much as to make it tedious. Irving seemed to sense just when to spend time on the people and less "bird time." I did find her own voice-overs asking Mark questions to be a little intrusive at times and she even introduces herself as the filmmaker in the beginning. There does seem to be a reason for this, however, at the end of the film. I think most of the audience will be charmed. I was.

    My other choices at the theater, when I chose to see Irving's documentary, was a film about the last days of the Third Reich, children growing up in brothels, and an impoverished boy making a living in an underground fighting ring.

    I think I made the right choice.

    The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill was refreshing.
    helpful•32
    1
    • kasserine
    • Apr 8, 2005

    Details

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    • Release date
      • May 27, 2005 (United States)
      • United States
      • official Web site for the film
      • Pelican Media
      • English
    • Also known as
      • San Francisco, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Pelican Media
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 23 minutes
      • Color
      • Dolby Digital

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