Because January 21 is Squirrel Appreciation Day, I had squirrels on my mind all day yesterday, but I wrapped up my evening with The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill,
a documentary about more colorful creatures, at least in terms of
plumage. It’s an odd sight to see parrots soaring over the streets of
San Francisco as though they belong there; I just don’t think of wild
birds in America boasting that kind of spectacular color. These are
immigrants for the most part, but they feel welcome in the California
sunshine, and that is due, in no small measure, to the efforts of Mark
Bittner, the man who oversaw their care and feeding for several years.
Mark, an articulate, eccentric man who, at the time of this film,
hadn’t paid rent in more than a decade, thrives on the generosity of his
friends and neighbors, and in turn, he passes the goodwill on to his
feathered companions. He gets to know the unique markings and other
distinguishing characteristics of each bird; they become like family,
even though he insists that they are not “his” birds. Few of them ever
see the inside of a cage. His aim is to keep them free, and he imprisons
them only for the purposes of rehabilitation - though he does amusingly
recount his experience with Mingus, a parrot who, atypically, seems to
crave captivity.
Judy Irving, a filmmaker and neighbor of
Mark’s, found his story intriguing enough that she decided to document
some of his experiences. Hence, we get a lot of up-close and personal
shots of the parrots as Mark gives us their life stories as he sees
them. “Boy, he sure does a lot of anthropomorphizing!” my dad commented,
and perhaps that’s true; he’s constantly telling us what the birds are
thinking and feeling, with such certainty that one might wonder whether
he thinks he has a direct pipeline to their minds. Still, most of his
assumptions struck me as fairly reasonable, considering the
circumstances he describes.
The footage of the birds is quite
lovely, and it’s interesting to hear Mark talk about them and try to
help us see them as individuals. Unfortunately, I still found it pretty
tough to tell the birds apart. He’s had years to get to know these
creatures; it’s a little harder for us to manage in an hour and a half,
and with only the benefit of sight. Additionally, there’s little
narrative structure to the movie. Certain parrots have some semblance of
a story arc, and there is a major conflict toward the end, but it seems
to come out of nowhere, much too suddenly to feel like a major plot
element. Rather, the film feels largely plotless. Which is, I suppose,
somewhat typical of documentaries, but I think Irving could have done a
better job of weaving her film together in a more linear and compelling
fashion.
There are those who won’t like this movie because of
its acceptance of the presence of an invasive species amongst indigenous
wildlife. Others will protest Mark’s lack of traditional employment,
while still others will simply wish for better editing. While I don’t
object to the main ideals presented in the movie, I confess my attention
wandered. Rarely did I find my eyes glued to the screen. These are
beautiful birds, and if a flock of parrots decided to settle here in
Erie, Pennsylvania, I would certainly want to go see them. But the movie
doesn’t use them to their full advantage.
I do recommend The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
to anyone who loves birds. The primary focus is on the parrots, which
are fascinating in themselves, but there are side trips dealing with
lorikeets, quails and all sorts of other birds, some domesticated, most
wild. Chances are you’ll learn something and that you’ll find yourself
falling in love with these bright green birds as well. But I think the
movie could use a more detached narrator to give it a bit more
structure. Have a look at this unique slice of life; just don’t expect
another March of the Penguins.
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