I and the bird #43: IATB at the Movies!

Welcome to the I and the Bird multiplex cinema. I’m glad you found us. Why don’t you head over to the lobby where you can pick up some nice refreshments; perhaps a warbler-friendly coffee or a nice glass of wine (from a bottle stoppered with a real cork naturally). Anyway enough chat, here’s your ticket so once you’ve picked up your refreshments make your way through to the screens and enjoy our feature presentations.
Currently showing on our 24 screens are a range of new and classic movies. Here’s this week’s listings:

Screen 1: A Man For All Seasons (1966) - One of the main characters in the tale of Sir Thomas Moore is a cardinal; just like in Pam’s backyard over at Tortoise Trail [I know what you’re thinking and yes the film links are all going to be this tenuous].

Screen 2: The Maltese Falcon (1941) - The real Maltese falcons were a famous race of peregrines so prized for falconry they were the only rent paid by the Knights of St. John for possession of Malta during their tenure. Sadly the peregrines of Malta (like most of the other birds) are long gone but Duncan of Ben Cruachan Blog went searching for peregrines in Australia and found a whole lot more.

Screen 3: Winged Migration (2001) - the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory gives us some background on the practicalities behind the wonders of bird migration and what happens next.

Screen 4: Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) - To quote the titular Mr Burgundy “Stay classy San Diego”. Amy of Wildbird on the Fly stays classy birding at the San Diego Bird Festival.

Screen 5: Batman Returns (1992) - We’re not showing the recent Christian Bale effort but Tim Burton’s gothic classic in which the Bat does battle with a bird; the Penguin. Over at Neurophilosophy we can learn about real life bat and bird battles.

Screen 6: Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) - I think my pirates are a bit more interesting than Johnny Depp’s although I will concede my post lacks the Keira Knightly factor.

Screen 7: Singin’ in the Rain (1952) - The Bird Ecology Group of Singapore don’t sing, they go birding in the rain (well perhaps they sing also but the post doesn‘t mention it so who knows?). As an aside maximum respect for this because when it rains in Sg it can absolutely bucket down. As a second aside I wish I'd found these guys during my six months in Singapore as they find some amazing birds.

Screen 8: Le Grand Bleue (1988, French, subtitles) - Luc Besson’s masterpiece is about two competing freedivers exploring the ocean; Craig of Peregrine’s Bird Blog encounters two freedivers of his own, 1 mammalian and 1 avian, as well as a few other treats.

Screen 9: The Gold Rush (1925, silent) - Chaplin’s Little Tramp heads to California to prospect for gold, 82 years later Liza of The Egret’s Nest visited an historic gold rush town whilst prospecting for birds. The chocolate sounds nice too.

Screen 10: It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955) - I’m talking not about a gigantic rubber octopus attacking San Francisco but rather the horned puffins popping up in the Channel that were an unusual sighting for Matt of Sitka Nature.

Screen 11: Miami Vice (2006) - I’m sure Charlie was well behaved on his trip to Miami but the black markings around the throat on the yellow-throated warblers in the gallery at his Bird Blog do remind me a little of Colin Farrell’s handlebar moustache.

Screen 12: The Seagull (1975) - Should Chekov have referred to one bird or four? Nemesisbirder investigates lumping.

Screen 13: Carnival in Costa Rica (1947) - Patrick abandons the Hawk Owl’s Nest for warmer climes in sunny Costa Rica. He may or may not have visited a carnival whilst there.

Screen 14: Welcome to Pooh Corner (1983, animated short) - Disney fans, I’m afraid Woodsong’s Cindy isn’t blogging about that adorable yellow bear with a fondness for hunny but the other type of pooh : manure (and the birds that love it).

Screen 15: Revenge of the Nerds (1984) - Should it’ve been called “Flight of the Dork-winged Sparrow”? Leigh from Alis Volat Propiis has the gen on a new species.

Screen 16: The Longest Spur (1968) - 10,000 Birds’ Mike shares a tale of 2 longspurs; one seen, one unseen (but without the original film’s western style gun fighting obviously).

Screen 17: Confessions of a window cleaner (1975) - Well I presume Sunnybank keeps the windex handy to enjoy all these birds. Nice pictures too. How appropriate her blog is the "View from my Window"

Screen 18: Private Benjamin (1980) - In this film Private Benjamin (Goldie Hawn) ends up spending time with elite regiment the Thorn Birds. Trevor of Trevor’s Birding came across some thorn birds himself; Chestnut-rumped Thornbills.

Screen 19: Cold Mountain (2003) - I don’t know if Jayne’s Journey Through Grace took her up a mountain but she’s obviously somewhere very cold - check out this Carolina wren.

Screen 20: The Birthday Party (1968) - Bogbumper’s Katie and Darren celebrated Darren’s Birthday in style with a trip round the English coastline of the county of Norfolk. Unlike the film they weren’t menaced by mysterious strangers but were mobbed by friendly snow buntings.

Screen 21: Where Eagles Dare (1968) - This must be a film about Birdfreak's expedition along the Mississippi River in Illinois, USA. Not just a few eagles either; lots and lots of eagles.

Screen 22: The Eagle has Landed (1976) - Not only did Birdchick see eagles land, but she saw some actual celebrities too. All the details are here in a post that I trust has the requisite truthiness.

Screen 23: The Da Vinci Code (2006) - This film features a monk who keeps turning up where one wouldn't expected. So did David's GBBC. All the details and more at Search & Serendipity.

Screen 24: Night of the Living Dead (1968) - Although this isn’t a blog post I couldn’t resist the chance to pun about the good news that somewhere in Australia the Night parrot is still Living and not, as thought Dead (geddit?). Especially since no-one contributed posts about nesting cuckoos.

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