Alex & Me

[Saemma]

This link was sent to me.


Help us make a movie out of this bestselling novel | Alex & Me: The Movie

 

[Bokkapooh]

OH MY GOSH! No way! Thats awesome!!!

And to donate $20 and have your name in the Credits, that is TOO COOL!!!

 

[BamaBirdMom]

I think that is the worst thing that could happen. Everyone and his brother will think it's 'cool' to get an African Grey and their expectations will be too high when expecting their bird to talk. It won't matter what kind of disclaimer the movie might make, they won't believe it.
Dog breeders and rescue groups will tell anyone who cares to ask what happened to Dalmatians years ago when the first 101 Dalmatian movie came out using real dogs. I found myself rescuing and placing Dals for three years following. The rescue groups were full. Same for Chihuahuas and other breeds that have been featured in movies.

 

[allison]

I think that is the worst thing that could happen. Everyone and his brother will think it's 'cool' to get an African Grey and their expectations will be too high when expecting their bird to talk. It won't matter what kind of disclaimer the movie might make, they won't believe it.
Dog breeders and rescue groups will tell anyone who cares to ask what happened to Dalmatians years ago when the first 101 Dalmatian movie came out using real dogs. I found myself rescuing and placing Dals for three years following. The rescue groups were full. Same for Chihuahuas and other breeds that have been featured in movies.

This is true. But perhaps they will emphasize on the high intelligence and need for mental stimulation?

 

[Bokkapooh]

I think if they made this movie and then talked about Proper care, Bite marks, diet, toys, enrichment and everything regarding parrots, it can help change a lot of people's view on how they care for their birds(and help future bird owners take care of their birds).

If the movie is made poorly and does not talk about proper care, caging, diet, behavior, etc, then they should not make this movie, as it'll be just another movie with a parrot in it and people will go out and buy it thinking "oh this is cool".

 

[allison]

Maybe we could contact them with the suggestion that they emphasize the fact that parrots make terrible "Pets" to most people and that they are wild animals with a very high intelligence level and need lots of toys, interaction, and enrichment.

 

[southernbirds]

I think that it would cause everyone to buy Greys like they did Dalmatians. I'm sure it would be an entertaining movie, but I don't think people take the message about the proper care and feeding of birds away from a movie. Look at the movie Paulie... and the movie Free Willy. Most people do not understand that it takes allot to develop a good pet and sometimes, they don't always turn out the way you expected.

 

[Bokkapooh]

Maybe we could contact them with the suggestion that they emphasize the fact that parrots make terrible "Pets" to most people and that they are wild animals with a very high intelligence level and need lots of toys, interaction, and enrichment.

I just sent them an email

 

[Patrick]

I'm not really sure how I feel about this.
on one hand I really loved the book and to see it in picture would be amazing but on the other hand I fear that people would just run out and by a bird.
Maybe it'll be more of a documentary and people other than bird nuts wont be interested in it?

 

[Tinytoez]

This is interesting, I havent read the book yet but I will at some point.
But Alex and Dr Pepperburghs story should be told, but I feel it needs to be told in 2 parts, part 1 being the movie, for example 90 minutes long, but as well as that, added on a documentary for another 30 or 40 minutes that explaines what it is really like to live with a Grey, or any parrot for that matter.
I just think it needs to be done as one, before anyone leaving a cinema can get time to get any ideas about buying one, so that any happy happy, dream land ideas can be immediatly brought back down to earth with real facts.

 

[MollyMouse]

I just sent them an email

Good on you Mercedez let us know if they respond

 

[Anne & Gang]

I dont know if I am for or against it...seems like a bad thing really cause there are so many people who will want a talking bird...is anyone here old enough to remember that show "Baretta" from the late 70's and how terrible it was when all the toos that were purchased as a result were subsequently rehomed..remember he had a too that did great tricks etc...everyone wanted one, and everyone got one....

 

[Saemma]

I've sent them an email as well as a link to this thread. I think it would be very informative and enlightening for them to know of the opinions of VERY knowlegable parrot owners on this forum. The majority of us understand the Realities of being a parrot owner.

At the moment, I have mixed feelings about this movie being produced and hope it will also be one that doesn't distort OR make light of african greys and the care they need.

I've also invited them to join and learn more from us if they'd like.

Please try to keep the feedback on this thread, construction, helpful and informative.

Thanks in advance.

 

[tracie]

I think it would be a big mistake. I have said it before, but we all want that "feel good feeling" about this book. Alex wasn't happy, he didn't live the life of a companion parrot, he plucked and if you watch the video's he is always asking to go back because he didn't always want to "work". Did she care about him, I am sure she did, but let's no romanticize her feelings for him. Alex and his intelligence paid her bills. She did not love him like we love our greys. It is exhausting trying to get people that have grey's and know how intelligent and sensitive they are to not read this book with the rose colored glasses on. The movie will only create a bigger problem with people buying grey's because of their talking ability, and not realizing how complex they are.

 

[Holiday]

Wow, a film like that could have enormous positive impact because most people still think of parrots as second-class pets. They think they "mimic" and seldom provide them with cages large enough, toys numerous enough, or interaction meaningful enough. The downside, of course, is what Janet suggested--more people wanting to acquire a "talking bird." It would have to be handled in a balanced way...

 

[jmfleish]

Please note that any donations you make to this will not be seen by the Alex Foundation either...it's all going toward the movie only.

 

[Saemma]

Please note that any donations you make to this will not be seen by the Alex Foundation either...it's all going toward the movie only.

Yes, I noticed that too.

 

[Wasabisaurus]

I bet the same thing happened with Blue and Gold Macaws after Pirates of the Caribbean was released.

I hope the movie is not made. I loved the book Alex and Me and have met Dr. Pepperburg. Her eyes did mist up when I spoke to her respectfully about Alex (and some people have NOT, I heard from a reliable source when she was a speaker at a special event just after Alex passed.)

Anyway, yes, bad idea. I hope the movie is not made. Documentaries are great. Movies are always dramatizations, even of real events. Lord knows what would happen with Alex's story. Movies are made to make money, not to teach. Some have done both, but rarely.

I think that is the worst thing that could happen. Everyone and his brother will think it's 'cool' to get an African Grey and their expectations will be too high when expecting their bird to talk. It won't matter what kind of disclaimer the movie might make, they won't believe it.
Dog breeders and rescue groups will tell anyone who cares to ask what happened to Dalmatians years ago when the first 101 Dalmatian movie came out using real dogs. I found myself rescuing and placing Dals for three years following. The rescue groups were full. Same for Chihuahuas and other breeds that have been featured in movies.

 

[Bokkapooh]

I think it would be a big mistake. I have said it before, but we all want that "feel good feeling" about this book. Alex wasn't happy, he didn't live the life of a companion parrot, he plucked and if you watch the video's he is always asking to go back because he didn't always want to "work". Did she care about him, I am sure she did, but let's no romanticize her feelings for him. Alex and his intelligence paid her bills. She did not love him like we love our greys. It is exhausting trying to get people that have grey's and know how intelligent and sensitive they are to not read this book with the rose colored glasses on. The movie will only create a bigger problem with people buying grey's because of their talking ability, and not realizing how complex they are.

Good post. I absolutely feel the same way, and think the same in most of what you have said. The only thing I really liked about the book and all that about Alex was that it PROVED parrots are intelligent and I think it did play a part on making parrot care in the last 30 years a bit better.

I do think making a movie will help more people understand that parrots are intelligent intelligent creatures and just an animal to be caged.

 

[Saemma]

I'm not really sure how I feel about this.
on one hand I really loved the book and to see it in picture would be amazing but on the other hand I fear that people would just run out and by a bird.
Maybe it'll be more of a documentary and people other than bird nuts wont be interested in it?

Very good point Patrick, apparently the same happened after the 101 dalmation movie. In the end it will be the parrot that suffers needlessly if the same thing were to occur. Personally, I was very moved when I learned about Dr. Pepperberg and how intelligent Alex the grey was. It motivated me to do as much research as possible and join great forums to learn from other african grey owners. It took a long while before I decided that I was equipped to handle this very serious lifetime commitment. I'm so glad I did though.