SOUNDS OF FILM with Tom Needham

Tom Needham

The SOUNDS Podcast with Tom Needham features in-depth conversations with leading filmmakers, composers, authors, politicians, artists, scientists, actors and philosophers. The SOUNDS Podcast also brings listeners classic interviews from the deep archives of America's longest running film, music and ideas themed radio show, THE SOUNDS OF FILM. For more information, visit: https://soundsoffilm.com

  1. 6H AGO

    Remembering Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill’s Mark Bittner

    “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill” is a documentary about Mark Bittner, a homeless musician in San Francisco who forms a deep bond with a flock of wild parrots living on Telegraph Hill. The film explores his relationship with the birds, their unique behaviors, and his personal journey of self-discovery and connection to nature. “Wild Parrots” was first screened in 16mm in festivals in 2003. Mark Bittner’s memoir, The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, was published by Random House in 2004. Ken Eisen of Shadow Distribution picked up the movie, blew it up to 35mm, and booked it in 500 theaters in 2005, grossing over three million dollars. Broadcast on the national PBS series Independent Lens in 2007, the film attracted 1.5 million viewers, making it the most popular show of the series. Twenty years after the film’s first release, in the spring of 2023, the San Francisco Chronicle hosted a contest to pick the City’s “Official Animal.” In a hotly contested battle over four rounds of voting, the maverick Wild Parrots beat the corporate tourism Sea Lions of Pier 39 and 15 other species. The official City Ordinance took effect in August, the same month the Avalon Theatr in Washington D.C. hosted the premiere of the restored 4K movie. The restoration was a 5.5-year labor of love. Because the original film was SD (Standard Definition, not HD, High Definition), it disappeared from streaming platforms, which no longer accept SD films. Producer/director Judy Irving, with the help of the Academy Film Archive, had the 16mm film negative scanned in 4K and slowly started cleaning up (“dust-busting”) the 120,000 digital frames. She was joined by Sarah Lemarie, CEO of Mickaboo Bird Rescue, whose volunteered time and expertise made it possible to complete the restoration. And now a whole new generation can see “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill” on the big screen. Filmmaker Judy Irving is a Sundance and Emmy-Award winning filmmaker whose theatrical credits include The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, a feature documentary about the relationship between a homeless street musician and a flock of wild parrots in San Francisco, Pelican Dreams, about California brown pelicans and the people who know them best, Dark Circle, a personal film about the links between nuclear power and weapons, and Cold Refuge, about how swimming in open water mitigates some of life's most serious challenges. In 2015 she was elected to the Documentary Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. Author and film subject Mark Bittner was born and raised in southwestern Washington State. His first ambition as a teenager was to be a novelist, but alarmed by the uniformly miserable fates of all the writers whom he loved, he decided to pursue a career in music instead. After hitchhiking through Europe, he ended up in San Francisco determined to sink or swim as a poet-singer-songwriter. He sank. Completely bereft, he turned to spiritual seeking and ended up on the street where he spent the next 14 years. Ultimately his search led him to the wild parrot flock, which, in turn, led him back to writing, and his first book: The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill. He is currently seeking a publisher for his second book, Street Song, which details his journey to the street. He has also completed a set of recordings, Street Songs, as a supplement to the book. SOUNDS is the nation’s longest running film and music themed radio show. For the past 30 years, the program has delivered a popular mix of interviews and music to listeners all over Long Island, parts of Connecticut and streaming worldwide live on the internet. Past people interviewed for the show include Carter Burwell, Don McLean, Jordan Peterson, Hal Hartley, DA Pennebaker, Wendy & Lisa, Alexander Payne, Ernest Dickerson and Dionne Warwick. For more information, visit soundsoffilm.com

    34 min

  2. 4D AGO

    Eric Stoltz Talks Tarantino & More on a Classic Sounds of Film

    On this Classic Sounds of Film, veteran actor and director Eric Stoltz joins host Tom Needham to revisit his long and varied career in film and television, including his work as a director and the making of his feature Class Rank. Stoltz reflects on the many roles that have defined his journey—from breakthrough performances in dramatic films to memorable appearances in genre favorites—offering listeners a broad look at his evolution as an artist and collaborator in the industry. His career has spanned influential films and television series alike, with Stoltz navigating projects that showcase his range both in front of and behind the camera. Stoltz first gained widespread attention for his early work in Mask and continued to build his reputation with roles in films like Some Kind of Wonderful and Pulp Fiction, among many others. Over the years he has also established himself as a television director, helming episodes of acclaimed series across diverse genres. His multifaceted career underscores a commitment to creative exploration, whether portraying nuanced characters or shaping stories from the director’s chair. The Sounds of Film is America’s longest‑running radio and podcast program devoted to the intersections of cinema, music, and ideas. For more than three decades it has aired a distinctive mix of interviews, music, and cultural insight to audiences across Long Island, parts of Connecticut, and worldwide via major podcast platforms. The program has featured an eclectic array of guests from across the worlds of film, music, literature, and culture, including Billy Joel, William H. Macy, Chuck D, Laurie Anderson, Alexander Payne, and Marco Beltrami, among many others who have shaped the landscape of contemporary cinema and the arts.

    22 min

  3. FEB 25

    Wetiko: Kerry Mondragon’s Psychedelic Jungle Thriller

    Filmmaker Kerry Mondragon is the featured guest on an upcoming episode of the Sounds of Film podcast, hosted by Tom Needham. Mondragon’s work is marked by a fearless blend of cultural insight and cinematic daring, and his latest film Wetiko tells the story of a young Maya man drawn into the shadowy currents of a New Age ecovillage deep in the Yucatán jungle. The film moves between languages and worlds, weaving psychological tension and indigenous perspective into a gripping, genre‑defying narrative that reflects Mondragon’s distinctive creative sensibility. Wetiko follows its protagonist Aapo on a journey that begins with an errand and becomes an odyssey, revealing the seductive allure and deeper dangers of spiritual consumerism in a lush but unforgiving landscape. Mondragon’s approach to storytelling and his commitment to exploring identity, belief, and cultural collision have positioned him as a compelling voice in independent film. Sounds of Film, now one of the nation’s longest‑running film, music, and ideas‑themed programs, blends in‑depth conversations with directors, composers, actors, authors, and other cultural figures alongside its celebration of cinematic soundtracks and storytelling. Over its decades‑long run, the show has welcomed an eclectic roster of guests — including Alec Baldwin, Billy Joel, Chuck D, Carter Burwell, Dionne Warwick, Noah Baumbach, and Alexander Payne — offering listeners a wide range of perspectives on film, music, and the creative life.

    30 min

  4. FEB 17

    Remembering Rev. Jesse Jackson on THE SOUNDS OF FILM

    In memory of Rev. Jesse Jackson, who recently passed away, we are sharing this exclusive Sounds of Film interview. A towering figure in modern American public life, Jackson rose to national prominence as a protégé of Martin Luther King Jr. and went on to become one of the most recognizable voices for civil rights, economic justice, and political inclusion in the United States. Through his leadership of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and his historic presidential campaigns in the 1980s, he helped expand the national conversation about representation, opportunity, and the power of grassroots coalitions. For decades, Jackson’s work spanned ministry, activism, and international diplomacy, as he advocated for voting rights, workers, and underserved communities while also engaging in humanitarian efforts abroad. His influence reshaped both the civil rights movement’s next generation and the broader landscape of American political life.

    10 min

  5. FEB 16

    THE STATE OF EUGENICS: A Conversation with filmmaker Dawn Sinclair Shapiro & Tom Needham

    In this episode of a Classic Sounds of Film, host Tom Needham speaks with filmmaker Dawn Sinclair Shapiro about her documentary The State of Eugenics. Their conversation explores how the film exposes a troubling and often overlooked chapter of American history — the forced sterilization of more than 7,600 people in North Carolina who were labeled as having “undesirable” genetic traits. Shapiro discusses the years of research behind the project, the role of investigative journalists in uncovering the story, and how connecting archival records to living survivors helped spark a movement demanding acknowledgement and justice. The documentary, developed over four years, centers on the human consequences of the policy, giving voice to survivors whose stories might otherwise have remained hidden. Through personal testimony and historical investigation, the film reveals the lasting impact of the program and why confronting this past remains essential today. The Sounds of Film podcast continues its tradition of highlighting influential voices in film and music. Past guests have included Cheech & Chong, Billy Joel, Alexander Payne, Wallace Shawn, Kurtis Blow, Laurie Anderson, Ralph Macchio, and Donny Most, reflecting the program’s wide-ranging focus on artists whose work shapes culture and storytelling.

    51 min

  6. FEB 11

    Marvel’s Black Widow director, Cate Shortland, Talks Somersault on SOUNDS OF FIlM

    Filmmaker Cate Shortland, known to many audiences for directing Marvel’s Black Widow, first drew international attention with her debut feature Somersault. In this episode of The Sounds of Film, host Tom Needham welcomes Shortland to discuss the newly restored 4K release of the film, a visually haunting and emotionally intimate coming-of-age story set in the snowy landscapes of Australia. The film stars Abbie Cornish in a breakthrough role as Heidi, a vulnerable teenager searching for connection and belonging, alongside Sam Worthington in one of his earliest major screen performances. Set in the resort town of Jindabyne, Somersault explores themes of loneliness, desire, and the complicated path toward self-understanding. The stark winter setting and naturalistic style helped establish Shortland as a filmmaker with a distinctive visual voice and a deep sensitivity to character. The film remains an important early work in Australian cinema of the 2000s and marked the arrival of a director whose career would go on to span both intimate dramas and large-scale international productions. The Sounds of Film with Tom Needham is a long-running podcast and radio show devoted to conversations with the creative artists behind movies and television. Past guests have included John Turturro, William H. Macy, Alexander Payne, Wallace Shawn, Ralph Macchio, Laurie Anderson, Chuck D, D. A. Pennebaker, Howard Shore, and Thora Birch, reflecting the show’s wide-ranging focus on the many voices who shape the art of film.

    20 min

  7. FEB 5

    The Weather Underground’s Bill Ayers on a CLASSIC SOUNDS OF FILM with Tom Needham

    On the next Classic SOUNDS OF FILM, Tom Needham speaks with Bill Ayers, a former community organizer and education professor whose early notoriety came as a co-founder of the Weather Underground, the radical antiwar group that emerged from the late-1960s student movement and was later labeled a domestic terrorist organization by the FBI. His past has remained a subject of debate, but it marks just one chapter in a long public career devoted to questions of democracy, schooling, and civic life. Ayers went on to become a prominent voice in progressive education, serving for many years as a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and writing influential books on teaching and social justice. His works include TO TEACH: THE JOURNEY OF A TEACHER, TO BECOME A TEACHER: MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN CHILDREN’S LIVES, TEACHING TOWARD FREEDOM, A SIMPLE JUSTICE, and the memoir FUGITIVE DAYS, which reflects on activism, education, and the turbulent era that shaped his early life. Sounds of Film is America’s longest running film, music, and ideas show, exploring the creative minds behind the culture that moves us. Past guests include Chuck D, Chris Hedges, Big Daddy Kane, Thora Birch, Whit Stillman, Carter Burwell, Howard Shore, and DA Pennebaker.

    37 min

  8. JAN 29

    Jeff Gibbs, director of MICHAEL MOORE PRESENTS: PLANET OF THE HUMANS, on a Classic SOUNDS OF FILM

    Released on the eve of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and in the midst of the global Covid-19 pandemic, PLANET OF THE HUMANS takes a harsh look at how the environmental movement has lost the battle through well-meaning but disastrous choices, including the belief that solar panels and windmills would save us, and by giving in to the corporate interests of Wall Street. Planet of the Humans, which will be available for free on Youtube for 30 days, becomes the first documentary project to be released under the Rumble Media banner. Jeff Gibbs, is the director, writer, and producer of the feature documentary film,"Planet of the Humans." Born in Flint, Michigan, Jeff has served as a long time collaborator with Michael Moore. The first film he ever worked on was "Bowling for Columbine." Following the success or "Bowling for Columbine" Jeff became co-producer for "Fahrenheit 9/11," the largest box-office documentary of all time. Jeff also wrote the original score for both films.

    53 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
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2 Ratings

About

The SOUNDS Podcast with Tom Needham features in-depth conversations with leading filmmakers, composers, authors, politicians, artists, scientists, actors and philosophers. The SOUNDS Podcast also brings listeners classic interviews from the deep archives of America's longest running film, music and ideas themed radio show, THE SOUNDS OF FILM. For more information, visit: https://soundsoffilm.com

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