The Natural History of the Chicken
2000, NR, 56 min.
Directed by Mark Lewis, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring .

Mark Lewis delves into the often strange relationship between people and animals, much as he did in his previous films Cane Toads: An Unnatural History and Rat. Here, he talks with many people who keep chickens as pets: one dresses hers in diapers and lets it roam the house, another gave her chicken CPR. Lewis also investigates the commericial chicken industry, as well as talking with the breeders of cockfighters and their angry neighbors who are at wit’s end regarding the noisy roosters. Lewis’ perspective is always informative, amusing, and enlightening. (Mark Lewis will be present following the screening for a Q&A. See this week’s Screens section for an interview with Lewis.) The Texas Documentary Tour is co-sponsored by the Austin Film Society, the UT Department of RTF, The Austin Chronicle, KLRU-TV, and SXSW Film.

This article appears in March 30 • 2001.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US

Marjorie Baumgarten is a film critic and contributing writer at The Austin Chronicle, where she has worked in many capacities since the paper's founding in 1981. She served as the Chronicle's Film Reviews editor for 25 years.