Review of Grizzly Man (2005) by Jennifer A — 08 Jan 2010

The story of a man who loved bears and himself.

Grizzly Man (2005) - 8.0/10.

Director - Werner Herzog.

For 13 summers Timothy Treadwell traveled to the Alaska wilderness to live with the bears. Treadwell, a self styled environmentalist, had no formal training with bears. Each summer he would be dropped off with a tent, supplies, and a video camera and he would set up camp where the bears feed. He would usually camp alone but on occassion he would bring a female companion. He would film the bears as well as himself, His commentary ranged from informative to enraged, ultimately revealing more about himself than the bears. But the outcome was inevitable, something Treadwell probably knew himself as he and a female companion were mauled to death by bears at the end of the 13th summer.

Werner Herzog pieces together the film using hundreds of hours of footage Treadwell left behind along with interviews of family and friends, scientists and critics. The most fascinating footage of course belonged to Treadwell and Herzog uses it very well. Herzog was especially interested in how Treadwell narrated his footage. A failed actor, Treadwell very much understood the power of the camera and he used it for self-promotion. His footage and narration in fact made him something of a celebrity. He would do the talk show circuit and school tours. But the footage also revealed a disturbed and angry man who didn't blend with society. A man of expressive highs and lows. A man teetering on the edge. A man who probably knew his fate. In fact there is audio of his death although Herzog wisely decided not to use it.

Overall it's one of the more fascinating documentaries of the 2000's.