GRIZZLY MAN [2005] review

Werner Herzog took 100 hours of Timothy Treadwell’s Alaskan grizzly bear footage, and turned it into the stunned with itself documentary, GRIZZLY MAN. How did Treadwell survive 13 long summers in the “Grizzly Maze?” How could his maniacal energy endure in all that loneliness? It seems because he turned the “Grizzly Maze” into his hometown, and the foxes and grizzlies who lived there year-round into his neighbors. It is no spoiler to say that he and his girlfriend were ultimately killed by a grizzly at the end of that 13th summer, for the documentary begins by stating his death and then exploring his journey and the seemingly fated events toward that death.

Nature is by no means glorified in this documentary, although Treadwell in shooting his own footage exalts the highest praises upon it. Yet I side with some of those interviewed by Herzog, that he didn’t truly respect it, and he was not the ordained protector of it. To me respect for nature is in observing it in silence, for Nature does know the language of English. Introducing it so jokingly seemed disrespectful, especially in contrast to the very real dialogue of Nature viewers could see in the background of Treadwell’s footage.

The documentary shows what a man can become if for a time removed from human society, but forced to return to it. These two worlds seemed to become increasingly incompatible to Treadwell. He was on his way back to the human world, and having no patience for it, against what he had done in 12 past summers, went back to the grizzly world where he got what he said he didn’t want, but did little to deter: death by bear.

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