Grizzly Man

The Movie Grizzly Man, a documentary put together of Timothy Treadwell, a man who lived with grizzly bears in Alaska for thirteen consecutive years, was an excellent film of character. During his last five years he took footage of his journey’s and created a character that caught the attention of many. Some say he’s crazy, some thought he was a loving environmentalist. Through his journey’s Treadwell began to craft his own film, as described by the narrator of the movie, as he possessed several different emotions, feelings and sides of himself, along with several retakes, in hopes that maybe he would have his own show someday. It was also said that this sense of character created by his clippings was due to the fact that the camera was his only real sense of companion; thus, he talked to it like it was, revealing all sides of himself in the relationship. I found this to be interesting, and believable, as we all know Hanks in Cast Away became companions with Wilson the volleyball. I found the film to be classified as one that focuses on character as outlined in the book, The Art of Watching Films. I do this because the main focus of the movie was not to persuade the viewer to believe Treadwell’s message that bears are not harmful, and should be more respected, but rather to showcase the uniqueness of this man’s character. Films that focus on character are defined in the Art of watching films says: “qualities of the character that set them apart from other people.” (pg. 23) Timothy Treadwell was showcased in several lights, as being caring, loving, angry, sad, and even times crazy. No man has lived with one of nature’s most dangerous animals for such a long period, as Treadwell did, and his perseverance to do so certainly in my mind sets him apart from other people. The theme of the movie was not directly to aware us of the Grizzly bear, or to convince us of Treadwell’s purpose, which was to protect the bears. The documentary was to show us of a man who was extreme in his passions and beliefs to die for what he believed in, referred to by himself as “Timothy Treadwell, the kind warrior”

However, I felt the film was a bit graphic in the part of showing his character, as he cursed several times in his films. Although I know that this shows a significant sense of character, at times it became a bit repetitive, useless, and thus the only reason I see the film getting an R rating. The majority of that could have been kept to a minimum. At first I was disappointed that there wasn’t more showcasing of the bears themselves, but after realizing that the movie was not about the bears, but about the man, it became apparent why the importance of repeating Treadwell’s takes was necessary to enhance his many personalities to create this uniqueness of character. Like the Art of Watching Films teaches, “As we become more perceptive and look more deeply into the film, new levels of emotional experience will emerge.”(pg. 9)

I found the film very diverse in the fact that it had interviews from all aspects and opinions. There were a few people interviewed, like one of the park rangers that stated how he thought Treadwell was a crazy man, and that there could never be a relationship or understanding between bear and man, for nature is nature, and they didn’t know any better. It also had supportive interviews from friends and family, like one of his best friends Jewel Truman, who believed in him, and thought the world of him. Even interviews from Treadwell himself showed to be controversial at times as he would get frustrated with nature, like when the baby fox was killed, or the baby cub, to feed the hungry bears. He couldn’t understand why it happened, and showed his own contradictions of emotions.

I personally was moved by his story, and don’t think he was crazy at all, but he was like any man who found something he loved, and followed through on it. He filmed because he wanted to prove something, to prove that he did in fact care and protect these animals. I do find it tragic that it ended with him being taken by one of the bears, for I feel that it discredited his work to the public eye. The public viewed his death as him being crazy for doing such a dangerous thing that only got him killed; however, he wanted nothing more than to die for what he believed in and loved in life. No difference than a solider at war. The film I felt did a great job at this as it showed that even though he did die, out there he loved life, he protected it, and truly did have some type of respect from the bears. He wanted to be in a place where he felt comfortable, and useful, and that was with the bears. Like the movie cover says: “In nature, there are no boundaries”, as well as with love and passion for what you do in life.

Boggs, Joseph, & Petrie, Dennis. (2008). The Art of watching films. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill College.

Grizzly Man (DVD). Directed by Werner Herzog. Lions Gate, 2005.