Timothy Treadwell of GRIZZLY MAN. Photo courtesy of Timothy Treadwell.
A fascinating look at Timothy Treadwell, who lived among the grizzly bears of Alaska documenting the true misunderstood nature of the animals in order to protect them. This is one of the most amazing documentaries I have ever seen. Timothy Treadwell was killed in 2003 by an unknown grizzly bear after staying there longer than he normally does. Some called him a genius, some thought he was insane. Directed by Werner Herzog. Rated R for language. Running time 103 minutes.
MAXimum Rating: 8/10
Letter from Tom Mayer — January 20, 2006
I was truly looking forward to this movie. Being an outdoorsman and having spent quite a bit of time in the Alaska woods I was tremendously disappointed in the documentary. It was not about the bears it was all about Treadwell. Too many contradictions in the documentary to make it credible. Treadwell telling the women on the video to get out of the way of the camera because he was supposed to be there alone; and then him on camera claiming to be there all alone.
“F” words and his anger were disgusting. And he was supposed to be working with children. And now those same children see this documentary and all the ugly language and spewed hatred.
Documentary should have been about the bears, not about a disturbed man who needed to live alone in the woods and did not.
I have told many people to not see this movie.
_____________
Jean Luc-Godard is famous for saying, “Cinema is truth at twenty-four frames a second, and every cut is a lie.” If Godard’s contention holds true, then the documentarian’s goal is, ultimately, to resist the temptation to lie.
The documentary, “Grizzly Man” is about Treadwell. It is not, clearly, the documentary that Treadwell would have shot. The director, Herzog, explicitly states, in fact, that outtakes which would have never made Treadwell’s documentary reveal more about his nature and the nature of the world the bears lived in than Treadwell would have ever thought to incorporate.
Regarding the language… I don’t think many children will have the opportunity to see Herzog’s film, as it is rated R.
- Rubin Safaya, Editor