Retro Film Review: Grizzly Man (2005)
The inability of Hollywood to create original stories has inadvertently benefited the makers of documentaries. These days, it is more likely for a viewer to experience a profound emotional response while watching a documentary than by viewing a typical Hollywood drama. One such true story, which seems to be beyond the reach of Hollywood screenwriters, is the subject of Grizzly Man, a 2005 documentary written and directed by the renowned German filmmaker Werner Herzog.
The protagonist of this documentary is Timothy Treadwell (1957-2003), a failed Hollywood actor and former drug addict who gained fame as one of the world's greatest bear enthusiasts. Starting in 1990, Treadwell spent every summer in Katmai National Park in Alaska, becoming enchanted with the local fauna, particularly the brown bears. Over time, he appointed himself as their protector from human encroachment and spent his final summers recording his adventures with a video camera. The footage amounted to over a hundred hours, and a small section of it forms the basis of Herzog's film. The rest is made up of interviews with Treadwell's friends, acquaintances, park officials, biologists, various experts, and the local coroner.
The story of *Grizzly Man? is certainly unusual. Those unfamiliar with Treadwell or Herzog might initially think they are watching a parody of The Blair Witch Project rather than a documentary. However, Herzog's solemn and serious narration grounds the surreal words and images in reality.
Some of the most surreal scenes feature Treadwell approaching the massive bears and expressing his love for them in a high-pitched tone. These near-idyllic images, set against the backdrop of the area's natural beauty, sharply contrast with the violent fight between two male bears over a female. Treadwell, who recorded the event, later visits the site, which now resembles the aftermath of a tank battle, and describes it with words more appropriate for a kindergarten fight. When the audience compares these two images, they will arrive at a conclusion that Treadwell either couldn't or didn't want to make.
Those familiar with Herzog's previous work will understand why the German filmmaker was drawn to Treadwell's story. Treadwell is, in many ways, similar to the protagonists of Herzog's classic films. As the film progresses, Treadwell's recordings reveal a man increasingly disconnected not only from the civilisation he learned to despise but also from reality. Herzog spells this out in his narration, while at the same time praising Treadwell's ability as a filmmaker.
Like few films in recent times, Grizzly Man is able to elicit both laughter and tears from its audience. This film also allows the audience to form its own opinion about the unusual protagonist. Some may praise Treadwell as a noble idealist who paid the ultimate price fighting for something he believed in. Others may see him as a mentally disturbed exhibitionist, while some may view him as a modern-day equivalent of the Sacred Fool. Regardless, Treadwell deserved to have a film made about him, just as this exceptionally powerful documentary deserves to be seen.
RATING: 9/10 (++++)
(Note: Original version of the review is available here.)
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