Grizzly Man (2005)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Werner Herzog

Writer:

Werner Herzog (written by)

Release Date:

7 December 2005 (France)

Genre:

Documentary | Biography

Tagline:

In nature, there are boundaries.

Plot:

A devastating and heartrending take on grizzly bear activists Timothy Treadwell and Amie Huguenard, who were killed in October of 2003 while living among grizzlies in Alaska.

Plot Keywords:

Bear | Grizzly Bear | Alaska | Death | Animal

Awards:

12 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Werner Herzog	...	Himself / Narrator / Interviewer (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Carol Dexter	...	Herself, Treadwell's mother
Val Dexter	...	Himself, Treadwell's father
Sam Egli	...	Himself (Egli Air Haul)
Franc G. Fallico	...	Himself (Coroner)
Willy Fulton	...	Himself, pilot
Marc Gaede	...	Himself (Ecologist)
Marnie Gaede	...	Herself (Ecologist)
Sven Haakanson Jr.	...	Himself, Alutiiq Museum Director
Amie Huguenard	...	Herself (archive footage)
David Letterman	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jewel Palovak	...	Herself
Kathleen Parker	...	Herself (Close Friend)
Warren Queeney	...	Himself (Actor, Close Friend)
Timothy Treadwell	...	Himself (archive footage)
Larry Van Daele	...	Himself, bear biologist

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

USA:103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:AL | UK:15 | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Ontario) | Canada:G (Québec) | Sweden:Btl | Australia:M | Finland:K-7 | Singapore:NC-16 | USA:R | South Africa:13L

Filming Locations:

Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA

Company:

Discovery Docs

Trivia:

Werner Herzog listened to the audio tape that records the last moments of Timothy Treadwell and Amie Huguenard as they're killed by grizzly bears. Contrary to some beliefs, he never owned the tape. It is owned by one of Timothy's friends who has never listened to it. However, out of respect for the late couple, Herzog declined to feature it in the film although there is a scene with Herzog listening to the footage.

Quotes:

Timothy Treadwell: Well, its now after two o'clock on October 4th and the tent has caved in due to the storm and I'm still here with my little teddy bear "Teddypher the bear" and I think the storm has actually gotten a little weaker, but in the course of it getting stronger, it crushed the wall in and dent some of the poles and you really can't do much about it, because once they get like that, they stay just kinda bunged in and you're screwed and all that.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Sheep Man (2006)

Soundtrack:

Coyotes

I just can't stop shaking my head

Upon coming out of Grizzly Man, with my friend, I couldn't help noticing my own face in the reflection of the lobby mirrors... my face was completely blank. I looked over at my friend, and noticed she was merely staring down at her shoes and scratching her nose. Exiting out onto the street, joining the rest of the crowd as we all search for our cars, I couldn't help but believe I was still staring into the lobby mirrors... nearly every head was shaking, and every expression blank.

I now believe I will never know how I feel about Timothy Treadwell. A boy who accidentally grew into a man.

Grizzly Man immediately opens with the facts surrounding Timothy Treadwell and his girlfriend Amie Huguenard's death. These facts will stay inside you as you grow acquainted with Timothy and the animals surrounding his demise. Sadly, Amie Huguenard remains a faceless mystery.

Werner Herzog's soul remains intact, as he gently disassembles the matter of Timothy Treadwell's. Failed actor? Inveterate liar? Misguided Mercenary? Was Timothy Treadwell merely playing out the part of some great Discovery Channel episode in his head? We watch and listen as a lonely Timothy walks and talks into his only companion, a MiniDV camera, about his female problems, drug problems, memories and most importantly his love of animals.

Bears and Foxes in particular. There is one thing you could never doubt about this man, and that is of his love for Bears. "I love you, I love you..." We constantly hear him saying to the Bear's and Foxes that had become his "friends" over the years. And through Herzog's direction it is impossible to miss the beauty in this.

Timothy Treadwell's photography in this film is absolutely extraordinary. And Mr. Herzog did an extraordinary job putting it all together. In my opinion, this is his best film since Little Dieter Needs To Fly. (Un) fortunately, I cannot stop thinking about it. I cannot stop wondering who this man was... He wrapped himself in bandana's, claimed to be a "Peaceful Warrior", there to protect the Bears. But from what? The arguments were made that acquainting himself with them, he was doing much more harm then good. Why should they get to know a human? How could this help them in the future? And we know how it ended for him...

How can you just sit there and watch one mans whole life be wrapped up in a two hour film? And then declare his work meaningless? You can't. Was he just a suicidal man, playing one big act? Was he truly some feral warrior, bringing awareness and the importance of Bear protection and safety to light? Was he a directionless maniac who ultimately got an innocent girl killed?

The duality of Timothy Treadwell is merely one more example of the duality of mankind. And the mirror in which I had been looking into had, in fact, been the movie screen itself. Unfortunately, it appears as though he believed the Bears surrounding him shared this depth. And who am I to tell you they don't?