What an odd and fascinating documentary on Timothy Treadwell, one of the most unlikely characters you would ever expect to live the longest among one of the worlds most dangerous animals. At first I thought the movie was fictional, because Herzog did a similar "documentary" of Loch Ness that was in fact fake. The movie is mostly an amalgamation of all of Timothy's own personal footage he took of himself and Grizzly bears in the Alaskan wilderness known as the "grizzly maze" which eventually lead to his and his girlfriends death. And let me tell you, Grizzly Adams he ain't! The reason I thought it was fake is that Timothy is one of most effete, emotional and sensitive and, I'm sorry but just plain "gay" sounding men I have ever heard as an outdoorsman. He reminded me of Cristopher Guests character in "Waiting for Guffman". However, this does not detract from the fact he obviously has a strong relationship with animals and a genuine love of the outdoors. Or does he? It is obvious after viewing some of his own footage of himself, however edited by Herzog, that he is clearly narcissistic, and seemingly borderline psychotic and in desperate need of attention or love. How many grown men still have their teddy bear? What is the relationship between himself, the teddy bear and the real bears? What do the bears really represent to him? Some hint that they were an adrenaline rush, a sense of danger, but I think there is more to it than that. His parents talk about his normal childhood, but it seems to be that something went on there they did not let out, or rather a lack of something.
Herzog makes his own comments on Treadwell's mental state and his views on nature, and much of it I agree with, but some I do not. Herzog portrays nature as being in constant state of chaos, death and aggression. I would tend to think that it is closer to the Yin and Yang idea, it is both in perfect harmony and total chaos, constantly flowing from one state to another. I also saw the "comments" film that followed the documentary which showed the reactions of friends to the movie. Sometimes I wondered if they saw the same film I did and had overly rosy memories of Treadwell. I don't think anyone said that they thought he deserved to die the way he did, but most indicated that they were not surprised of the outcome and that most people do not get so close to these dangerous animals for precisely that reason, they will KILL YOU. Treadwell clearly knew that, he talked many times of his own death on camera, specifically by the bears. Whether he had a death wish or a perverse need to be consumed by the bears, the part where he touched the feces of a bear was interesting, he seemed so excited to touch the "insides" of the bear, it seemed almost orgasmic. It was definitely weird. Reminded me of guy who answered the internet ad in Germany and consented that he be eaten by another human being.
Anyway, after watching "Project Grizzly", the bizarre doc on the Tory Hurtibuise, the Northen Ontario outdoorsman that tried to build a grizzly proof suit I am reminded that if you live in the bush, your brain starts to go a little "funny" and all of a sudden these bears become symbolic of some deep need or hole in your life. For Troy, the bear clearly represented his father. For Timothy, who knows? There might also be a similar relationship, but instead of trying to defeat it in a manly fashion like Troy, Timothy tried to become one with them, to be loved by them.
A fascinating film, this is why I love documentaries so much! I love how Herzog talks about the magic of the camera of what you can capture, and I would tend to agree, there is something about the act of filming something that creates incredible stories of REAL drama, not fake over blown Hollywood drama. For nowhere in Hollywood would you EVER have a feminine sounding outdoorsman! I love it, good job.
Herzog makes his own comments on Treadwell's mental state and his views on nature, and much of it I agree with, but some I do not. Herzog portrays nature as being in constant state of chaos, death and aggression. I would tend to think that it is closer to the Yin and Yang idea, it is both in perfect harmony and total chaos, constantly flowing from one state to another. I also saw the "comments" film that followed the documentary which showed the reactions of friends to the movie. Sometimes I wondered if they saw the same film I did and had overly rosy memories of Treadwell. I don't think anyone said that they thought he deserved to die the way he did, but most indicated that they were not surprised of the outcome and that most people do not get so close to these dangerous animals for precisely that reason, they will KILL YOU. Treadwell clearly knew that, he talked many times of his own death on camera, specifically by the bears. Whether he had a death wish or a perverse need to be consumed by the bears, the part where he touched the feces of a bear was interesting, he seemed so excited to touch the "insides" of the bear, it seemed almost orgasmic. It was definitely weird. Reminded me of guy who answered the internet ad in Germany and consented that he be eaten by another human being.
Anyway, after watching "Project Grizzly", the bizarre doc on the Tory Hurtibuise, the Northen Ontario outdoorsman that tried to build a grizzly proof suit I am reminded that if you live in the bush, your brain starts to go a little "funny" and all of a sudden these bears become symbolic of some deep need or hole in your life. For Troy, the bear clearly represented his father. For Timothy, who knows? There might also be a similar relationship, but instead of trying to defeat it in a manly fashion like Troy, Timothy tried to become one with them, to be loved by them.
A fascinating film, this is why I love documentaries so much! I love how Herzog talks about the magic of the camera of what you can capture, and I would tend to agree, there is something about the act of filming something that creates incredible stories of REAL drama, not fake over blown Hollywood drama. For nowhere in Hollywood would you EVER have a feminine sounding outdoorsman! I love it, good job.