Grizzly man is a Documentary made by Werner Herzog, known for making both fiction and non-fiction films. In this film Herzog looks at famous wildlife documentarian Timothy Treadwell and the footage he filmed on his final expedition before his death. Herzog focuses mainly on the character of timothy Treadwell and the way in which he portrayed himself on film, in a loveable Disney / Dr Doolittle way. In true Herzog style grizzly man explores the character of Treadwell and how his obsessive behavior and mental state contributed to his death.
The way Herzog has created and shaped the film is both evoking and captivating but the way he so obviously leads you down a certain path, creating biases leads to to ask if he's hiding more information than you first realise, as opposed to merely directing you with his opinions. By using Treadwell's original footage he creates a dual narrative within the documentary, you find yourself following both Treadwell's exploration of nature and the bears behavior as well as following Herzog and exploration of who was Timothy Treadwell and how did his time with the bears effect his grip on reality and his world back home.
Treadwell's Naivete is strongly portrayed in the footage chosen by Herzog, accompanying his Disney View of the natural world and the animals around him. However although this is the character Herzog has chosen to portray of Timothy, the audience still sees authenticity in his screen persona as opposed to another front for the cameras. Herzog appears sympathetic for Treadwell but simultaneously has an air of pity, highlighting his foolishness.
Treadwell's death was highly preventable, but many have taken from the audio footage recorded at his death that he didn't fight back. Some have even suggested that he wished to die the way that he did. Herzog manages to capture the desperation in Treadwell, the need to be noticed and known, even if that meant being foolish and risky with his life. How he detached himself from reality in order to attempt to create the reality he desired.
A hard hitting documentary that no matter your opinion on Herzog's true intentions is a must see.
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