Grizzly Man (2005)

[MoseyWalker]

The movie is being shown on Discovery Channel in about 38 minutes for anyone who may be interested in seeing it. I thought it was a fascinating story.

Filmmaker Werner Herzog profiles grizzly bear enthusiast Timothy Treadwell, who was killed by one of the animals he studied in 2003. Adult Situations; Language.

Director(s): Werner Herzog.

[I Have A Dream]

1. Thanks for the information, MW! n/t

[MoseyWalker]

2. You're welcome!

This was a guy who seems so out of place in the world today, but believed in so many things that should not be forgotten.

:hi:

[rockymountaindem]

3. I'm watching it now

This guy was out of his mind. How on earth did he survive this for 14 years?

[MoseyWalker]

4. I first saw it

when it originally came out, and seem to remember that this was not one of his usual bear "friends".

I was really surprised to be taken in so much by this story.

You're right. How the hell did he make it all those years?



:hi:

[rockymountaindem]

5. I just wonder what's going on in someone's mind

when they think they belong out there on the same level with the bears. I agree with the Native American man from the bear museum who said that what he did endangered the bears and was overall a bad thing for all the animals and the people involved.

[MoseyWalker]

6. I agree also

Some want to somehow gain a better understanding of nature and how to converse it/them, but this was something that probably came to him while in a drunken haze, and he didn't want to back out.

I guess in a way they explained that part though, and the bears saved him in some ways.

[MoseyWalker]

7. Crazy as he may have seemed

In all the years he lived with the bears, not one was poached. In the month after he died, 6 were found poached and killed.

He accomplished his goal.

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

8. During an interview about the film, Herzog was shot by a nutter

with an air rifle & just carried on! You can see a report on it here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolavconsole/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_4680000/newsid_4681000/bb_rm_4681050.stm

& the interviewer, critic Mark Kermode talks about it in more detail here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/entertainment/kermode_archive_g.shtml
(select "Grizzly Man" & jump forward about 10 minutes)

A week later, Herzog came to Joaquin Phoenix's aid after he crashed his car! I can't think of anybody better suited to have told Timothy Treadwell's story.

[Blue_In_AK]

9. Most people up here would agree

that Timothy Treadwell had a few screws loose. Suicide by grizzly - what a way to go...

[pitohui]

10. a great movie

surely a don't miss for anyone who cares about film-making

hertzog is a treasure, i did not expect his kindness for lack of a better word, he really handled this difficult story w. an amazing amount of respect and tact

[astral]

11. Well, I knew someone else that lived out with bears

but he was in a beach cabin - floathouse and not trying to crawl around in the grass with them as they foraged for food.

I do not forgive Mr. Treadwell for bringing his girlfriend out there, no guns or NOTHING, and when the Sh#t hit the Fan on HIM he was hollering at her to hit the bear with a frying pan.

He gave her NO WAY of self-protection from bears, and then he wanted her to try to save his life with a frying pan.

Now if it was him by himself, that's his business if he wants to make it a full-time job living out there challenging fate. I don't quite see where that part hurt the bears. But the girl did not know enough about what she was into to be out there risking her life with him. She should have had a gun and the training in how to use it if necessary even if he chose not to carry one.

And the horror of the story of her dying too and may be directly because of his chicken - sh*t nature, makes me never, ever want to see that movie.

I have seen bear, rarely too close for comfort, and there is nothing wrong in and of itself with living in bear country and wanting to study the bear. On some level, you are just part of their environment, just like it appears. But don't give them human consciousness and human compassion. They're BEARS.

[pitohui]

12. i agree with what you say

he should not have had the girl out there and hertzog believes that she feared the bears

the movie handles the topic w. some delicacy, it does not try to be hurtful nor does it try to give treadwell a free pass

[AngryAmish]

16. soulless killing machines

[bigwillq]

13. It's a great movie.

:bounce:

[romantico]

14. I happen to rent this movie this week for the 1st time

I am a big Werner Herzog fan & thought I'd check it out.GREAT movie. i got in an argument just last night with a freidn who had also seen it. He said the guy 'derserved'to die. He got what was coming to him. I got very angry. Yes, I think Timothy had some problems but I also think his heart was in the right place & wish we had more people in the world like him. he also said this guy killed his gorlfriend which made me even more angry.Bottom line is this. The man connected with these animals in a way we don't understand. Therefore we make a snap jugemnet & call him nuts.I know for myself I wouldn;t last one day out there & this guy did it for 13 years.He was doing something right IMO to last that long.He died the way he wanted to & I honestly believe the guy is at peace. As for his girfriend, well Timothy tried to save her. His dying words to her was to go & run.He didn not anticipate the unfortunate accident that occured.Ironic how she wrote ina journal that he was self destructive & how she was going to leave him yet chose to go be with him.Not really the actions of someone who is fed up.Its a good film but a hard film to watch.Just my 2 cents.

[grace0418]

15. Interesting conversation. I had a very different reaction to the film.

I actually thought the movie was incredibly self-indulgent and manipulative on Herzog's part.

Timothy Treadwell was clearly mentally ill, and his "research" did nothing to help protect the bears he loved so much, or help our understanding of bears, or make it any easier for bears and humans to coexist. In fact, as one person interviewed said, I think he actually did more harm than good by making wild bears that much more used to being around humans.

Added to my sadness about that were bits created by Herzog, which I found very awkward and staged (i.e. the scene between the coroner and Timothy's ex, and the scene with Herzog listening to the recording of Timothy's death while telling the ex NOT to listen). It was just bizarre and, I think, exploiting a man's mental illness. Granted, Timothy actually exploited himself by creating those videotapes. But Herzog, who is presumably NOT mentally ill, didn't have to take those tapes and make a movie. I, for one, wish he hadn't. I eventually had to turn it off.

Just one person's opinion though. :hi: