Movie Review - Grizzly Man

[Jeff Lebowski]

I rented Grizzly Man last week. It is a documentary about a guy named Timothy Treadwell who had a troubled youth but "found himself" through a fascination with grizzlies in Alaska. He spent 13 summers in Alaska on "missions" to protect grizzlies from poachers, hunters, developers, etc. He took lots of video on each of these trips (some of it quite spectacular - including a brutal fight between two male grizzlies) and during the winters he would travel around and promote "grizzly awareness" to school kids.

The main thing that makes this movie fascinating is that after thirteen years of tempting fate, he and his girlfriend get eaten by a male grizzly. As you view the video clips he shot, you could see it coming a mile off. The guy was flat-out nuts and kept getting more and more bold with the bears. It is federal law (state law?) that you have to keep at least 200 yds separation from grizzlies. But he would go right up next to the bears, sometimes touching them. Even at times of the year when they were starving.

He was nuts in other ways. He made such a big deal about his mission to save the bears from poachers. Never mind that he was usually inside a national park and deaths from poaching are extremely rare. He was simply delusional. My kids have been walking around the last few days reciting some of his more outrageous quotes (that seems callous, but you would have to see the movie to understand). This is the kind of guy that gives all environmentalists a bad name - high on drama and emotion, but no logic whatsoever. By the end of the movie, you really start rooting for the bears to eat him. And you feel an injustice when the kill the bear that ate him.

Anyway, if you are into documentaries, this is a good one. Beautifual scenery, great video shots of wildlife, and a very interesting story.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427312/

[myboynoah]

Originally Posted by homeboy

By the end of the movie, you really start rooting for the bears to eat him. And you feel an injustice when the kill the bear that ate him.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0427312/

I don't think I could have said it any better. The guy was totally nuts. But yes, a very interesting view into his world with the bears.

I was embarrassed for the bear that pooped while fighting the other bear. I bet he didn't fair to well with the ladies after that little episode.

So, are your kids also quoting the F-bombs he was dropping in that uncontrolled diatribe of his?

I kept hoping they would play the tape of them getting eaten. Morbid, I know, but the coroner's description made me curious.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by myboynoah

So, are your kids also quoting the F-bombs he was dropping in that uncontrolled diatribe of his?

We watched the Clean Flicks version. I was a little surprised to read through some of the quotes on the imdb site. Reading that just made him seem all the more bizarre.

Originally Posted by myboynoah

I kept hoping they would play the tape of them getting eaten. Morbid, I know, but the coroner's description made me curious.

Yeah, I had the same thoughts. At the beginning of the movie I was thinking "Hmmm... I wonder if the camera was on when the bear ate him?"

[il Padrino Ute]

I was ticked when I finally watched this. The only reason I watched was to see him get eaten and then they only talk about it and his friends didn't think it would be right to let us hear the audio??? Then why even tell us he dies?

That would be like telling your kids Santa is coming then, while they're sleeping, you pack everything up and move to the Carribiean.

[myboynoah]

Originally Posted by homeboy

We watched the Clean Flicks version. I was a little surprised to read through some of the quotes on the imdb site. Reading that just made him seem all the more bizarre.

He went so quickly from seeming lucidity to "I'm a raving lunatic." To me, that was the most telling part of the movie. The Clean Flicks version would have been great since I think my son, who loves animals, would have found the whole think interesting. Also, I could have avoided the whole R-rated movie debate with Mrs. myboynoah who is quite the Nazi on these things.

In the end, I think he did a disservice to the bears. He made them too familiar and comfortable with humans, which would only get them in trouble in the real world. He got so angry with fishermen who threw rocks at the bear that came down to check them out, probably because the bear saw no danger in doing so. The Native Americans in the area weren't that happy they he was violating their "you leave us along, we'll leave you alone" pact they had with the bears.

He definitely found a way to bluff the bears and take them off guard. I don't think they knew what to make of him. It reminded me of a missionary companion that, when confronted with a large, threatening dog, would immediately stick his hand out and into its mouth. The dog would be confused and sit there, not biting, trying to figure out what was going on. It bothered me, since 1) most of the time it was unneeded (the dogs were behind fences), 2) eventually a dog would bite him, and 3) it distracted from my very effective door approaches (okay, that's BS, but the owners couldn't take their eyes off this tall American who had his hand in their dogs' mouth--very hard to talk up Joseph Smith under such conditions). Yet, he persisted. Like Grizzly Man, he met his match one day in a dog who wasn't buying any of that crap.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by myboynoah

It bothered me, since 1) most of the time it was unneeded (the dogs were behind fences), 2) eventually a dog would bite him, and 3) it distracted from my very effective door approaches (okay, that's BS, but the owners couldn't take their eyes off this tall American who had his hand in their dogs' mouth--very hard to talk up Joseph Smith under such conditions). Yet, he persisted. Like Grizzly Man, he met his match one day in a dog who wasn't buying any of that crap.

My dog story:

One day I came upon a growling dog while running, which for some reason particularly irritated me, and instinctively, I roared, "Bad Dog!" It whimpered and went away. Now I frequently use that approach to much success.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by myboynoah

The Clean Flicks version would have been great since I think my son, who loves animals, would have found the whole think interesting. Also, I could have avoided the whole R-rated movie debate with Mrs. myboynoah who is quite the Nazi on these things.

I am sure there are purists who disagree, but I love CleanFlicks. We have teenagers at home and it allows me to bring home interesting movies without having to having to worry about the content. Grizzly Man is an excellent example. While I haven't seen the uncut version, I don't feel like I missed out on anything and we were all mesmerized watching it.

Originally Posted by myboynoah

In the end, I think he did a disservice to the bears. He made them too familiar and comfortable with humans, which would only get them in trouble in the real world. He got so angry with fishermen who threw rocks at the bear that came down to check them out, probably because the bear saw no danger in doing so. The Native Americans in the area weren't that happy they he was violating their "you leave us along, we'll leave you alone" pact they had with the bears.

I agree completely. That's why I think the guy was so delusional. He was completely convinced that he was the savior to the bears but he was their worst enemy. And in the end, the bear that ate him was killed. Lots of irony.