Grizzly Man

Werner Herzog knows when he’s found the right subject for a film. But don’t ask him to explain; he just knows, that’s all. And he instantly knew he was destined to make GRIZZLY MAN. It combines video footage shot by deceased grizzly-bear advocate Timothy Treadwell with recent interviews of his acquaintances and Herzog’s own often-contentious commentary about his subject. Treadwell desired to live near the bears in Alaskan wilderness and study them. He spent twelve summers doing so, producing a book and a television special. While aware of the dangers, Treadwell ascribed human-like qualities to the bears and sought a spiritual bond with them. But he was killed and eaten by one of the bears in October 2003. The bear also killed his girlfriend, Amie Huguenard. Treadwell left behind 100 hours of raw video footage. “I knew there was maybe 50 hours of just looking at bears, seeing them in a river or catching salmon, which would have constituted a very fine nature film”, Herzog says, “but my film is not a nature film. It’s a film about human nature.” (Steven Rosen)