Grizzly Man: Amazon.ca: DVD

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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews

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4 star:		(5)
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Average Customer Review

3.5 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)

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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Strange Subject + Master Film-maker= Great Documentary, Jan 14 2006

By

Terry Rudden "balbulican" (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grizzly Man (DVD)

This is a documentary you have to approach without expectations. It doesn't fit neatly into ANY slot.

It's partly a wildlife film, but unlike most it's largely about the unbridgeable gap between man and nature.

It's partly a biography and profile of its subject, amateur naturalist and self proclaimed activist Timothy Treadwell. But it is utterly unflinching in its portrayal of a loner who, while unquestiably committed, seems in many ways to be insane. In several extended takes, Herzog lets the camera roll past a conventional logical edit point, and in many of those moments we see how deeply disturbed Treadwell really was - cooing to foxes as though to babies, trying to spiritually "bond" with bears, and raging out of control, on camera, at his imagined "enemies" in the US Parks Service.

One is left with the impression of a man who couldn't establish an emotional connection with other humans, and deluded himself into believing he was finding it in his relationship with the bears...until, of course, he was killed by them.

Like the best of Herzog's work, this film has a deceptively simple structure and surface. Watch it a few times and you'll discover just how rich and disturbing Grizzly Man is.

Don't miss the short mini-documentary on the making of the soundtrack; it provides a rare glimpse of two under-appreciated musical masters, Henry Kaiser and the great Richard Thompson, at work with Hertzog in the studio.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful and Disturbing, Nov 20 2010

By

LeBrain - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME) (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Grizzly Man (DVD)

Wernor Herzog in his inimitable trademark fashion constructs an interesting portrait of an extremely unusual subject, a man named Timothy Treadwell. Treadwell spent 13 seasons in Alaska with grizzly bears. He got really close to them, making physical contact. He befriended them, he played with them, and he forgot the boundaries that exist between man and nature. A fatal error of profound misjudgment at the end of his 13th season reminds us all that there are immutable boundaries that are never meant to be crossed. To do so is universally pure folly, and death.

Herzog utilizes Treadwell's own remarkable footage extensively through the film. Nobody had ever gotten so close to these bears in their natural habitat and observed and learned their behaviors this extensively. Treadwell knew their mannerisms and behaviors. But he got too comfortable. Watching these films is both extremely profound and extremely tragic. In addition, while documenting his own expeditions, Treadwell sometimes lapses into hysterical rants regarding society and authority, and anyone who he sees as an impediment to his way of living. Clearly, a deeply disturbed individual lurks beneath the beatnik exterior of the animal lover and protector.

A fascinating glimpse at a singular, one of a kind persona, Grizzly Man is another unique Herzog film that looks at the subject with an intense curiosity. Herzog conveys a childlike sense of the curious with the practical wisdom of a modern individual. As such, despite its dark subject matter and ominous aura, Grizzly Man is entertaining and re-watchable. Herzog wisely avoid any graphic imagery or sounds. An audio tape of Treadwell's final moments is only discussed and not heard. Herzog gravely advises destroying the tape upon hearing it.

Also included in this package is a nice documentary on the music of Grizzly Man, an important part of its emotional makeup.

5 stars.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating documentary, July 29 2010

By

Kona (Emerald City) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Grizzly Man (DVD)

For thirteen summers, Timothy Treadwell lived among the wild grizzly bears of Alaska. An untrained but fervent bear-lover, he took his videos and message of bear preservation to schools during his off-season. This documentary alternates Treadwell's footage with interviews of his friends, family, and co-workers.

The result is a portrait of a man with a childlike enthusiasm and certainty that he could live with the bears as one of them. He also comes across as a grandstanding showman determined to make himself immortal. This documentary has done that much, although Treadwell and his girlfriend were killed and eaten by one of his beloved bears. There is no footage of bears showing anything but indifference to him, but Treadwell endlessly proclaims his love for the grizzlies and says he would willingly die for them. One can only imagine the horror of it.

The Alaskan footage is lovely and one is impressed with the power and size of the bears. Unfortunately, the pristine beauty is usually interrupted with Treadwell's showboating antics. I think he was delusional when it came to his safety and I feel sorry for those who mourn him. Heartily recommended for nature lovers and those interested in a man recklessly pursuing a bizarre lifestyle.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Grizzly MAN, not bear
This is a documentary about a MAN named Timothy Treadwell who ran from his demons into Alaskan bear territory. There, he found some peace and purpose. Read more

Published on Dec 21 2009 by Thoth

1.0 out of 5 stars Grizzly Man - disappointing
I ordered this movie for my parents because they like true stories and on the surface it sounded like it would be good. My parents found it very boring. Read more

Published on Aug 24 2009 by Raelene T