Grizzly Man (2005)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Werner Herzog

Writer:

Werner Herzog (written by)

Release Date:

7 December 2005 (France)

Genre:

Documentary | Biography

Tagline:

In nature, there are boundaries.

Plot:

A devastating and heartrending take on grizzly bear activists Timothy Treadwell and Amie Huguenard, who were killed in October of 2003 while living among grizzlies in Alaska.

Plot Keywords:

Bear | Grizzly Bear | Alaska | Death | Animal

Awards:

12 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Werner Herzog	...	Himself / Narrator / Interviewer (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Carol Dexter	...	Herself, Treadwell's mother
Val Dexter	...	Himself, Treadwell's father
Sam Egli	...	Himself (Egli Air Haul)
Franc G. Fallico	...	Himself (Coroner)
Willy Fulton	...	Himself, pilot
Marc Gaede	...	Himself (Ecologist)
Marnie Gaede	...	Herself (Ecologist)
Sven Haakanson Jr.	...	Himself, Alutiiq Museum Director
Amie Huguenard	...	Herself (archive footage)
David Letterman	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jewel Palovak	...	Herself
Kathleen Parker	...	Herself (Close Friend)
Warren Queeney	...	Himself (Actor, Close Friend)
Timothy Treadwell	...	Himself (archive footage)
Larry Van Daele	...	Himself, bear biologist

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

USA:103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:AL | UK:15 | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Ontario) | Canada:G (Québec) | Sweden:Btl | Australia:M | Finland:K-7 | Singapore:NC-16 | USA:R | South Africa:13L

Filming Locations:

Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA

Company:

Discovery Docs

Trivia:

During a BBC interview about the film, Werner Herzog was shot with an air rifle. The interview was resumed indoors and at the end Herzog was encouraged to check his wound. Though there was "a bruise the size of a snooker ball, with a hole in it." Herzog declared "It was not a significant bullet. I am not afraid."

Quotes:

Timothy Treadwell: I'm in love with my animal friends. I'm in love with my animal friends! In love with my animal friends. I'm very, very troubled. It's very emotional. It's probably not cool even looking like this. I'm so in love with them, and they're so f-ed over, which so sucks.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service: Witch Hunt (#4.6)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Coyotes

How do you feel after seeing this movie?

I like it when I do know know how to feel! Herzog seems to start out by portraying a man, Timothy Treadwell, as a crazy, self-obsessed (NOT Grizzly-obsessed) individual who gets himself and his girlfriend killed for no purpose, in the Alaskan wilderness. Initially I thought that the story was a cross between 'Jackass' and the Discovery Channel - you have a dopey, though he only sounds like it, blonde surfer type who likes to approach (awfully close) and make sweet-talk with 10-foot bears. Viewers might see Timothy as a reckless, selfish misfit, but as the film continues, your appreciation for his cause deepens - but what is his cause? Is it to work out personal demons? Absolutely. Treadwell clearly has mental/emotional problems, just listen to how many times he tells the wild animals "I love you!" or when he talks about his lack of success with "human women." But his passion for the grizzlies and their wilderness is real. Herzog particularly commends him as a filmmaker, seizing unique opportunities and rendering priceless footage. Do not forget that TT lived close to the bears for 13 years (including the year he was killed) without harm; and that his success, his careful, intuitive, loving behavior was only partly self-aggrandizing.