“I will die for these animals,” Timothy Treadwell repeats three times. And he means it.
The new documentary “Grizzly Man” portrays Treadwell’s summers – most of them alone – spent in the Alaskan wilderness with grizzly bears and other animals.
Treadwell can be found in bizarre scenes interacting with animals as if they were humans.
For his time spent at Katmai National Park and Preserve on the Alaska Peninsula, he appeared on the “Late Show with David Letterman.” The late-night show foreshadowed Treadwell’s demise: “Is it going to happen, that we read a news item one day that you have been eaten by one of these bears?”
He was eventually killed by the very beasts he protected, along with his girlfriend Amie Huguenard in October 2003. (More information on Huguenard is not provided in the movie because her family was unwilling to talk.)
Filmmaker Werner Herzog creates a movie mixed with interviews with people who knew Treadwell best, raw footage taken by Treadwell and commentary by Herzog. The movie plays out to be part Discovery Channel-like nature documentary, part character examination with interviews and analyses in between.
Throughout the movie, Treadwell interviews bears and gives them names such as Mr. Chocolate.
Treadwell’s character absorbs the audience – his nutty but admirable attitude toward the bears is so strong he naturally captivates. He may not have known he would have an audience, but his ache for fame plays out in front of the camera.
At one point he’s even fascinated by a bear excreting. “It just came from her butt!” he exclaims as he points to Wendy’s poop. Moments like these provide insight to his colorful behavior.
Treadwell’s footage sometimes serves as a confessional – he was, after all, typically alone. He even confides that he is good in bed and that he wishes he were gay.
Treadwell’s video is fascinating because he often gets too close. One of the most powerful images in the movie is of two bears duking it out for a female bear, ending with torn fur from the fevered fight.
A couple hundred yards away Treadwell gives a post fight wrap-up as if he just watched “Monday Night Football.”
Treadwell’s footage is sometimes shaky, with bugs crawling across the camera lens. It reminds the audience just how real the movie is.
Herzog masterfully balances Treadwell’s raw footage while showing his history. However, there isn’t a sense of order and flow to the movie as Herzog seems to cut to another scene whenever he feels like it.
Herzog manages to provide an objective view of Treadwell. While we expect a sympathetic viewpoint of him, Herzog gives perspective by providing interviews with people who disagree with Treadwell’s practices, saying he got too close and violated the boundaries.
Herzog also shows that Treadwell chose to violate federal laws that state all humans must stay 100 yards away from bears and campers must move after camping in one spot for a certain number of days.
When a bear mauled Treadwell and Huguenard, the camera was rolling with the lens cap on. The filmmaker chose to spare moviegoers the sound bites of Treadwell’s death, and instead a coroner that handled the bodies speaks of the details. An ex-girlfriend of Treadwell’s plays the tape for Herzog.
Herzog shows us both the good and bad sides of Treadwell’s life – the caring environmentalist side and the side that showed nothing but contempt for humans.
This story swamped in irony makes for a compelling tale about a man who cared too much for his beloved bears. Herzog provides an objective film with insightful commentary that lets the viewer decide if Treadwell went too far.
“Grizzly Man” is rated R for language and is now playing at the Bijou. For showtimes, those interested can visit www.bijou-cinemas.com.

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