Werner Herzog’s latest documentary, Grizzly Man, is a powerful study of the life and death of Tim Treadwell, a man in his 40s who spent the last 13 summers of his life living in the Alaskan wilderness with grizzly bears until he was tragically eaten by one in October 2003.

Herzog unravels this compelling and unusual story in a very delicate manner. Early on in the film, he relies heavily on Treadwell’s own video footage as he establishes the myth of Treadwell as he envisioned himself.

In the opening scenes, Treadwell speaks of displaying strength if he is to survive and live harmoniously with the bears. He also considers himself the protector of the bears, their savior from the dangers of the human world. At times, he speaks like an expert, but the enigmatic side of Treadwell becomes apparent as he starts to exhibit erratic behavior more frequently.

The film then moves to include current interviews with people who knew Treadwell and with experts who either support Treadwell or disagree with his methods and ambitions. On one side of this dispute is a pair of ecologists who believe that Treadwell was doing the right thing for the animals.

Herzog also shows viewers a park ranger of Native American origin who states that his own people never crossed the line over which Treadwell stepped with the bears. The ranger states that Treadwell desensitized the bears to human beings, thus exposing them to the poachers whom Treadwell feared with great intensity.

As Herzog offers viewers more of Treadwell’s background in combination with his diaries and some of his more personal videotaped moments, viewers become more aware of his inability to function socially, his problems with women and his past substance abuse.

These factors drove Treadwell, a man with no background in animal science, to the wilderness. Stories of the past reveal Treadwell’s insecurities. For example, his private reflections show how volatile he was and how he truly felt at odds with the society in which he lived.

What makes this film particularly fascinating is Herzog’s own heartfelt and understanding voiceover narration. Herzog speaks not only of Treadwell’s life and personality, but also of his abilities as a filmmaker, making insightful comments on the nature of filmmaking.

Herzog’s difficulties in capturing his own vision in film complement Treadwell’s life difficulties. He even mentions his tempestuous relationship with actor Klaus Kinski in feeling sympathetic to Treadwell, who has to deal with volatile bears as his “actors.”

The connection between the two filmmakers seems to go far, as Herzog references much of his own career, including his own infamous voyage into nature — his narrative masterpiece, Fitzcarraldo. Herzog also notes the frequently remarkable footage captured by Treadwell’s camera, including one surreal image of a fox on top of Treadwell’s tent and a breathtaking fight between two bears.

It is Herzog’s own narrative structure, though, not Treadwell’s, that gives this masterful film such a fascinating and moving story, particularly as Herzog moves toward a touching, humanistic conclusion. From the hours of video that Treadwell shot over five years, Herzog has assembled a film that documents Treadwell’s strange life and death and also works to understand how and why he constructed his mythical world.

-Oliver William Pattenden

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Carruth film, Primer, excites

Primer, the 2004 Grand Jury and Alfred P. Sloan award winner at the Sundance Film Festival, was made for under $7000 by self-taught first-time filmmaker Shane Carruth. The movie follows Abe and Aaron, two engineers who inadvertently invent a time machine while experimenting in their garage in their own time.

To say much more about Primer’s story would detract from the viewing experience because half the fun is derived from unraveling its complex plot. Unlike many working filmmakers, Carruth rarely guides his audience’s attention via dramatic line delivery, heavy repetition of plot information or emphatic scoring. Instead, he presents the story simply, with a minimalist visual style.

Even with close attention to detail, you’re unlikely to come away from one viewing of Primer feeling that you understand all its intricacies. I certainly didn’t, and every movie critic I have read admitted to only a partial understanding of the film. Despite its complexity, Primer etches out a shadow of a story compelling enough to keep you riveted and lustful for repeat viewings.

Carruth’s uncouth narrative approach may not be for everyone; after all, not everyone will enjoy a challenging movie that twists the brain. Furthermore, Primer’s narrative slipperiness is not always necessary for an effective telling of the story.

However, if you have ever felt beaten over the head by the unsubtle symbolism or message of a Hollywood movie, you might be able to appreciate Carruth’s narrative project even with its slight flaws. His film derives its emotional power primarily from the quality of its story rather than from viewers’ Pavlovian response to traditional filmmaking signposts such as slow motion and swelling instrumentation.

Carruth’s lack of prior experience makes Primer more outstanding, as he has written, directed, edited and scored it, as well as starred in one of its lead roles. With a background in mathematics, he worked three unsatisfying engineering jobs before discovering his affinity for writing and filmmaking.

Despite Carruth’s lack of credibility and a nonexistent budget, he remained committed to aesthetic quality. Instead of shooting on digital video, a cheaper medium, Carruth chose to use film. His budget dipped so low that he was unable to buy enough film for retakes, which meant endless rehearsals before finally shooting.

Even with its Sundance awards, Primer never played on more than 31 screens in America and grossed only $424,760 —a paltry sum by industry standards at the domestic box office.

Since its April 19 release on DVD, I’ve yet to meet someone who has seen the movie outside of those upon whom I have thrust it. An amateur, with a burning desire to tell a story, spent $7000 of his own money and spent countless hours making a film damn near single-handedly.

Unfortunately, this original, distinctive and independent movie he created is under-seen. Go pick up the lone copy over at Campus Video.