Grizzly Man

After watching the documentary on Timothy Treadwell last night, I find I am angry at those who made the film and bitter towards the critics of Tim.

Firstly I find that while the film should have been an impartial and balanced look at the life and work of the grizzly man, it was loaded in favour of the normos. A genuine and honest man was portrayed as a deranged nut who had no right to be doing what he was doing.

Secondly those who criticise Tim's actions are missing something very important in their lives and speak from a position of fear rather than understanding.

While the film makers where careful to show a measure of each side of Tim's personallity, each side of his work, and a range of opinions from those who knew him, they were unable to keep their mouths shut when it came to their personal opinions.

The director and comentator Werner Herzog is not an expert in the field of bear research, does not have Tim's 13 years experience, and does not have the life experience needed to comment on the way this man lived his life. The director angered me with his views about man vs nature, he obviously is not of this planet! Tim was quite legitimately exercising his right as a human being to interact with other species of this planet, which has brought us all life. Tims journey through life was a worthy one and he did not sit on the sidelines commenting. He saw more of it and understood more than many of the self righteous inhbitants of this world. He realised what freedom was and exercised it, he conquered fear, and he ultimately died doing what he loved. This is not tragic or disturbed and is instead an example to us all.

As for the critics of his Tim's work and those nay sayers of the film, they are obviously working to the same fear spreading agenda as many other broadcasters, and are against witnessing the truth of life and death. They brand Tim a nut, a washed up hippie with psychological problems, some kind of freak that is very different to the rest of the population.

Well here's the thing, if you watch the film you will see that Tim is just like the rest of us, we are all freaks and psycological nut cases, but not everyone commits their personal thoughts to film like he did. I'm sure if each of us had a film made about them, we would all demonstrate the same idiosyncrasies that are so demonised in Tim.

On the subject of Amie's death alongside Tim; it is clear that she was not forced to stay with him, she was under no illusions as to the danger, she like Tim made her choice and we should respect that, and not blame Tim for it.

Herzog may not flinch when fired upon with an air rifle, but just watch him blub in this film when he hears the bear attack.


 

18/12/06

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