...and Treadwell is gone...

I can't imagine how it could be beaten at the Oscars. As with Capturng the Friedmans, Werner Herzog's documentary relies heavily on the footage shot by the film's subject, and one thread of the film is that its subject becomes Timothy Treadwell the filmmaker, and eschews Treadwell the grizzly guardian/martyr. An interesting one, but only one of the documentary's several ideas that Herzog compelling develops. But the one I've found to be the biggest wealth of continually analyzable moments is the theme of love and disconnect. To add a few humble if not paltry remarks to Herzog's reading:

Treadwell, in several places, refers to his problems with women, but never specifies what exactly those problems are. Herzog does not comment directly on this, but he leaves us several clues, intentionally or not. Exhibit 1. The narrative builds towards an argument that Treadwell's "work" was a personal retreat from civilized life, which he feared. In contrast to what he may have viewed as a chaotic and unkind world (Treadwell makes understandably athiestic comments), the Grizzly "sanctuary" is some kind of immaculate realm where things make sense, and where Treadwell literally speaks to God at one point. Exhibit 2. Herzog shows us three women who had very close, if not intimate, relationships with Treadwell. Clearly, all the evidence points to the fact that these ladies were totally in love with him. One even stood by him to her own death.

And my still subconsciously sexist mind thought "Oh! So it wasn't the women who were the problem." Even though Timothy himself makes as much seem the case, I inferred that the real problem was that somewhere along the way Treadwell lost the ability to make any meaningful connection with other human beings, let alone a romantic partner. Thus his problems with women stemmed from his own inability to love. Meanwhile he professes his love for bears and foxes to an almost psychotic degree. It certainly would fit with Herzog's own conclusion. And if this supposition is right, it enriches our understanding of what then almost looks like Treadwell's ideal form of suicide. The ultimate martyrdom for the grizzlies is to turn oneself into food and thereby one hopes, extend their life. In any case, it makes even more sense to me that Anne would have hated and feared the bears.

So that's one thought, but I think there are several areas where the audience can draw new insights, something rarer for documentaries. That's what puts Grizzly Man in the category of greatness.