I almost felt sorry for this man, had he not been a complete fucking nut. Nonetheless, Heather Graham and myself cackled in half horror at this film. Go see it. Anyone who has a fox named "Timmy" for a friend and puts his hand in fresh bear shit wins all the categories at my ball.
I heard about this guy on the news. They had interviewed some professional bear trainers and experts, showed them some of the footage of this guy and how he interacted with those wild creatures.
Apparently, he was so blinded by accomplishing such an unusual thing (i.e. be regarded as an equal among the bears), that he became more and more lax with his guard and did not heed the warning signs.
It is utter negligence that he not only risked his own life, but the life of his accompanying but unsuspecting girlfriend as well. And so they both eventually pay the ultimate price for this stupidity. And for a last time his camera records -- in audio only -- their gruesome demise.
Posted by: Chris Kay | September 14, 2005 at 01:11 AM
I think this movie is a superb study in hubris. This is a man who started out with an extremely healthy respect for a wild animal -- a killer. But over time, he convinced himself that he was "one of them," that somehow he knew better, that he was more than "mere mortal" and that he knew the secret to living closely with grizzlies.
He paid the price for his hubris.
What's more fascinating is that he had such charisma, he managed to convince others that he had this magic formula, too.
It's a superb film. I wholeheartedly agree that everyone should go see it. (The cinematography is often home-video quality, but the footage chosen was nonetheless outstanding. The editing is nothing short of genius, and the narration is excellent.)
Posted by: Tim1965 | September 13, 2005 at 05:40 PM
This movie is incredibly riveting, and you yourself disservice if you don’t watch it in the theater. The documentary takes you through a journey of one man’s will and determination to take control of not only his life, but of this world. So many things happen onscreen, that you scarcely have time to process before you have jumped into an entire new event. You will feel anger, sadness, confusion, joy, and wonder at a man who is living among the most ferocious predators in North America. This isn’t a dog trainer, or someone who could possibly live if things went wrong. He was out in the wilderness, hundreds of miles from civilization, without weapons, and without a way to call for help. It’s an in-depth look at the human psyche, and the breath-taking scenery surrounding this man’s tragic tale. For after 13 years of protecting, studying, nurturing, and embracing these magnificent creatures, he would perish under their vacant stare… taking along his girlfriend in the most gruesome of demises. Please go out and see this movie if you can.
Heather Graham
Posted by: Heather Graham | September 13, 2005 at 12:18 PM