This documentary directed by Werner Herzog details the adventures and final death of “The Grizzly man”, Timothy Treadwell. Treadwell was know for his obsession with grizzly bears and it was in the end that obsession that landed him in the belly  of one.

The documentary is in and of itself very interesting both content an conventions wise. It is primarily comprised of two different sources and perspectives. That of the late Timothy Treadwell as he attempts to make a documentary about bears, and that of Werner Herzog who conducts interviews of his close friends and discusses his own feelings about what Treadwell did. Unlike most documentaries this film utilizes all the footage taken by Treadwell, the stuff he wanted in his documentary and the cuts he would have kept out. It changes the essence of what Treadwell was attempting himself to create, instead of a documentary on bears it became a portrait of Treadwell instead. This slightly awkward style of filming extends to the interviews taken as well with the camera just seemingly left on with the people in front if them relaxing and being themselves, or in Treadwells case loosing his temper at the “human world”. This style of filming is at odds with normal documentary where the director often attempts to make the shots as natural as possible, this documentary, however, seeks the awkward, unscripted moments.

This documentary is definitely an example of alternative documentary and an excellent example at that. If you are up for an interesting watch this documentary is certainly worth a go.