Last Supper

I had read about Werner Herzog’s documentary Grizzly Man, which weaves his own footage with that of the dead bear watcher, although I never really made the effort to seek it out. But when it showed up on a DVD evening at a friend’s house, I wasn’t going to object. It is actually a beautifully made film, and there’s no doubt that Timothy Treadwell shot some great sequences. Equally, there’s no doubt in my mind that he was daft as a brush. Herzog treats that whole question with canonically Teutonic sobriety. There’s a particularly touching scene in which he is listening to the soundtrack of the last sequence Treadwell shot. No pictures -- there wasn’t time to remove the lenscap! -- and we don’t get to hear it either. We just see Herzog’s headphone covered ear as he listens, and reports for us. And at the end, he gives the tape to Treadwell’s ex and tells her never to watch it, and to destroy it. I found it moving.

My rating: 2.5 out of 5