Multiple Narrators

Grizzly Man has multiple narrators: Timothy Treadwell, as seen in his own footage, director Werner Herzog, and the multiple friends of Treadwell's who were interviewed by Werner for the film. This allows for a multilayered look at Treadwell's work with the bears of Alaska. In Treadwell's footage, he appears almost manic (repeating words, nervous shifting of his body), but maintains an almost maternal relationship with the bears. He talks about his sense of isolation while in the Katmai National Park and Reserve, but the audience does not see this loneliness because we see his relationship with the wildlife. Treadwell greets foxes by names, and conducts "conversations" with the foxes and bears. It's as if, as Herzog mentions, Treadwell sees himself as part of the pack.

For this reason, it is strange that the only part of Treadwell that is left after his death is his watch. A manmade item, Treadwell’s watch is displayed as more than a memento by his colleague, which I find strange since it does not reflect Treadwell’s devotion to wildlife protection.

Going back to the idea of multiple narrators, Werner Herzog and his rather dramatic (in my opinion) voice weave Treadwell’s clips together, filling in the background information that the audience needs to know to be able to understand Treadwell and his mission. Although Herzog’s lines and the lines of the people he interviews sound and appear shamefully scripted, their importance should not be diminished. We wouldn’t know that Treadwell was a failed actor and a recovering addict, which helps him appear more humane to the public.