Jason and I went to see Grizzly Man, a film by Werner Herzog (Jason is a big fan, I don't get most of his stuff). I couldn't say it any better than Roger Ebert in his review.
I can't imagine being so close to grizzlies. This guy goes right up to them and tells them to back off - I don't even do that to a dog that is large enough. To seek out the bears like this guy did, and the way he talked about them, and about the beauty of nature - I second the view of Herzog, who holds that Treadwell sentimentalized it all and paid for his changed perspective.
Ebert mentions Herzog's bleak world view. Mine is most certainly not bleak, but I do not think nature will do me any favors, or cut me any slack. It's beautiful all right, but it's a dangerous mistake to assume it will care.
From what I have gathered, the fellow went into the wilds to get away from his alcoholism and entered the world of mania. He styled himself as the "savior" or "protector" of the bears, but he did nothing except chase them around.
I am no psychiatrist, but the man sounds bipolar. Yes, he sentimentalized but the sentimentalization was downright clinical and, in the end, cost him and his girlfriend their lives.
Danger to self and others. What a little lithium might have done for him.
Posted by: Joel | Sep 04, 2005 at 11:32 PM
you should go on to the next song on the CD or you're going to get really sad. i mean, with breaks for the kissing, apparently, but still.
Posted by: anne | Sep 05, 2005 at 01:35 AM
Joel - I believe you are right on. I think that's why I picked the line about darkness as the title.
One of Treadwell's best friends/long-time collaborators (about half of the film was his video footage, the rest interviews with people who knew him or had heard of him) - she said he "was troubled", and that at one point, he was prescribed medication. She didn't say what exactly, or for what illness, but she related that he went off the meds after a while, saying that he couldn't live with the middle ground. He said he needed the highs and lows, that that was just part of him and his life. Reminded me very much of Kay Redfield Jamison's "Unquiet Mind"; she speaks of exactly the same thing, and says she only stays on her meds for fear of death.
Anne: I do like a good sad song. Been singing "Tank Park Salute" in my head for a couple of days now, and am not feeling sad at all. :-)
The next song is ... Dolphins? I've been going straight to "Greetings to the New Brunette", which I believe I have courtesy of my very good friend Ricky.
Posted by: Elke Sisco | Sep 05, 2005 at 11:07 AM
Jamison is actually a very wise clinician. She advocates allowing us bipolars just a little leeway so we can have the advantages of hypomania (the creative mood) and mild depression (the reality checker). I don't like being drugged into neutrality either and fortunately my psychiatrist understands. But what this fellow did was outright grandiose: what an incredibly misguided thing to do! Reminds me of the stories of people who put their kids on the backs of bears or elephant seals.
I'm going to have to get back to writing about "the Disease". And see this film.
Posted by: Joel | Sep 06, 2005 at 09:03 AM