Grizzly Man (2005)

Grizzly man, directed by Werner Herzog, is one of over 2 dozen feature length documentaries in his filmography. The film focuses on wilderness fanatic and environmentalist, Timothy Treadwell. The film displays archive footage taken across the 13 summers Timothy spent in an Alaskan nature reserve amongst wild foxes, wolves and the focus of his footage, grizzly bears. 

Throughout the film we see Timmy become deeply attached to the land and the animals in it as he strives to make a connection with the wild bears and bridge the gap between man and animal.

The doc explores the death of Timothy and his companion and fellow conservationist, Amie Huguenguard, at the hands of a wild bear, showcasing the effect this had on the lives of Timmy's loved ones and the events that led up to their deaths.

Herzog has done a great job of utilising and editing the hours worth of footage Timmy had shot and and combining this with interviews with Timmy's friends and family.

Interviews with those involved with the nature reserve are also shown, showcasing the various, conflicting points of view they had on Timothy's work and his eventual death, highlighting the discourse that spawned from it.

Although, at first, Timothy's continual choice to camp out in the reserve each summer seems to be rooted solely in his environmental beliefs, we eventually gain deeper insights into his life as the film explores the reasoning behind his choices.

We learn that he was a failed actor and that he struggled with substance abuse issues, it is speculated that he chose to devote his life to environmentalist causes as a means of escaping the chaos of the outside world.

Nonetheless, throughout the documentary it is made clear that Timothy is incredibly passionate when it comes to protecting the animals, spreading his message and trying to prevent poachers from disrupting the land.

The combination of the footage taken by Timothy himself and interviews conducted by Herzog paints a clear picture for viewers, allowing them to understand Timmy's love for the wilderness as well as how he might've been depending on that as a coping mechanism to deal with his declining mental health and Chaotic personal life.

Herzog's narration contextualises Timothy's footage in a way that is both thoroughly empathetic and constantly aware of the context, Timothy's life story, the risks he took and the questionable effect his mission had on the sanctuary.

As a whole, the film strives to be honest and to incorporate the viewpoints of various people involved with Timothy, his work and the local area. The doc allows viewers to make up their own mind on the message of the film and the value of Treadwell's work.

American Movie

American movie follows aspiring filmmaker Mark Borchardt over a period of years as he struggles to complete his latest project, a horror film called 'Coven'. This is one of my favourite documentaries as it provides real insights into the life of a low-budget filmmaker. We see first-hand the struggle Mark goes through in order to finance his film, hire actors and complete the script while juggling debt and family issues. The film is very comedic and points and some would say that it exploits it subjects but to me mark's passion for filmmaking shines through overall. We see him struggle to keep the film afloat despite scheduling issues and financial restraints. We are shown short films Mark has made throughout the years and we understand his dedication. The filmmakers ensured that the audience would understand the effort that goes into creating a low-budget film in a way that can be understood even by todays generation who have contestant access to HD camera and personal editing apps at the push of a button. No part of the process is lost on viewers who watch the shooting and cutting of the film and follow mark through various meetings as he tries to cast and fund the film. As valuable as these insights are, where the documentary shines is in how deeply it explores its subjects. In particular, Mike Schanck, a friend of Mark's who, despite being a recovering addict, is one of the most reliable members of his crew and Uncle Bill a retiree who reluctantly agrees to fund Mark's film Coven. Throughout the film, mark's personal troubles are displayed, we see him struggle to connect with his ex-girlfriend and children and watch as he fails to find funding for his passion-project, 'North-western', which he hopes to fund through VHS sales of Coven. Director Christ Smith had this to say, "Mark was in a class I was teaching at the University of Wisconsin, in Milwaukee. One day I saw him outside of school. He was drunk, and he said, "I ain't on your list, but I come to your class. Check your class list. I dropped your class but I still use your equipment." I looked and sure enough, although he was the best student in the class, he wasn't registered." From there Chris Smith and a film crew documented Mark's attempts at creating a feature film. To me, this film is a testament to creativity, dedication and above all the value of community.

The Beatles: Get back

The Beatles: Get back is a 3-part documentary series that follows the band as they reform in order to play their first live show in over two years. Directed by Peter Jackson, famous for the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the series combines over a hundred hours worth of footage into a cohesive series that gives audience a glimpse into the bands creative process and the discussions that went on behind the curtain. The audience experiences the dynamics between the members of the band, crew and even members of the public. The series manages to provide an honest view into the band's recording process and the adversity they experienced as a group and as individual members. Throughout the series we see the members write, rehearse record and argue, struggling to find a deadline and even struggling to keep the band together amidst the pressure of the forthcoming deadline. The greatest feat of this documentary is that in spite of the large cast and various components of the series, including dealing with record companies, managers, the media and even the police, the show still manages to highlight the complex relationships the big four had with each other. Each member is wildly talented and highly motivated and it shows in the way they harmonise as well as the way they clash with each other. After years of working together and separately, each member has their own idea of what direction they want to take the band in and how they want to do the show. One of the highlights of the documentary for me is when George Harrison decides to leave the band. In the scene, he walks off the rehearsal stage and the scene lingers as we watch each member grapple with what just happened. We see the following days and understand how tense the atmosphere is. To me, this is one of the most important parts of the documentary as we see how volatile their relationships were at the time as well as how they are able to work together to come to an agreement. Even someone with know prior awareness will understand how close the band is and how well they can work together as well as the complex past they share and how they each deal with fame, pressure and the recording process. Another highlight of the documentary is in the final episode when the band finally plays on the roof of the apple building, putting on a free concert for all. After all the build-up and the various tense moments throughout the documentary, it's immensely satisfying to see the band perform the songs they spent week's perfecting in a triumphant moment, as well as seeing the public's reactions to seeing the Beatles perform new songs live after years of hiatus. It's a brilliant way to display the group's artistry as well as how much they meant to people, and an amazing way to end the documentary.