Examining the image to understand its components and message
Werner Herzog’s Grizzly Man documentary film is about a Timothy Treadwell who has a goal in life and is devoted to the protection of wild grizzly animals. Herzog argues in the documentary that Treadwell loved his work and had a clear goal. Herzog, who has many opposing perspectives on Treadwell and his life, makes it very clear that Treadwell was not killed in vain. The film presents a complete picture of Treadwell’s work and life. Herzog uses his film’s pathos to convince the viewer that Treadwell enjoyed the solitude he shared with the bears. Director further develops argument by using texture, unity and sequence in film. Herzog displays unity through the portrayal of Treadwell’s relationships with those closest to him, and also by incorporating the opposing opinions expressed by people close to him. Herzog shows Treadwell’s passion to work with the polar bears by using the rhetorical elements pathos. Herzog also uses this element to provide a strong argument in recognition of his accomplishments. Herzog’s film relies heavily on the visual elements sequence, unity, and texture to clearly show Treadwell’s intentions.
Herzog shows Treadwell’s passion through unity. Herzog uses different clips of interviews to show different sides that Treadwell’s friends and family had. Those who were close to him did not agree with his actions until the very end. Treadwell’s achievements were appreciated by some, but not all. Jewel, Treadwell’s strong alliance stated that Treadwell has accomplished a large amount by his involvement with the Grizzly People. The audience is given a rounded view of Treadwell and feels an immediate connection to his work. Jewel tells audience she supports Treadwell’s achievements and fully explains the ambitions of Treadwell. Herzog uses clips from the interview to reinforce his argument. Herzog’s film is unified by his use of unity. Herzog uses voiceovers that tie the clips into the film and the story of Treadwell with the polar bears. Herzog’s argument is always in focus. Treadwell, his work, and his documentary are all used as tributes to Treadwell. Herzog uses unity as an important visual element in his film. He uses texture as well, incorporating Treadwell’s clips while in Alaska.
Treadwell’s raw videos from his time spent with the grizzly bears is another way to add texture into this film. Treadwell’s personal accounts give the audience a glimpse into his Alaskan experience. Treadwell’s love of animals and the daily work he performed with them is evident in his real-life accounts. Treadwell can be seen petting an animal that he became friends with (Herzog). The audience is able to see the closeness of the fox, and how much it enjoys being with him. Herzog has also included the perspective of Treadwell’s mother and father in his documentary. Treadwell’s parent’s speak about how Treadwell was a drunk and turned to bears for therapy. The audience is shown a teddy that Treadwell loved as a young boy (Herzog). It is emotional to be able experience his accounts during his short lifetime. This documentary film is heavily reliant on texture as a visual element. Sequence is used to great effect in this film. Texture is not the only visual element that is important.
According to the Visual and Film Vocabulary, sequence refers to segments of a narrative film that have been edited together. They are united by a shared setting, time, storyline, event, etc. Herzog uses sequence to unify Treadwell’s personal films with Herzog’s interviews of his friends. This is a clear argument that is based on the event. Herzog uses interviews, narratives and raw footage in order to demonstrate the relationship between Treadwell’s work and his life (Herzog). Herzog uses an identical quality camera for both sections of the film. The low-quality camera used by Treadwell and Herzog both contribute to the overall mood of the film. Herzog’s narratives flowed smoothly and matched the atmosphere Treadwell had intended. Herzog uses pathos as a major tool to help him make his point. Herzog draws the audience in by illustrating Treadwell’s many aspects. Herzog’s documentary displays different perspectives, which make the audience feel a connection with Treadwell. Herzog interviews Treadwell’s family who share their memories of Treadwell’s early years. Treadwell, for example, had always felt a strong connection with animals (Herzog). Herzog makes his argument clear by using pathos. The audience understands Treadwell’s intentions and the film documentaries serves as an homage to Treadwell.
Timothy Treadwell’s death was not in vain. He was doing what he dreamed of doing his entire life. Herzog shows in this documentary that Treadwell would not have wanted to die any other way. This film is a tribute by the director to Treadwell’s life and his accomplishments. Herzog’s use of these visual elements engages his audience and helps them appreciate the achievements that Treadwell made in his short lifetime. The director shows that Treadwell’s work was not in vain, even though many people were against it. The use of pathos to convey the pleasure Treadwell had during his Alaskan stay is very strong. Herzog’s persuasive argument is that Treadwell felt the most joy he had ever experienced during his stay in Alaska.
