Premier Rock Forum

narcissist wrote:

Andrew L. wrote:Treadwell was indeed odd (and super effeminate) but was he as crazy as the footage Herzog choose to show? I was left feeling almost like Herzog was "milking" the crazy loner aspect, wanting us to see Treadwell as a character in one of his written films. ?

I guess I disagree with this, if he wanted to show that why did Herzog make a big deal about the girlfreind? I think he was trying to say Treadwell thinks of himself as a lone protector (which of course he is not) which makes Treadwells brain even more twisted...

Herzog should not have listened to the tape on camera.

iembalm wrote:Herzog should not have listened to the tape on camera.

I'm sure he listened to it in private as well, probably with some scented candles and a bowl of hot pudding at hand.

Treadwell was incredibly flawed, play-acting in his own cinematized life. He needed to control his setting and narrate his every move.

It has been a spell since I've seen this, but I recall a scene where some men left him a "hello" note and Treadwell went batshit - they had invaded his pretend world, bringing some reality in with them.

Poor crazy deluded guy.

The background shots were gorgeous, grasses rustling and swaying in the wind and sun.

NC

full point wrote:Was it me or did everyone in that movie seem a bit odd?

The coroner, Tim's ex-girlfriend, his parents..........

They all seemed to have strange "Kubrick-ian" quirks that almost seemed scripted. (I realize they weren't but, man.....so strange).

It is scripted. Presumably because the ex-girlfriend had already been given the watch but Herzog wanted to put that moment in his film so asked them to re-enact it. The girlfriend isn't a great actress (though I'm sure the tears are real) but the lawyer or whatever he is is fucking ridiculous.

The coroner I think wanted to intentionally come off as being crazy but when the camera lingers on him he just looks awkward and weird.

by the way, i don't know if it's been mentioned, but the bonus features on the dvd include a nice documentary about the scoring of the film. very cool stuff from richard thompson, jim o'rourke and others. it is definitely worth your time to check it out.

I saw that on IFC and it was very cool. Thompson just radiates sheer power. I think that was where I saw the scene where Herzog listens to the final tape.

Rotten Tanx wrote:The coroner I think wanted to intentionally come off as being crazy but when the camera lingers on him he just looks awkward and weird.

The coroner was cool. This was his moment. His delivery is considered, because that's what he does for his job. He was doing what he does in his coroner's reports and in court; retelling the moments before death, filling in the blanks from what he could deduce from the autopsy. That maybe why he seems a little rehearsed, but for me it was his professionalism that shone through. I think he tells an excellent story. I bet Herzog couldn't believe his luck with that guy.

[Also: He's the man of reason, in contradiction to Treadwell, who is the man of passions]

The coroner is a representative of the limit of reality (death), that Treadwell confronts in the bear. Maybe, when the camera lingers on him, we confront that limit too.

It's interesting that in Heart of Glass, the visionary figure fights invisible bears in the wilderness. That's what makes Herzog great; the membrane between life and art is a thin one.

Cranius wrote: His delivery is considered, because that's what he does for his job. He was doing what he does in his coroner's reports and in court; retelling the moments before death, filling in the blanks from what he could deduce from the autopsy. That maybe why he seems a little rehearsed, but for me it was his professionalism that shone through.

I would hope if he was telling me autopsy results of a loved one he wouldn't bug his eyes out and slowly walk toward me getting more and more intense and loud.