Grizzly Man: A Microcosm of Documentary Film's Existential Crisis

Grizzly Man was a fantastic opening into the land of documentary film for this semester. The majority of the footage the movie utilized had been through several layers of filtering before it reached its audience. 
Thus,  insightful questions arise when we consider the editing process of documentary film's "mechanical eye." This allows us to explore in great depth the fundamental underpinning of documentaries: reality versus artistry.

How should we view the main character, Timothy Treadwell, as he tramps wildly into the Bear Sanctuary? Do we respect him, criticize him, or understand him? Are our opinions of him skewed by the way director Werner Herzog presents Timothy? What do these questions say about documentary film on a broad spectrum? What is its place as an art form? What is its role as a bearer of truth?

The first editing layer begins with Treadwell. He presented himself to the public as a friend and savior of the bears. He learned from them and protected them in turn. His footage is a candid glimpse into his own reality. But is the truth of his situation skewed by how he presented himself?

The next layer of editing is the greatest filter of this film, that of Werner Herzog the director. He was inspired to take Treadwell’s footage and show the story through his own interpretation. The artistic choices he made skew how audiences view Treadwell. The footage and interviews Herzog utilized completely change the dynamic of the film. This is a common theme among documentaries as a genre.  

The final eye is that of the film’s audience. Our preconceptions about nature and man’s place within the environment alter how we see and understand Treadwell’s character. Our experiences, beliefs, and cultural backgrounds filter Treadwell’s image even more.

With so many eyes and truth decomposition, we are left with an important question. What is the accuracy of documentary film in its goal of seeking and showing realities? Grizzly Man allows us to explore this question more deeply because of its many mechanical eyes. The film is complicated and a very powerful metaphor of documentary film itself. We cross heightened boundaries of reality vs. artistry, which offers much in the discussion of documentary film’s intent and place.  


image by ChristianR

What'd Teach Think

http://educationrevolution.tumblr.com/post/29619927665/waiting-for-superman
 I like this response to Waiting for Superman by an Austrailian teacher. 

"It is the responsibility of the teachers, schools and education departments to ensure that kids learn and succeed regardless of this. And I guess that is the source of my greatest anxiety, because I know that at the moment I’m not providing enough for these kids, and in all honesty I don’t really know how."

Waiting for Superman

Waiting For Superman is an important film that begins the desperately-needed education discussion. While I maintain views that run counter to the film’s, I truly respect its ability to create conversation about a sore issue in our nation. Conversation is the key to a path of solution and I commend director Davis Guggenheim for beginning the discussion.

                However, I think Guggenheim got a few things wrong. By the end of the documentary we are left to believe is that charter schools are the answer to the flawed educational system. Bad teachers and unions are the problem. But these conclusions are far too broad for how many variables calculate into the issue. Some possible variables: teachers are forced to “teach to the test,” children are coming from areas of severe poverty, educators aren’t held to a high degree of accountability, the curriculum isn’t necessarily relevant to students and thus, they have less incentive to learn, certain schools have higher academic standing, society promotes certain groups over others, the list continues.

Perhaps my greatest question is how can anyone even remotely begin to tackle such problems when the issue is underpinned by societal tendencies to discriminate those of color and of poverty? Guggenheim blames poor teachers. Sure, that’s definitely a problem. But when a teacher gets kids who are four grade levels behind or children whose families are struggling to put dinner on the table, how can they be expected to get them to grade level within just one year? It’s like these kids are destined to fail from the beginning simply because of where they were born and how much money they have.  

Waiting for Superman loves its charter schools. What bologna! If they are the answer, then we abandon every child who falls into the hands of the public school system. Charter schools don’t fix the problem, they perpetuate the problem by ignoring the issue altogether. 

Guggenheim fell short in his documentary. Superman cannot save this situation, only we can.

cartoon by Kevin Siers, The Charlotte Observer

"Why haven't you learned anything!"

Dead Prez - They Schools

Know what I'm sayin'? And they ain't teachin' us nothin' related to
Solvin' our own problems, know what I'm sayin'?
Ain't teachin' us how to get crack out the ghetto
They ain't teachin' us how to stop the police from murdering us

And brutalizing us, they ain't teachin' us how to get our rent paid
Know what I'm sayin'? They ain't teachin' our families how to interact
Better with each other, know what I'm sayin'? They just teachin' us
How to build they shit up, know what I'm sayin'?