People work their whole lives to prove themselves and their worth, but are often left unrecognized by their actions until after death. Stories of abnormal deaths seemingly sadden people while simultaneously attracting them in many ways. In the film documentary, Grizzly Man, Werner Herzog, with the benefit of hindsight shows how the controversial efforts of Timothy Treadwell were overlooked until after his death and subsequent martyrdom. Herzog’s editing and compilation of Treadwell’s documented films leaves little room for accurate, self-representation on Treadwell’s part and the addition of interviews from friends and family members tend to focus more on grieving Treadwell’s death rather than capitalizing on his message. Herzog acts as an active agent in commandeering Treadwell’s story to manipulate his message and decide its significance. In the late 1980’s, after leaving a life of alcoholism and drug addition, Timothy Treadwell decided to pursue a life wholly devoted to the protection of grizzly bears and the preservation of their habitats. He began what would be a thirteen-year expedition in the Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska in efforts to save the bears from what he saw as a major threat – poachers. An article released in the Los Angeles Times, however, argues that “poachers disappeared nearly 20 years ago,” and that Treadwell’s claims were a “fund-raising hype” (Los Angeles Times). Whether the animals were in true danger or not, Treadwell believed it was his duty to take action, no matter the risk or anticipated fatality. The film establishes early on that it ends with a fatal outcome, an interesting stylistic risk used by Herzog, revealing the highly anticipated cliffhanger from the start. The film was released nearly two years after Treadwell’s death and was edited by combining over eighty-five hours of film footage spanning thirteen years into a mere one hundred and four minutes (Grizzlyman). Herzog’s decision to release the film after Treadwell’s death raises question as to whether Herzog would have taken on this project and released it to the public if a tragedy had not taken place. Herzog makes a statement in his film saying, “I believe the common denominator of the universe is not