ofumalow
As far as I know, "Life and Times" is only available on old VHS tapes, where no doubt it was a pan-and-scan transfer. That is really too bad. I haven't seen it since it originally came out, when I was 13, and I doubt it would be any major revelation now--at the time it was meandering, episodic, nothing very special but a pleasant family-friendly variation on "Jeremiah Johnson," with Dan Haggerty an appealing presence in the title role. But what I really remember about it was that while nothing else about the film was all that memorable, the wilderness photography was gorgeous. That's exactly the sort of thing you lose in decades of crappy transfers to TV and VHS without a major studio upgrading the quality of the home-format releases. (And while I have no idea who owns the rights now, they probably aren't interested in making that investment, and god knows Sunn Classics is probably looooooong gone. Particularly since none of their other films seem to have gotten DVD/Blu-Ray treatment, either.) The same year, I also loved another (somewhat better if less commercially successful), "Where the Lilies Bloom," and while you can find that on YouTube easily enough, it's also in sore need of restoration--I remember how stunning the photography of Appalachia was in 1974, and you can't tell that from the existing transfers. Anyway, I enjoyed the original "Grizzly Adams," but won't risk revisiting it until the unlikely day that somebody puts out a letterboxed digital restoration. Because whatever the film lacked in plot or finesse, it made up for in beautiful photography of spectacular scenery, and I'd hate to see that reduced to pan-and-scan and faded colors.
RealLiveClaude
Saw it when I was 11 or 12 in a Montreal movie house. Was in well dubbed French version (Quebec dubbing with late French actor Leo Ilial doing the voice of Mr.Haggerty, who recently passed away).Story was a tale of taming the wilderness, especially when he takes care of a bear cub, which became a huge grizzly bear. One specific thing that touched me is when he took care of an injured native, whom he became a "blood brother" and protector. However, he must stay out in the wild as he is a wanted man, pursued for a crime he never committed. His daughter finally reaches him, but he adopted the solitude of the woods.Well photographed at the time, and would have believed that Disney would have shot a movie like this, however, it was Sun International who did this (they produced also a movie about a grizzly, named "Toklat").Great to watch if you enjoy the wilderness. I did.
pbrandon074
I liked this movie. I think this is a good movie with this man connecting with nature. I also liked the 1977-1978 TV series of the life and times of Grizzly Adams. This movie is about a man that was convicted of a murder he did not commit. He ran of in to the forest. he found a bear on a edge. He took care of the bear. He met a native that lives out in the woods with a broken ankle. He made him a splint and they became friends. When the weather started to get colder he built a raft and Ben and him went down the river. When he found a good place he started to build a cabin. He lived there with Ben until they found the real person that committed the murder. I liked this movie. I wish they would make more movies like this.
Bluemountainbob
I had just purchased a used copy of"The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams" and I had honestly forgotten just how good this movie was. I had last seen this movie when it was first released in 1974, and I was the young and tender age of nine! That was thirty-two years ago. I had forgotten the simple-but-wonderful storyline. The way that you can almost "feel" the wonder of the mountains through the each of the characters,(I always did love Ben.) and the very relaxing acoustic music score. The breathtaking cinematography almost makes you feel like you're there!I whole-heartedly recommend this movie to anyone, and to Hollywood I ask"why can't you make more movies like this"?