Bear Proof Suit

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Troy James Hurtubise, little Cousteau

PHOTO: courtesy YFS

Project Grizzly is a Canadian demonstration of the desire to be indestructible, playing September 26 at Shipyards Park in Whitehorse.

The documentary follows Troy James Hurtubise, a middle aged man from North Bay, Ontario, as he performs a series of intensely physical tests on an allegedly grizzly bear-proof suit, volunteering himself as a crash test dummy. The prototype is rough, ready, and preposterously impressive. Seven years, a lot of passion, and approximately $150,000 were invested into this ridiculous yet intriguing dream.

Troy once had a near-death encounter with a grizzly bear in the woods of northern Ontario. The bear he encountered wore a small beard of white hair under his chin, earning him the nickname Old Man.

Thus Troy was possessed by the notion of creating a suit that would allow humans to safely interact with, and learn more about, these beautiful, daunting beasts. In an attempt to become a “little Jacques Cousteau” Troy dreams of creating the dry-land equivalent Cousteau’s aqua lung.

His comrades in both his life and work become caught in the cyclone of his blind passion, seemingly willing to follow him anywhere, if only to be sure they don’t miss out on any of the fun.

Our story beings in the grubby cafés and scanty wooded areas of North Bay, Ontario: a sort of comically Fubar-esque atmosphere, and just the kind of mundane environment that motivates a man to try and create something amazing. From here, Troy and his companions travel to Banff National Park, wherein the viewer is treated to some gorgeous mountain scenery and classic imagery of men on steeds trailblazing the great Canadian wilderness. These spectacular sequences are nicely punctuated by some thrilling shots of grizzly bears in their natural habitat. The small town nature of this curious caravan brings a sense of reality to the situation, and at times the film feels like a home video in its simple honesty.

It is immensely entertaining to watch a quirky Canadian yokel get beaten with baseball bats, and hit in the head, battering ram style, by a giant log. A pick up truck ran into him several times, too, and all the while he wore a ridiculous-looking Earth-bound space suit.

But the real entertainment starts when the head comes off the suit, and we hear from the man inside. The film is a success because the protagonist has a big personality. Troy’s idiomatic monologues make all situations truly entertaining. Our hero is an everyman, who is just crazy enough. Observe, as he tries, with admirable fervour, to leave his mark on the world — It’s an absolute riot.

The folks at the Yukon Film Society would like to invite you to grab a buddy (and maybe a blanket) and come enjoy this 100 per cent Canadian Quixote-esque tale on the banks of the Yukon River.

Project Grizzly will be screened outdoors in Shipyards Park in Whitehorse, on Friday, September 26 at 8:00 p.m. as part of the national Culture Days and Door Open events.