A few actor becomes so entwined in a role that if they put on a certain piece of clothing or stand in a certain environment, viewers forget they’re playing a different character. Sean Connery wears a tux and he’s immediately back to being James Bond. Adam West poses near a cave and he’s Batman. Such is the case with Dan Haggerty. If he leans against a tree, he’s automatically Grizzly Adams. While some may view this as a curse, it does allow the actor to play a variation of their character without dealing with the studio that controls the copyrighted material. Dan Haggerty isn’t Grizzly Adams in Escape to Grizzly Mountain. But it’s hard to not think that the bearded giant on the screen can be anyone else.
The movie begins in modern times. Jimmy Dobson (Miko Hughes) visits a circus for fun and games. But things get serious when he sees a bear cub being mistreated by the circus folk. Instead of doing a media campaign with an animal right’s organization, Jimmy wants to nab the bear. But what would he do with a bear? The answer comes when he finds a cave that turns out to be a time tunnel. He can take the bear back to 1841 to enjoy a true wilderness that hasn’t been converted into the suburbs. What he doesn’t count on is Jeremiah (Dan Haggerty) coming back to modern times. This is where the fun comes as the mountain man discovers what became of his beloved wilderness. Can he believe what goes inside a Big Mac?
Escape to Grizzly Mountain is the sequel to 1997’s Grizzly Mountain. But you don’t need to see the earlier film to appreciate Escape. All that matters is that you don’t think that this is part of the Grizzly Adams series. There’s no Denver Pyle narrating the action. But we do get an appearance from Jan Michael Vincent (World’s Greatest Athlete) and Miles O’Keefe.
The video is 1.33:1 full frame. The film pretty much went straight to video so this is the aspect ratio most viewers remember from 2004. The audio is Dolby Digital 2.0. You’ll be able to hear the folksy sayings and astonished gasps from the man who isn’t Grizzly Adams.
No bonus features.
By blending the old West and time travel, Escape To Grizzly Mountain should appeal to fans of The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams and Doctor Who. Just remember that Dan Haggerty isn’t really playing Grizzy Adams and you won’t get too confused.
Timeless Media Group presents Escape to Grizzly Mountain. Directed by: Anthony Delesandro. Screenplay by: Boon Collins. Starring: Dan Haggerty, Miko Hughes, Jan Michael Vincent and Miles O’Keefe. Rated: G. Running Time: 95 minutes. Released: August 12, 2014.
