Inkanta
Group: Admins
Posts: 1453
Joined: Feb. 2000 |
 |
Posted: Dec. 29 2009, 10:29 |
 |
Based on your comments, I bought the soundtrack. I was so blown away by the 3D visuals that I couldn't really remember any of the music other than the occasional planet-heartbeat drumming. Yesterday I ran 8.25 miles with it and found it ok as soundtracks go and I'll give it another listen, but hmmm.....I am finding it pretty typical and cliched. I couldn't help wishing that Mike had scored the thing.
The movie itself was awesome and actually reminds me of Tubular Bells III. That may seem like an odd comparison, but just like TBIII is full of twiddly bits, Avatar contains many bits and pieces from our various cultural interactions, both in film and in the physical world. It was fun to spot them. And yet, both Mike and Cameron weave everything into a very satisfying work.
Here are some themes I've identified so far (warning: possible spoiler):
Scientific/anthropological knowledge used to exploit indigenous cultures: Happens time and time again. Anthropologists studied cultures in the Americas and in Africa (probably other places, too) only to have what they learned used against the native populations. My advisor in college said he'd disown any of us who went to work for the Bureau of American Affairs. The theme of cultural exploitation to get at natural resources is key to Avatar.
Riding raptors: Totally lifted from John Norman's Tarnsman of Gor, right down to the pairing for life and the initial choosing of a bird.
Military/corporate partnerships: The unit seems to be lifted from Blackwater. Oh excuse me. Xe. Ugly, ugly stuff by any name.
The ending: I was pretty sure by the first scene how the movie was going to end, and after what happened to Grace, I flat out knew. There are similar endings to a couple of stories in Lakota tradition.
Dances with Wolves: Various reviews have noted the similarities with DWW (though not what they are). Both films are epic, they involve a military guy who comes to care very deeply about the culture his "unit" is fighting/hookwinking, acceptance by another culture, and contain language subtitles (Na'vi is subtitled like the Lakota/Dakota of DWW). There is also an easy-going scientist in Avatar who reminds me of Smiles A Lot. The Na'vi have been compared to horse-faring Plains folks, though the vegetation is jungle/bush-ish. Yes, they ride a creature resembling a horse and they paint their faces in times of war. They have leaders and they dance and do other ritual activities. We all do/have many of these things.  Societies have ridden whatever is available--Native Americans were not the first ppl on the planet to ride horses, nor were Europeans, whose horses found there way onto the Great Plains. BTW--coming to think of it, I can't remember the music from DWW, either. 
Trees: There is a huge resemblance between the tree of souls and Grandmother Willow in Disney's Pocahontas. Trees are sacred to many cultures, and among the many things that were goofy in the Disney movie (including that they re-wrote history and passed it off as being based on a real person and real culture--they should have just made up all the names, too) was the concept of Grandmother Willow. Not sure where this fits with that nation, the Powhantan-Renapes, but the nation was not amused by the Disney film (see http://www.powhatan.org/pocc.html).
Of course I am going to drag Second Life into this discussion. There is a community of people in SL who are paralyzed in the physical world. They say that flying and running in SL boosts their self concept and provides many happy hours of immersive existence. Similar to Sully.
There is sure to be a Na'vi community that will spring up in Second Life, complete with language, culture, and big, beautiful, blue avatars. Wonder what the music will be like??
BTW....a few weeks ago I presented a talk at the adult religious education class at church on Spirituality and Religion in Second Life. While researching for it, I came across this: “The Soul Of Second Life: In SL Spirituality Survey, 48% Open To Mind Upload, 62% To New SL-Based Religions” New World Notes. February 27, 2008. http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2008/02/the-soul-of-sec.html
I guess the concept of Avatar isn't very far afield.
--------------
"No such thing as destiny; only choices exist." From: Moongarden's "Solaris."
|
) so I am a bit biased here but I am puzzled about a couple of the things you said above. There are lots of criticisms I have seen of Avatar, many of them to me seem fair even if I don't agree. However you seem to criticize Cameron as a Director which seems strange, most people do seem to accept his skills in that department, whatever they think of the film. You also seem to not rate the visuals very highly which is also odd as "eye candy" is one of the things most people accept Avatar *does* deliver...
