By Empress Eve
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Tuesday, January 5th, 2010 at 9:28 am
Those of us who’ve seen Avatar — and judging by its over $1 billion box office earnings, I’d say that’s most of us — probably felt like you’ve heard this story before…
SPOILER
A white soldier spends time with and learns the ways of a tribal people (people in danger of losing their lands and life to enterprising white colonists), falls in love with the leader’s daughter, eventually becomes a trusted honorary member of said tribe, sees the error of the white man’s ways, leads his new clan into battle.
/SPOILER
Yes, it does sound a lot like Dances With Wolves, even James Cameron agreed.
A similar comparison has been to Disney’s Pocahontas — check out the video mash-up here below of the Avatar trailer with the dialogue of Pocahontas (especially when the singing kicks in). Not convinced? Then read an except from the Pocahontas script someone cleverly marked up with Avatar references.
I’ll give Avatar a little more credit than to just call it a Pocahontas/Dances With Wolves in Ferngully land rip-off, considering the amount of detail that went into creating Avatar‘s world of Pandora and of course, the impressive special effects and CGI work. But as far as story goes, we’ve heard this one before for sure… but that’s ok, it’s a good story to tell.
@Mo
Believe me, CGI effects don’t wow me and I don’t particularly even like CG, but what I did like was for most of the move you FORGET that it’s all fake. That’s good movie-making.
HaHa! This is pretty funny, and I have to agree there were aspects to the film which resembled Disney fare, what about the song over the end credits, made me wanna puke my guts out! And! The whole disabled thing (along with other more complex/interesting aspects of the plot) was kind of white washed at the end when that tree selects his alien body, quite a sickly happy ending I thought, not very interesting at all!
Anyway, all that aside, it was an entertaining movie, and my first 3D experience for a long time, but maybe Cameron should seek some more advice and opinions on his coveted ideas next time around.
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Students of the Unusual™ comic cover used with permission of 3BoysProductions
The Mercuri Bros.™ comic cover used with permission of Prodigal Son Press
That’s brilliant
Comment by Schutzenegger — January 5, 2010 @ 10:52 am
“considering the amount of detail that went into creating Avatar’s world of Pandora and of course, the impressive special effects and CGI work.”
sorry but cgi effects etc. can’t change the fact that its very derivative… cgi stopped impressing me with jurrasic park as a kid.
Comment by mo — January 5, 2010 @ 4:27 pm
@Mo
Believe me, CGI effects don’t wow me and I don’t particularly even like CG, but what I did like was for most of the move you FORGET that it’s all fake. That’s good movie-making.
Comment by Empress Eve — January 5, 2010 @ 5:08 pm
HaHa! This is pretty funny, and I have to agree there were aspects to the film which resembled Disney fare, what about the song over the end credits, made me wanna puke my guts out! And! The whole disabled thing (along with other more complex/interesting aspects of the plot) was kind of white washed at the end when that tree selects his alien body, quite a sickly happy ending I thought, not very interesting at all!
Anyway, all that aside, it was an entertaining movie, and my first 3D experience for a long time, but maybe Cameron should seek some more advice and opinions on his coveted ideas next time around.
Comment by Gordon — January 6, 2010 @ 5:51 am
Much of Avatar was taken directly from the 1975 Alan Dean Foster novel Midworld. I’m waiting for the lawsuit.
Comment by Dosco Jones — January 6, 2010 @ 2:38 pm