James Cameron’s ‘Dances with Avatar’

by John Nolte

In the video below [click to play], Oscar-winning director James Cameron spills some of the story beats for his long-in-production (four years) “Avatar,” which finally hits theatres this December 18th.  

He wrote the script fourteen years ago, before the technology was available to film it, spent nine years developing the cameras, and is now shooting live action in “Stereoscopic 3D.” Cameron’s shown bits of the film to friends and says they describe the experience as completely immersive, a “dream state … dreaming with your eyes wide open.”

Sounds like an amazing experience awaits.  The story, however, sounds awfully familiar:  Most of the action is set in the 22nd Century in the Alpha Centauri star system on a large Earth-like moon called Pandora … … (sorry, had to let a flash of Nerd Panic pass) … filled with lush rain forests and exotic creatures. A humanoid race, the Na’vi, inhabit the planet. They’re ten feet tall, striped like tigers and sport large tails. They’re also primitive, using bow and arrows to hunt.

Humans can’t breathe Pandora’s air, but genetic engineering has created Avatars who can. These are actual human bodies, replicas that stand in for their counterparts who enter a coma-like state in order to project their consciousness into the Avatar and enjoy life on Pandora — and presumably to strip-mine it, as well.

The protagonist is Jake Scully (Sam Worthington), a paralyzed Marine able to live a normal physical life through the use of his Avatar … and here’s we enter the familiar zone.

According to Cameron, the story tension centers on a conflict between Earth’s “Military Industrial Complex” and the Na’vi, who are peaceful, live happily in the forest “when humans are not trampling their planet,” and ultimately “prove to be wiser than we are.” When provoked, though, they are “ferocious warriors.”

The human drama focuses on Scully, who falls in love with a Na’vi (yuck), becomes a part of her clan and is forced to choose sides as a final battle with the humans becomes inevitable.

If you remember, Kevin Costner was injured, sent out to a strange land inhabited by primitive people, fell in love, joined the clan, chose sides … You get the drill.

The only thing is this … I think “Dances with Wolves” (1990) is a beautiful, epic and majestic film, and I do loves me some James Cameron.

Does his metaphor sound simplistic? Sure. But like no one else making mainstream films today, Cameron’s a master auteur who delivers grand visual spectacle backed by a terrific story. He’s our generation’s greatest filmmaker because he chooses to aspire and sticks with it until he meets those aspirations. He also has the talent.

Whatever genre Cameron chooses (and make no mistake, he is a genre filmmaker), he honors that genre but at the same time sets out to deliver the ultimate film-going experience within it. And for my money, he’s always delivered … and yes, that includes “Titanic,” which, by the second reel, always turns me into a fourteen year-old girl. That’s right, you heard me — I’m not afraid to say it … In “Titanic” Leo is simply dreamy.

“The Terminator” (1984), “Aliens” (1986), “The Abyss” (1989), “Terminator 2″ (1991), “True Lies” (1994), and “Titanic” (1997). No modern filmmaker, not even Spielberg at the height of his powers thirty years ago, can boast that kind of run.

It’s been 12 years since Cameron’s made a narrative film and he’s been sorely, sorely missed. Judging by his track record, “Avatar” won’t be nearly as simple as his explanation of it, so my excitement isn’t diminished in the least. All I know is that in less than 7 months I’ll be seeing “Written and Directed by James Cameron” on the big screen.

Counting. The. Days.


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Posted Jun 3rd 2009 at 6:33 am in Entertainment, Politics | 112 Comments