Cameron Soon to Be King of Universe
by Tom Tapp
James Cameron, Oscar-winning director of “Titanic” and self-proclaimed “King of the World” has found a new planet to conquer.
His next picture is “Avatar,” due in December. It’s the story of an ex-marine who is sent to settle and exploit an incredibly bio-diverse planet and ends up leading its indigenous inhabitants in a fight for survival.
(Leaked supposed early concept drawings may hint at why the marine feels attracted to the cause – or may just represent a fanboy’s fantasy.)
Very few details about the $200 million film have been released. ”Avatar’s” first teaser (which is probably a fanboy creation) gives away none of the groundbreaking 3-D effects Cameron has reportedly developed for the film.
But a piece in this weekend’s New York Times collects some new intelligence from reputable sources as well as the blogosphere.
A writer from Time magazine describes the 15 minutes he saw:
“It was like doing some kind of drug,” he said, describing a scene in which the movie’s hero, played by Sam Worthington, ran around “with this kind of hot alien chick,” was attacked by jaguarlike creatures and was sprinkled with sprites that floated down, like snowflakes.
“You feel like the little feathery things are landing on your arm,” said Mr. Quittner, who remained eager for another dose.
The web is also rife with postings from people who say, somehow, they’ve seen the film (which isn’t likely to be finished anytime before Fall).
From NYT, again:
“The special effects were mostly drawings and cartoons, but they looked 3-D still,” wrote one “planetshane,” whose particular dream involved a pirated copy of an early version.
“It was the best movie I had ever seen,” the post continued.
That type of hype is nearly impossible to live up to, acknowledges the director.
“It can’t possibly meet expectations,” said Cameron in December. “I went out, got drunk over that.
But he still has a film to deliver. And it may be well worth seeing, given the film’s budget, the technological leaps and the fact that Cameron has pulled off the impossible before.
Shooting has been taking place in the old Spruce Goose hanger at Playa Vista where Cameron also filmed parts of “Titanic.” Visual effects are being done by Peter Jackson’s Weta Digital in New Zealand.
The NYT hints – and I think rightly so – that the first look the public will get at what Cameron’s been working on will come at next month’s Comic-Con in San Diego. How could he pass up such a perfect audience?
I, for one, hope to be there.
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52 Comments
Oh, goodie, a film where the Marine is sent in to kill innocent natives and instead joins with the noble and spiritual civilization to fight against the evil empire (America) that wants to kill them all, pollute the water, poison the air, and create (gasp!) capitalism.
Did I miss anything? 3-D effects aren't going to do anything if you don't have a good story. I'll take it as a rental. Maybe.
When I read about this a couple of years ago, the story said that this 3D technology was supposed to be the savior of Hollywood. The story was written during a time when box office earnings were down, and the culprits were the DVD market and the internet.
I'm sure it had nothing to do with Hollywood's reliance on visual effects and pretty actors rather than rich characters and interesting stories. Even George Lucas proved that, right?
Naw man, Cameron has always been a very right wing filmmaker. I mean, he took the script he wrote for Rambo II (for which he only received a story by credit) and turned it into the script for Aliens by changing the word "Cambodian" to "Xenomorph".
But see, by indicting American power as the immoral root of the universe's problems, Cameron is proving how intellectually aware and emotionally secure he is. He's very brave. And aware. We can learn a lot from him.
Matter of fact, I was just about to go oppress some blowdart-toting natives in the Pacific isles, but after reading about the plot of this movie, I might rethink my imperial American impulses.
"Ex"-Marine? The only ones I know are John Murtha and Freddy Fender. The rest of us are still Marines
I'm really looking forward to this movie, but please please PLEASE tell me that Michelle Rodriguez isn't playing a tough-girl marine whose expressions cover the entire range of scowling all the way through sneering, and who at 5' 5" and 110 lbs. will kick the 'tocks of men three and four times her mass. Also, please assure me that Giovanni Ribisi will not play a hollow-eyed loser whose actions get capable, diligent characters killed while he single-handedly sucks all of the lifeforce and energy from every scene he's in. Get back to me on those, all right? Thanks, Big Hollywood!
What you don't believe that 5'5 110 lb women can kick ass??SEXIST!!!!
Tom, for future reference: There is no such thing as an ex-Marine, only former Marines. Only doggies, swab-jockeys and flyboys use that.
No offense taken. Everybody gets a mulligan or ten. I give myself one every three holes, whether I need it or not. I gotta use up all these creek balls.
Semper Fi my brother.
HOOHHRAAA!
Not Over.
Oh I forgot.Now the left is graduating from anti-American and moving up to anti-human.Or are they doubly cursed American humans??
Okay…is it just me or did that trailer make anyone have motion sickness?
I'm an ex-Marine when they put that last shovelful of dirt on my face.
Till then…take out the bad guys with one shot, iron sights, at 600 yards.
Semper Fi to you too.
Not Over.
If I understand correctly, "former Marine" or "retired Marine" are both acceptable. Or simply, Marine. That's a title that, once earned, has no expiration date.
The evil humans are wrecking the beauty of alien civilization with galactic warming and evil wars of aggression! We must stop them by sending money to the UU (United Universe) to get vacuum credits!
Wow, I just realized how insane that looks.
I'm pretty stoked about this one. Cameron churns out consistently good films.
I second that. I didn't like Titanic, but most of the rest of what he's done has been pretty darn good.
I hated Titanic, and The Abyss is my favorite sleeping medicine when I have insomnia. Puts me out about five minutes in every time. The rest, I like.
I like the first part of the Abyss before it got preachy. I really like Blade Runner and Black Hawk Down. I liked the rest as well.
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I feel pretty much the same. I'm going to wait awhile longer before I make any decision about Avatar. I'm not yet convinced that Cameron has turned demon on us. I do understand the "ex-marine" anger, but was that Cameron saying that, or just a mis-speak here?
I feel pretty much the same. I'm going to wait awhile longer before I make any decision about Avatar. I'm not yet convinced that Cameron has turned demon on us. I do understand the "ex-marine" anger, but was that Cameron saying that, or just a mis-speak here?
Isn't there an animated movie following this same plotline?
Please, for the love of god, stop referring to the 'king of the world' bit from the Oscars. That was a reference to the movie he was spending the night winning awards for, is that so hard to understand? It's right up there with referring to Madonna as 'The material mom' – lazy, Entertainment Tonight level writing.
I can almost guarantee this movie will have amazing effects but be boring, preachy and an hour too long. At some point a character will say (state) that humans are the disease infecting the otherwise perfect ecosystem.
I've been hearing about this film for, it seems, decades, but since Cameron still hasn't topped Terminator or Aliens, I'm not registering much on my care meter. Besides, after all this time, I've been totally desensitized to any news about Avatar.
I did finally get Blade Runner, the Final Cut on DVD a couple of weeks ago, and it wasn't bad, but it's starting to feel like a period piece to me now. If I'm in the right mood – and have an eighteen pack of beer in the fridge – I can actually get into The Abyss though, unlike other commenters here, evidently.
Yeah, I'm not going to damn him yet either. He usually (though not always) keeps politics out of his movies. I can respect that.
Yeah, I'm not going to damn him yet either. He usually (though not always) keeps politics out of his movies. I can respect that.
Why go to space to find a hero who "ends up leading its indigenous inhabitants in a fight for survival?" Could not our Marine hero go to Egypt and help the Coptic Christian (the truly indigenous Egyptians) fight for their survival as they are beaten, stabbed, gunned down and falsely imprisoned.
Couldn't our Marine then fly to help indigenous Assyrian Christians who received the faith from the Apostles in their native land now known as Iraq and northern Iran? How about native Sudanese Black Christians who have lost 2 million brothers and sisters as the Arabs from Khartoum try to force them from their land. Talk about "Trail of Tears." Then there are native Thai Buddhists and Christians being gunned down in southern Thai land and Philippino farmers, fisherman, Red Cross workers and priests being beheaded.
There appears to be a globalized ideology that doesn't mind exterminating "indigenous people" whether dwelling in a Nigerian village or riding in a London tube. Stay home and FIGHT MARINE.
If Avatar follows the "scriptment" that was floating around the internet a few years back (and which you may still be able to find, I haven't tried) then Ursula K. LeGuin will be joining Harlan Ellison in the "Big Time SF Authors Who Have Sued James Cameron Club."
Seriously. That script was a complete rip-off of LeGuin's enviromentalist tract/novella "The Word For World Is Forest." So much so that it should've been called "The Word For World Is Avatar."
Maybe Cameron will preemptively put "Acknowledgement to the works of Ursula K. LeGuin" in the credits this time. Or maybe they've already settled it. That would be too bad. I'd really like to see some legal fireworks over this.
Also, I hate to be a nitpicking fanboy, but y'all do know that Blade Runner and Black Hawk Down were directed by Ridley Scott, not James Cameron, right?
Hey, you think these films should be made, go write them yourself. Stop waiting for "Hollywood" to do it for you.
The USA needs a marine that will lead them out of the ideological ghetto it's politics are trapped in and into the land of reason. Now that ive gotten my nonesuch out of the way, the movie sounds like crap – like everything Cameron has done since Terminator. One great movie then snoozefests all the way, thanks Jim.
The USA needs a marine that will lead them out of the ideological ghetto it's politics are trapped in and into the land of reason. Now that ive gotten my nonesuch out of the way, the movie sounds like crap – like everything Cameron has done since Terminator. One great movie then snoozefests all the way, thanks Jim.
i really like the abyss although it's true, that preachy part should've been left on the floor. (and if you don't like that, don't ever watch the extended director's cut. the preachiness comes at you like a tidal wave)
but, FTR… blade runner and black hawk down are ridley scott.
Cameron did give a fair portrayal of Marines in Aliens, but when I read that the Marine in this movie is on a mission of conquest and then changes his stripes, it's hard for me to give the benefit of the doubt. Liberal zeal is much higher in Hollywood nowdays.
Also, Blade Runner and Black Hawk Down are Ridley Scott movies. Scott did Alien, but Cameron did Aliens.
Yeah… Just because it's Cameron, I'm seeing it. Scratch that, just because it's Cameron and is not Titanic or related to the Titanic.
Err…Blade Runner and Blackhawk are Ridley Scott films.
Blade Runner (and Black Hawk Down as someone mentioned) is a RIDLEY SCOTT film.
Because it's a science FICTION movie.
The problem, as AvantiBev points out so well, is that there are many interesting and compelling stories to tell on this subject, but Cameron is going to the old dried up 60's well and doing yet another incredibly stupid one.
This movie will have today's Hollywood curve; huge opening, followed by a crash.
Mea culpa.
I was thinking Terminator and then my brain froze and a whole new world of information poured out of my fingers. . .
Yeah, my bad. Don't know what I was thinking.
I agree with you about Aliens. I thought the Marines were well portrayed. Also, I never felt there was anything overtly political in Aliens, even though that was the time when lots of directors were crudely cramming PC messages into films.
A whole new world? Thanks, dude, now I'm gonna have that song in my head all day long…
Titanic. That is all one needs to say.
Sorry. Guess I should have stopped while I was behind.
Well…….if there's a "nearly-nude" superhero guy from "Watchmen"…. Oh, who am I kidding? It's just yet one MORE way to show some skin. However, you wouldn't have heard a peep from me if Crowe or Bana or Bale were the lead. I'll wait for Big Hollywood's review before I see this.
I had a post removed because I typed "a**"?A**?????
For a movie that will cost well over 200 million its really strange we haven't seen a trailer. Since this movie isn't based on any popular book, tv show, or comic it won't have a built in fanbase to relay on so its going to need a great marketing campaign which doesn't seem to exist. I haven't seen anything except sketchs and greenscreen. Hiding this movie makes no sense and could be finacial suicide.
Not overtly political, and it was a sympathetic portrayal but it was also the recycled boomer view of the Vietnam era: a bunch of badly trained and ill-disciplined recruits (one signed up to avoid prison) and two noncom professionals led by an inexperienced babyfaced officer, fighting an almost invisible, faceless enemy in an environment that negates their firepower.
And let´s not forget: when he needed a bad guy in The Abyss, he chose a claustrophobic Navy SEAL who can´t handle the pressure. Right. Because when they have to check out a few hundred lose nukes on the ocean floor they send one of those high-strung Navy SEALs.
Add the class warfare of Titanic and Cameron emerges as a pretty conventional thinker.
That´ll teach ya!
When it came out, The Abyss had some stunning never seen before sequences. But it loses steam once the aliens show up and Cameron starts to exorcise his divorce troubles or whatever he was doing there.
Avatar will be visually stunning and inventive, I´m sure of it. This could be one of those movies – and they get rarer and rarer – that pushes the envelope and shows us something that we never imagined we´d see on screen. As for the story and the preachyness, better to prepare for the worst.
You must know my history. You figured out exactly where he lost me.
I'm sitting here reading peoples comments and am shocked at just how clueless many of you are. I would have thought that you would be much more aware when it comes to brilliant film makers simply because of the fact that you are voicing your opinion as if you actually know what your talking about. To clear things up for you, cameron does not make bad movies. He makes incredible movies, including titanic. And as for worrying about politics in avatar, forget about that. Cameron is a story teller not a politician. He has too much integrity for his stories, then to push political views. I think if you know the significance of a James cameron film, you know how incredible avatar will be and if you don't, you will come December.
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