The Avatar Blu-ray Release Thread

[UTVOL06]

Originally Posted by DaViD Boulet

I just have to say,

I happen to think that the *story* for AVATAR is just fine. Original? It's got good guys and bad guys and a struggling main character... like just about *every* other hollywood film. If we don't go around critizing every other film for not being "original", why is AVATAR held to some different standard of measure?

I tear up every time and find it just as emotionally involving as the first time I viewed. Not many films have had such re-watchability and kept me so engaged on repeated viewings. And for me that's because of the story.

I'm sure that some folks generally don't like the story and have valid arguments. However, it seems to me that most folks critizing the "story" of AVATAR are just running with the lemming herd because it's the popular way to show you're a critical film buff. Many far worse films have garnered much higher praise, and many better films have gone ignored by these same groups. Bottom line is like what you like and don't worry about the herd.

IMHO, Avatar has excellent re-play and is eye candy galore with good ear candy. It's the most impressive looking blu I have ever seen and the story is not original, but plays common theme that has a warm familiar feel to it.

I don't care how good a blu-ray looks, if the story sucks i wont buy it. Avatar's story was not the best, but it was "good". Couple that with a phenomenaly painted picture and you have a true hit.

[steve1971]

I have offically joined the Avatar nation! Just watch it tonight and I was simply blown away. The PQ is simply stunning and this movie is the reason why I love my Sony HDTV and Blu ray as much as I do. The Audio is ear rattling to the point where my neighbors were wondering just what the heck was goin on in my room!!! lol The story kept me tuned in like no movie ever has and I never thought I would say that about Avatar. I will say this and thats that Avatar needs no gimmic like 3D to make it look good because without it it stands alone in 2D by itself. I eat my words with every bad comment I have made about this movie. Again simply stunning in every way and a MUST HAVE for your Blu collection. I rented it but am gonna buy it for sure. Bravo James Cameron because this is an epic masterpeice by a guy who knows how to make movie's the right way.

[nycomet]

I hope when the next BD edition is released we will get TONS of supplemental material.

Do I dare request and extended director's cut?

[Suntory_Times]

Originally Posted by nycomet

I hope when the next BD edition is released we will get TONS of supplemental material.

Do I dare request and extended director's cut?

The directors cut is what was shown in theatres. They are working on finsihing six more minutes for an extended cut though. The extended cut however is not the directors cut, that is what was in cinemas.

[odvan]

Originally Posted by Spymaster

The script is awful.
...
As for an emotional response? I was bored. There are only a handful of movies where I "tear up" time and time again - those are ET, Field Of Dreams and, for some reason, Forever Young. Not so with Avatar. I was just glad it was over.

Will it be remembered? Sure - it's groundbreaking in the way that Star Wars, Jurassic Park and The Matrix were groundbreaking. But you know what happened to ALL of those franchises after the sequels came out...

Just wait and see!

Really? Because you don't like it, it's predictable or what? It sounds like a proven fact while it is only your humble opinion.

Like I said many times before, people and numbers, dynamic of theatrical run (+dvd/br) could tell you the truth - the movie is a phenomenon, and the script at least great if it WORKED with all ages audience, nationalities all over the globe. Because the script is base for everything. How trees should be shot, how flight on ikran's should looks like. All this things in script.

And yes, I could say the plot is simple, the story is not original, but you know what movies needs besides stories? The movie is a combination of visual row, audio and storytelling. All three mindblowing in Avatar.

That's is objective opinion, given fact if you looked at box-office statistic numbers, when people recommended the movie to friends and it made tons of money all over the globe in the end. Simply because of word of mouth. Because people loved it. Because the movie touched them emotionally.

And if you look at top critics reviews on Rotten Tomatoes it has awesome 94% rating. Not a snobbish opinion from someone yang blogger but from well known critics who worked in the industry for 30-40 years. Film also has 9 oscar nominations and has won 3 of them with Globes and other awards. If you summarize all facts you will see the whole picture and forest after the trees.

Also I may add I'm not a fan of the story, personally I rated T2 and Aliens higher in JC filmography, but I jumped into the wagon after my first watching when people literally were blown away in Imax. The experience was unique and groundbreaking. It was real breakthrough. Reminds me fantastic and adventures movies from 80th till middle of the 90th.

The main thing - Jim created a real new world. Fantasy. Tale. That's what I think the main function of cinematograph - to sell public dreams, illusions, new worlds, something we would never imagine himself. With deep humane themes.

[odvan]

Originally Posted by steve1971

...and thats that Avatar needs no gimmic like 3D to make it look good because without it it stands alone in 2D by itself...

Mate, you should watch it in Imax on big screen. Because Avatar was shot in 3D using special 3D cameras.



This technology not a gimmick at least for this movie. Nothing pop-up into your face, you just see the other world through the window of the screen.

[Spymaster]

Originally Posted by Suntory_Times

I will correct you on Horner though, he didn't ahve a year to write the score. But he did go on set and see people act out scenes to get an idea of what to write, and then later wrote the score and finished it then. It wasn't a year of just composing for the film. Far from it in fact.

I can't believe I left "Glory" off the list of scores that Horner "borrowed" for Avatar - so a cross between Titanic, Glory and Vibes then!

He did commit almost a year to the project. Whether that was spent writing or researching or whatever. I'm glad his slate for 2010 is starting to build up now because 2009 was crushingly anti-climatic.

90% of postive comments re: Avatar are STILL about the PQ and SQ. Avatar is a masterpiece because it looks gorgeous. AAARRRGGGGHHHH.

[Suntory_Times]

Originally Posted by Spymaster

I can't believe I left "Glory" off the list of scores that Horner "borrowed" for Avatar - so a cross between Titanic, Glory and Vibes then!

He did commit almost a year to the project. Whether that was spent writing or researching or whatever. I'm glad his slate for 2010 is starting to build up now because 2009 was crushingly anti-climatic.

90% of postive comments re: Avatar are STILL about the PQ and SQ. Avatar is a masterpiece because it looks gorgeous. AAARRRGGGGHHHH.

For me, I found the characters endearing and that is what made the film work for me. Yes it also had fantastic action and looked beautifull, but that's not the main reason I liked it. I also thought Horners score was excellent, yes it was familiar, but many composers often have scores that are similiar (Steve Jablonsky, Hans Zimmer, Danny Elfman etc). Recently John Debney for Kick Ass (which he compsed the music for), simply remixed two songs he had previously done for other scores to fit the scenesd they where in and it worked marvelously. Shouldn't you be dissapointed at all the times you have heard mozart's requeim in a film (it has been used more then any other piece of music i'm aware of, from Watchmen to Elizabeth to X-men 2 and the list just keeps on going and going).

All that said, I think the best three scores of last year where Up, Let The Right One In and Coco Avant Chanel.

Also everyone is allowed to think something is a materpiece, as to them it may be. Painting are just how they look, but no one seems to be complaining there (many may shrug this off as spurious, but both are pieces of art and thus imho can be compared).

[Spymaster]

Originally Posted by Suntory_Times

Shouldn't you be dissapointed at all the times you have heard mozart's requeim in a film (it has been used more then any other piece of music i'm aware of, from Watchmen to Elizabeth to X-men 2 and the list just keeps on going and going).

About the same amount as the Dies Irae I suppose!

Horner's borrowing doesn't really bother me any more (I got used to it about the time of Cocoon!) but for a film which set itself up to be "ground breaking" I had hoped he'd come up with something new.

I realise Cameron wanted to offset the unusual landscapes (not sure what's unusual about green trees and blue water but still...) with familiar sounds, but there's familar and familiar!

[Marcus Wright]

I actually liked Avatars soundtrack, felt very relevant with on the visuals in terms of "epicness"

[Suntory_Times]

Originally Posted by Marcus Wright

I actually liked Avatars soundtrack, felt very relevant with on the visuals in terms of "epicness"

I agree. I think it was one of the best scores from last year.

[aiman04]

You guys should already know how much I love this movie. But for me, the score is not that great, far from a masterpiece. That's just my opinion though.

[Duffy12]

Originally Posted by aiman04

You guys should already know how much I love this movie. But for me, the score is not that great, far from a masterpiece. That's just my opinion though.

Yeah, I agree here too. I have kinda gotten used to the bad lines in it, however some of Horner's reused themes really jars me out of the movie at times now. *sigh*

I still give it a 5 out of 5 though.

.

[odvan]

Did you try to listen it on CD w/o movie on proper acoustic system? It's awesome combination of keltic motives, synthezators and chorale.

[Suntory_Times]

Originally Posted by odvan

Did you try to listen it on CD w/o movie on proper acoustic system? It's awesome combination of keltic motives, synthezators and chorale.

I agree, though you shouldn't jusge the score based on the official cd as it has been edited quite abit from the actual movie.

[Spymaster]

Originally Posted by odvan

Did you try to listen it on CD w/o movie on proper acoustic system? It's awesome combination of keltic motives, synthezators and chorale.

That's the problem though. Celtic instrumentation was fine in Braveheart and Titanic and The Devil's Own and Patriot Games (all Horner scores) - but why go down that road in Avatar when you're supposed to be creating a brand new world/culture? It just adds to the familiarity of the thing. (The Celtic stuff throws me out of Bear McCreary's otherwise excellent scores for Battlestar Galactica too!)

As for being "Epic" - Avatar doesn't come close to earlier Horner efforts like Krull, Star Trek II/III, Aliens, Willow, The Rocketeer. Even, more recently, The Mask Of Zorro.

It's almost as though he's downplayed the "Epicness" on purpose, much like he did on Titanic. But when you consider the type of score that Cameron has favoured in the past it's obvious he's not too keen on big orchestral scores!

[Marcus Wright]

I am not saying its one of the best scores ever. It certainly isnt.
But, I just cant stop from hearing the main feature song of Avatar, when all the different camps are pulled together, its just feels so "epic"

Even if not that, at least the THX advertisment at the end only was worthy to purchase this disk, best sonic experience I ever had at home.

P.S. I agree with one of the above comments that the edited soundtracks on the movies themselves are always a more pleasure to listen too. The best example I can think of is the matrix collection soundtrack, especially the reloaded cave sceen, its so much more different and better than the cd version of the track.

[Bluyoda]

Originally Posted by Marcus Wright

I actually liked Avatars soundtrack, felt very relevant with on the visuals in terms of "epicness"

Totally agree with you! Especially the end credit song!! It's so awesome, and beat ''My heart will go on'' for sure....!!!

[Show spoiler]
as the WORST movie soundtrack and song ever!!!

[Spymaster]

Originally Posted by Bluyoda

Totally agree with you! Especially the end credit song!! It's so awesome, and beat ''My heart will go on'' for sure....!!!

I do prefer "I See You" to the tepid "My Heart Will Go On" although the former owes a lot to the latter!

[Frozenpinky]

Originally Posted by Spymaster

I do prefer "I See You" to the tepid "My Heart Will Go On" although the former owes a lot to the latter!

And characters in both TITANIC and AVATAR use the line "I see you". Must be something James C says to his wife (or former wife)