Man in the Mirror

Author: Inzel Jugpal

In the mirror one perceives their own image. This is where the formation of ego gets some of its main characteristics. The ego is formed by identification with its like, the human being who is in the glass, the own reflection (Metz, 1982).

To explore the planet of Pandora a Na’vi human hybrid called “avatar” is used, which is operated by genetically matched humans. Jake Sully inhabits the avatar that was created for his twin brother who died. In the movie the avatar ends up acting like a mirror for the character of Jake Sully allowing him to see him own image and begin his transformation from a human to a Na’vi accepted by the Eywa (Na’vi god).  

Jake’s transformation (Source: Google Images)

Once Jake takes over the avatar he gives himself into the experience of learning to be Na’vi. He begins to see himself as someone other than a paraplegic ex-marine. His avatar acts as a mirror and shows him a version of himself that he aspires to be, someone who can be a leader.  Jake learns and immerses himself in the culture faster than any human before him, and he is able to fully realize his potential.The Na’vi reflection of Jake is his true reflection.

As a part of his learning the Na’vi Jake has to ride a banshee. After successfully riding the banshee and forming a lifelong connection with it, Jake wakes up in his human form and says “out there is the real world, in here is the dream”.  

(Source: Google Images)

Source: Metz, Christian (1982) Imaginary Signifier. Screen. Volume 16, Number 2.

Source: Mast, Gerald, Cohen, Marshall, and Braudy, Leo. Film Theory and Criticism. New York:  Oxford University Press, 1992.

Implicit Meanings in Avatar

Name: Caitlin Floer

In Film; An Introduction, Phillips defines an implicit meaning as "a generalization a person makes about a film or other text or about a subject in a text" . These can be developed through cinematic techniques, symbols, narratives, or stories (Phillips, 2002). 

One of the largest meanings taken from this film is the similarity of the actions of the army in Pandora with the actions being taken in The War on Terror in the Middle East. This is shown in a number of different places throughout the film, but most notably during a narrative when Colonial Quaritch is prepping his army to go into battle with the Na'vi, leading them with the line; "We will fight terror with terror". This quote serves to bring forth real memories of war to the viewers and possibly some resentment at the fact that they are planning on going in to destroy the Na'vi's home in order to gain Unobtanium.

Source: Google Images

This meaning comes directly from producer James Cameron, who has publicly proclaimed himself to be an environmental activist who believes that humans and industrial society are causing climate change. In an interview with PBS, Cameron noted that he referenced Iraq, Vietnam, and the American colonial period in the film; also noting that Americans have a history of taking what they need from nature and indigenous peoples and don’t give anything back in return (Hamilton, 2009).

One thing that differentiates this story from others that depict the fight between native people and white people is that in the end, Jake Sully and a few other characters choose to stay in their avatars. Some stories will conclude with a select white person being accepted into a tribe, but rarely do plot lines have a chance to show a full transformation and acceptance into the native tribe. 

Source: Google Images

This could be another implicit meaning from Cameron, hinting that the solution to our real-world troubles could be to try to live harmoniously together; something that sounds good on paper but is more difficult to implement when dealing with drastically different cultures and beliefs.

Source: Mast, Gerald. Film Cinema Movie: A Theory of Experience. New York: Harper & Row, 1977.
Source: Hamilton, Andrew. (2009, Dec 23). The Meaning of Avatar. Retrieved from http://www.toqonline.com/blog/the-meaning-of-avatar/

The Use of Colour to Evoke Emotion

Author: Caitlin Floer

Colour is used throughout a film to evoke different emotions from the viewers (Phillips, 2002). Film producers use colour to enhance a scene; so that, for example, not only is a scene thrilling in the script and visuals of the characters, but dim lighting is also sending a subconscious message to the viewers to be scared. 

Traditionally, cold colours are used to express natures malevolence (Phillips, 2002), such as in the film Sleepy Hollow (1999) where the colours throughout the film mirror the spooky plot line. 

Source: Google Images

Warm colours are used for the opposite effect; to express nature's beauty (Phillips, 2002). This is used in the film Pocahontas when John Smith falls in a forbidden love with Pocahontas and they run childlike through the forest together. 

 

Source: Google Images

In Avatar, the military base, science lab, and the uniforms are all shown in a limited spectrum of colours. This portrays the military and scientific world as evil and unnatural and ensures for a stark contrast with the world of the Na'vi.

Source: Google Images

When Jake inhabits his Avatar and explores Pandora the viewer is awestruck with the amazing use of colour, not only in the surroundings, but in the colours of the avatar itself. The bright blue of the skin, the colourful hues in the surrounding nature, and the bioluminescent qualities enlighten viewers and instill feelings of hope and happiness; feelings that nothing bad should happen to these people.

Source: Google Images

Just as everything else in this movie was well thought out, so was the colour scheme. Cameron used massive colour contrast between the two worlds to evoke a strong emotional bond between the viewers and Pandora, and to strengthen the argument between good and evil; natural and unnatural.

Source: Mast, Gerald. Film Cinema Movie: A Theory of Experience. New York: Harper & Row, 1977.

Art and Nature

Author: Inzel Jugpal

Any work of art is a self-contained little universe, a microcosm complete in itself. Our delight in such universes stems directly from the fact that they provide us with what the natural universe does not. The universe of the work of art is finite; it is ordered; it is perceptible and comprehensible; it defines and then operates within a given set of laws; it is logical; it is permanent; and ultimately, it is capable of perfection. For this reason, the “laws” of art have nothing whatever to do with the natural laws of gravity, relativity or thermodynamics (Mast, 1977).

In Avatar, James Cameron and his team spent years coming up with the art and visual for Pandora the planet on which the movie takes place. Pandora looks like a lush paradise in various shades of blue, purple and green. Both its people and wildlife have bioluminescent qualities.  Even though Pandora was inspired by Earth, everything in the movie takes on an unearthly quality. There are animals like the banshees which resemble prehistoric dinosaurs, and fauna that could be find in the bottom of the oceans.  

The world of Pandora is not bound by the same “order” that the natural universe follows. The Na’vi bodies have feline-like features and a blue pigment. The animals have two pairs of eyes, and have two nerve clusters. There are flying animals. The inhabitants of Pandora can form a lifelong connection with animals. Caitlin mentioned in an earlier post Avatar is rooted in reality; but it also takes flights of fancy and uses the canvas of art to escape the clutches of the “laws” governing the finite world and creates a world that is familiar yet different.

Source: Mast, Gerald. Film Cinema Movie: A Theory of Experience. New York: Harper & Row, 1977.

The Context of a Film

Author: Caitlin Floer

Political ideals, culture, and values of the era when a film is written and developed plays a major role in a film’s theme. This can come across in the way that homosexual characters are portrayed, which in the past has often been as laughable, depressed, or suicidal. It is also often seen in the political views of the film’s characters, such as in Rocky IV which showed America as being a “better” country than the Soviet Union. (Phillips, 2002)

A common struggle in North America today is the controversy between left and right wing governments and the debate between new developments and trying conserve nature. Many films peg their antagonists as “right-winged” characters whose only focus is making a profit and driving business forward at any cost. Most protagonists in film defend the natural state of things; whether it is regarding the planet, a human rights issue, or anything that really tugs at the heartstrings of viewers.

It is the mainstream movies that show the context of the era most prevalently as they must appeal to the tastes and values of the mass market in order to turn a profit (Phillips, 2002). These are the movies that portray their protagonists and antagonists in the previously mentioned way as these are the views of most of the general public. By lining up what is perceived as right and wrong in the movie with what the majority of people think, movies are able to become box office hits.

Avatar is one of these mainstream movies that appealed to the mass market and took their concerns and political ideals to the big screen. One of the most dominant themes of the movie is the role of the corporation and its use of power.  On Pandora, the RDA will go to any lengths to mine unobtanium in order to make a profit from it back on Earth. The climax of the movie shows the RDA and its army tearing apart the Na’vi’s habitat and their Tree of Souls, without any concern of the destruction of the “heart” of Pandora and the Na’vi’s God. This is a direct portrayal of North American government’s struggles with native people, their land, and environmentalist groups.

The protagonist in Avatar, Jake Sully, starts the film with views that side with the RDA and its quest for unobtanium. As he spends more time with the Na’vi and learns about their culture and beliefs, Jake starts to identify with the world of Pandora and he begins to see the RDA as an enemy.  This switch resonates with viewers as it solidifies the general view that corporations are bad. This view is again solidified when the RDA are kicked off Pandora and the Na’vi prevail even through the destruction. Film critics will be able to look back on Avatar in the future and decipher what the culture and common values were at the time of development.  

Source: William H. Phillips. (2002). Film; An Introduction (Second Edition). Massachusetts; Bedford/St. Martin’s.

The Concept of Realism in Avatar

Author: Caitlin Floer

Routledge’s Introduction to Film Analysis defines realism in two ways; “first, the extent to which a film attempts to mimic reality so that a fictional film can appear indistinguishable from documentary. Second, the film can establish its own world and can, by consistently using the same conventions, establish the credibility of this world.” (Routledge, 2007)

With Avatar, James Cameron did the latter; he created a world as different from Earth as visibly possible but with similar trials and tribulations which allowed for it to be incredibly relatable. The details of Pandora were very well thought out; from the way the six-legged horses breathed through their necks to the planet’s very own heartbeat. It was a land from another planet with its own way of life which was just as interesting to watch as the plot unfolding.

Although the visual details and surface-level components are much different than what is experienced on Earth, Avatar fans were able to connect on a deeper level in a way that was touched on in the very first post with “Ogdens First Law of Mass Popularity”. The underlying theme and similar struggles of right versus left, or the corporation versus the people, is one that Western civilization can relate to. Not only with the overarching theme of the movie, but with the camaraderie between soldiers, between scientists, and within the Na’vi; all of these relationships are very relatable to viewers with their own family, friends, and co-workers. By using these same conventions Avatar gained the credibility of what we understand as a “real” planet, and there a strong connection was formed with movie-watchers.

However this connection was a bit too powerful with some fans . A number of websites cropped up after the film was released, offering help to those who suffered from depression after the movie; unable to cope with the reality that Earth doesn’t have floating mountains or dragons to ride on. Even the Vatican criticized the movie for undermining Christianity with the portrayal of nature-worshipping aliens.

That said, it is quite clear that Cameron succeeded in his quest for realism if he could bring people to leave the theatre wishing for Earth to make a few physical changes and become more like Pandora.

Source: Numerous Contributors. (2007). An Introduction to Film Analysis (Fourth Edition). New York, New York; Routledge.

Catharsis in Avatar

Author: Kari Morrison

The audience experiences catharsis when they watch the movie Avatar because they feel that the problems of Pandora correlate with the problems experienced here on Earth.

Though painted with broad strokes, James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ clearly demonstrates to the viewer a definite resemblance between the Na’vi’s experience on the planet Pandora and our own unfortunate and continuing plunder of natural, non-renewable resources on Earth. With a certain measure of hindsight and disconnect, the audience can vilify the actions of the RDA Corporation as they destroy a perfect, untouched ecosystem while also experiencing a level of catharsis when the Na’vi react in defense.      

(Source:imgflip.com & imdb.com)

Films and Human Nature; The Double

Author: Kari Morrison

The double is a prevalent way of defining human nature in film. The audience of Avatar feels a strong connection with the main character Jake Sully, when the doubleness of his character is revealed.

In film, there are two kinds: closed and open. The closed film focuses on the double, whereas the open film focuses on the theatrical character.

Open

Reality beyond the frame, characters presence is conscious, and possibilities of the self for freedom.

Closed

Film world is self-contained, double character is plain on the surface, but tangled within, and he cannot pick and choose their possibilities in nature. (Braudy, 2002)

Avatar’s Jake Sully is conflicted between his self and society. Jake’s main conflict is choosing between his life as a paraplegic ex-marine and the simple way of life of the Na’vi people. He is offered a bribe for collecting information on Pandora’s Hometree, if he provides sufficient details, he will get new legs. Jake is tempted by this offer and goes through with it until he realizes that the Na’vi people are more important to him and ends up leading the battle against the corporation. Throughout most of the movie, Jake Sully is actually leading two separate lives in two separate bodies.

Source: Google Images

Source: Braudy, Leo. The World in a Frame: What we see in films. Chicago: Chicago Press, 2002.

Jake’s Technology Dependency Extension & Amputation

Author: Kari Morrison

Avatar displays a clear example of the duality of technology with the main character, Jake Sully. On Earth, Jake is an ex-marine who has been crippled by war and is depressed, a condition he hides by drinking and fighting.

The technology that allows humans (people on earth) to travel on the planet Pandora in avatar bodies not only gives Jake the ability to walk (albeit in an avatar) but the ability to fall in love.

Source: Google Images

Jake is so content with his life on Pandora that he decides to live there permanently as he has proven himself and been accepted by the Na’vi people. So we see that this technology has given Jake a new life however, if it ceases to exist, Jake’s new life will also cease to exist.

Source: Google Images

Illustrating the Basic Plot Concepts of Avatar

Author: Inzel Jugpal

The basic plot concepts of drama are applied to Avatar, and the examples are illustrated by images from the movie. The images are all sourced from Google Images, and the definitions are from LIBS 7005 notes.

Astonishment

This occurs when things happen contrary to expectation

Movie example: Jake’s response to the Na’vi way of life, and acceptance of it displays astonishment.

Suffering

An action that involves pain or destruction

Movie example: When the RDA destroyed Hometree, which was sacred to the Na’vi, along with killing the chief and many others.

Reversal

Change to the opposite in the actions being performed

Movie example: Jake confesses to being a spy for RDA to warn the Na’vi about an attack on the Hometree. After his confession he is taken prisoner by the Na’vi.

Recognition

Change from ignorance to knowledge

Movie example: Jake’s allegiance to the Na’vi, Pandora and their way of life.

Hubris 

Excessive pride or self confidence

Movie example: RDA wants to destroy the Tree of Souls. They had the temerity to think they could ruin the Na’vi way of life and culture for their own personal gain.

Nemesis

Allows poetic justice to occur

Movie example: Jake changing sides and rallying the Na’vi to unite and battle against the corporation.

Spectator Audience & Response; Mass Popularity

Author: Kari Morrison

What do you do while you watch a movie in the theatre? According to film theory on spectatorship, individuals are predisposed to a certain level of investment during a film screening.

This film theory is primarily concerned with the way the individual is positioned between the projector and the screen in a darkened space. The movie Avatar was highly recognized for cutting edge graphics. The majority of people that have seen Avatar, did so in the theatre to experience the full effect of the graphics. During the film, the audience is held more powerfully than watching at home on a television screen.

Source: Phillips, Patrick. Introduction to Film Studies, Spectator, audience and response. New York: Routledge, 2007.

Applying Ogden’s First Law of Mass Popularity of Literature

Author: Inzel Jugpal

Avatar was released in December 2009 and went to become the highest grossing film of all time, earning over $2 billion.  The movie, which had ground breaking and breath taking visuals, was a technical masterpiece, and had the audience drive to in droves. Technical mastery aside, I believe the reason for the movie’s popularity was due to the masses connecting with the movie’s central theme of the destruction of the planet’s valuable resources by corporations.

The movie is set in 2154, at a time when Earth’s natural resources have been severely depleted. Resources Development Administration (RDA) goes to the planet Pandora in search of a valuable mineral Unobtanium. The planet is inhabited by a race called Na’vi who live harmoniously with Nature. The movie proceeds to show the greed of the RDA, which can threaten the planet and the way of life observed by the Na’vi.

This theme of the movie highlighting the role that corporations can play in the destruction of natural resources of the planet was what resonated with the movie going public. Our dependence on non-renewable sources of energy has resulted in a drastic drop in the resources we rely on such as fossil fuels and minerals not to mention the global impact on climate. We also started to educate ourselves on the roles these corporations had to play in the destruction of habitats in various parts of the world and their poor standards of conducting business.

Al Gore, the scientific community and the UN had been trying to get us to realize that the way of life that had been adopted by us was not without consequences, and that we along with these corporations had to be held accountable. I believe this movie was released at a time we were collectively waking up to the idea that our planet as we know it may be irreparably damaged, and that is why the audience flocked to the theaters to see the blue skinned race fight against the greedy corporation threatening their home.