Avatar (2009)

[John Crichton 4]

I'm not gonna buy it until I know it's worth it.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

probably not me either, after getting burned with Star Trek, Im shy

[John Crichton 4]

probably not me either, after getting burned with Horner so much, Im shy

Fixed that for ya.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

probably not me either, after getting burned with Horner so much, Im shy

Fixed that for ya.

no, Horner and I are ok. Giacchino and I are not, he's a mediocre sup par composer of limited ability.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

My condolences.

[John Crichton 4]

Maybe someday you'll see the light, Joe.

[Hitch 57]

I'm not gonna buy it until I know it's worth it.

Horner....like the L'Oreal ad says....because he's worth it.

[Neimoidian 14]

O.S.T. tracks [some mild spoilers in it]

1. „You don’t dream in Cryo…“

2. Jake enters his Avatar World

3. Pure Spirits of the Forest

4. Night Iridescene

5. Becoming one of „The People“, becoming one with Neytiri

6. Climbing up « Iknimaya – The Stairway to Heaven »

7. Jake’s First Flight

8. Scorched Earth

9. Quartich

10. The Destruction of « Home Tree »

11. Shutting Down Grace’s Lab

12. Gathering all the Na’vi Clans for Battle

13. War

14. „I see You“

[publicist 4,643]

And after seeing Horner in recent interviews, i realized that he does not look too well, rather ragged. Worst case is that he got health problems, best case that Avatar did cost him a lot of professionel sweat.

I'm looking forward to the score more than to the film.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Maybe someday you'll see the light, Joe.

maybe someday Giacchino might write a score thats worth me seeing the light. Star Trek wasn't it. Up was better.

[Neimoidian 14]

Maybe someday you'll see the light, Joe.

maybe someday Giacchino might write a score thats worth me seeing the light. Star Trek wasn't it. Up was better.

Now there is some common sense. Giacchino has written some truly worthy soundtracks, but Star Trek, unfortunately, wasn't one of them IMO. Up, Ratatoullie, The Incredibles, Secret Weapons over Normandy and last but not least Medal(s) of Honour are the ones.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Not sure if this has been discussed already, but this movie has allegedly had $500, 000, 000 pumped into it. That's pretty obscene, really.

[Neimoidian 14]

Not sure if this has been discussed already, but this movie has allegedly had $500, 000, 000 pumped into it. That's pretty obscene, really.

The worst thing is that all that fancy, expensive CGI won't actually make this movie better and - judging by the trailers - the story isn't particularly interesting.

[Ollie 1,059]

And after seeing Horner in recent interviews, i realized that he does not look too well, rather ragged. Worst case is that he got health problems, best case that Avatar did cost him a lot of professionel sweat.

I'm looking forward to the score more than to the film.

I believe a similar situation occured on Krull. Horner got pretty ill by overworking on a short deadline.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Except this time he has had a year to compose the score.

[Ollie 1,059]

Except this time he has had a year to compose the score.

Given Cameron's work ethic a year could definately takes its toll on someone.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Couple more TV spots

Second one sounds very... jaunty. Not impressed with the Kansas line, but otherwise not bad.

Wonder if voiceover guys have competitions for who can say 'This film is not yet rated' the fastest?

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

One thing that puzzles me is the claims that say that they have created a whole new world, like it is a first in cinema.

what have they done differently from other space sagas, fantasy trilogies, sci fi series and the likes?

[Neimoidian 14]

One thing that puzzles me is the claims that say that they have created a whole new world, like it is a first in cinema.

what have they done differently from other space sagas, fantasy trilogies, sci fi series and the likes?

Yeah!. And AotC was to be more character-driven and have less special effects.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

One thing that puzzles me is the claims that say that they have created a whole new world, like it is a first in cinema.

what have they done differently from other space sagas, fantasy trilogies, sci fi series and the likes?

Yeah!. And AotC was to be more character-driven and have less special effects.

Lucas lies more than Ben Kenobi.

But cameron... is supposed not to.

[Neimoidian 14]

One thing that puzzles me is the claims that say that they have created a whole new world, like it is a first in cinema.

what have they done differently from other space sagas, fantasy trilogies, sci fi series and the likes?

Yeah! And AotC was to be more character-driven and have less special effects.

Lucas lies more than Ben Kenobi.

But cameron... is supposed not to.

He is, but who knows what happened during all these years. Maybe, like Spielberg before him, he caught that George Lucas virus which doesn't let him make a good action-adv. flicks any more.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

One thing that puzzles me is the claims that say that they have created a whole new world, like it is a first in cinema.

what have they done differently from other space sagas, fantasy trilogies, sci fi series and the likes?

why don't you wait till the movie arrives, watch it and then if you still can, ask the question again.

[A24 4,333]

Pointy ears are quite new, right? No?

[TownerFan 4,983]

What attracts me the most after seeing the previews is the way Cameron and his visual artists have depicted the world of Pandora: it gives me nice feelings of those illustrations done for the paperback editions of sci-fi novels and short stories I always loved. That's the main reason I'll go to see this movie.

[Wojo 2,453]

What attracts me the most after seeing the previews is the way Cameron and his visual artists have depicted the world of Pandora: it gives me nice feelings of those illustrations done for the paperback editions of sci-fi novels and short stories I always loved.

Yes, much like this one by Paul Anderson.

Uhoh, Mr. Cameron, did you plagiarize somebody again? Naughty naughty.

That being said, we have not seen a CGI world rendered with the kind of detail and immersiveness that Avatar shows. In that regard, it's a first that even Lucas' prequel worlds did not offer (Mediterranean, urban sprawl, three shades of desert, forest, and super-hot lava, yawn). I think the most original world in all of Star Wars was only shown for all of ten seconds, and that was the trippy shroomy world of Felucia.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

I think the most original world in all of Star Wars was only shown for all of ten seconds, and that was the trippy shroomy world of Felucia.

Which is kinda what Avatar reminds me of, but I'm looking forward to seeing much more.

In other not so great news, identikit singer Leona Lewis is singing the theme tune.

[Wojo 2,453]

Well, it is James Horner. A love theme demands a song. An American Tail, The Land Before Time, The Mask of Zorro, Titanic, and Apollo 13 all got songs from their love themes. Willow and Braveheart got snubbed.

[Richard Penna 3,688]

And of course the press materials focus almost entirely on Leona Lewis. Even Horner's mention is restricted to 'My Heart Will Go On'.

We'd better get an absolutely stuffed full CD of score.

[TownerFan 4,983]

Well, they surely hope to replicate Titanic success. Good luck!

[Romão 2,274]

There's a clip from the score on this link

http://www.avatarscore.com/

[Hitch 57]

Funny how this clip "Into the Na'vi World" isn't on the track listing. The chorus backing is very similar to Karl Jenkins' works on his ADIEMUS cds from the 1990s.

[TownerFan 4,983]

The chorus backing is very similar to Karl Jenkins' works on his ADIEMUS cds from the 1990s.

That's the first thing that popped up in my mind while listening to this clip. Horner has, well, pulled a Horner again

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Maybe, like Spielberg before him, he caught that George Lucas virus which doesn't let him make a good action-adv. flicks any more.

Age?

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

mile-age

[Wojo 2,453]

[Neimoidian 14]

Vocalise in the middle of that clip reminds me of Troy, while the climax is very Morriconesque (The Mission comes to my mind, which - given the setting of Joffe's movie - is no surprise).

[Quintus 5,399]

I like Leona Lewis and don't mind her music. It remains to be seen if her work on this pays off. It most certainly did for Celine Dion and Titanic.

[Romão 2,274]

For Titanic, the song did wonders comercially wise, but the movie would be better off without it, even if just in the end credits

[Quintus 5,399]

The movie needed that song as much it needed Leo himself. Don't kid yourself of otherwise.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

The theme's good, I just don't like the lyrics. I'm not opposed to soppy belting on some occasions (I love all three LOTR songs) I just think Horner needs to find himself some more interesting vocalists.

[Quintus 5,399]

For a soppy romance on the epic scale, I find the lyrics to the theme song to be suitably slushy. In fact I think the tone of the lyrics are absolutely bang on the mark - given the tone of the movie itself. And I'm sick to the teeth of the song and all.

[Quintus 5,399]

Just seen an 'exclusive' 4min clip of the movie on Xbox Live. Damn, the dialogue was friggin' atrocious, I mean it was REALLY bad. Doesn't bode well at all.

Oh well, here's hoping...

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Just seen an 'exclusive' 4min clip of the movie on Xbox Live. Damn, the dialogue was friggin' atrocious, I mean it was REALLY bad. Doesn't bode well at all.

Oh well, here's hoping...

The one where he calls the monster a punk ass bitch? Yeah, that was terrible. I was pretty disappointed by the design of the hammerhead thing as well. Just looked like a kid's animal mad lib.

[Quintus 5,399]

I still have an open mind for the finished product, but as of now I'm not convinced.

Anyway, Cameron on his doubters.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

Interesting that http://avatarscore.com/ has a track for play that isn't even on the CD ("Into the Na'vi World").

Not sure what I think so far. It definitely sounds interesting and I like the melody, but I'm not a huge fan of the percussion.

[AI 0]

The percussion loop sounds pretty amateurish, mediaventures would have done a better job, to give them their due.

[Neimoidian 14]

Looks like the first review of the score... Very positive.

http://www.empireonline.com/empireblogs/empireblog/post/p731

[Hitch 57]

Salma Hayek....again. "And the Oscar goes to.......James Horner."

James Horner: "Oh thank you so very much. You know I'm always superstitious about these things and I don't write speeches. I've been nominated several times before and I've never actually won...oh wait I have 2 of these guys already."

(Camera pans to motionless audience and cue Bill Conti conducting Horner's 4 note danger motif as the Academy's strict 20 second speech for each winner approaches)

[Uni 306]

Well . . . you know you're on JWFan when the thread about the new popcorn movie turns into the popcorn thread for more than a page. I hate showing up late. . . .

I just got a chance to see the trailers a few days ago for the first time. Interestingly, my reaction wasn't all that different from many of your earlier comments in this discussion. The effects, while eye-popping, are . . . well, CGI effects. There really isn't much envelope left to push with this technology, is there? Click a few buttons and create anything you want. The chaotic actions scenes in the latter stages especially tended to glaze my eyes a bit. We've seen it before, even if it is executed a little better this time.

On that note, I think it's an incredibly dumb move to aver that your new film will "change" anything. It is a demonstrable fact that very few--if any--of these types of assertions have ever paid off, while none of the movies in history that really did forever alter the landscape of cinema were ever preceded by similar pronouncements. Things like this are always better viewed in hindsight. When your movie turns a corner for everyone, they'll be talking about it decades later; you don't have to try and start that particular conversation months before anyone's even seen your epiphany.

So, having gotten that out of the way . . . am I excited to see it?

Absolutely. You bet. Can't wait.

Why? Because it's James Cameron. You play out this same trailer and follow it with Michael Bay's name, and I'm waiting for the DVD (if I even bother to see it then). An unknown director, and well, we'll see. But James? In a heartbeat, because the man knows how to tell a story. He's never yet given me reason to distrust him. Yes, the concept is regurgitated and stale; yes, it's been done before. But so had Titanic been, several times. He spun the entire, cliched spy genre in a completely new direction with True Lies. He even took his own sci-fi innovation, The Terminator, to new places in its sequel. If there's anyone capable of putting new flesh on the tired old bones of a fossilized idea, Cameron's the one to do it. He's not only a truly gifted director, he's a phenomenal screenwriter and storyteller. (Charlie Brigden's declaration to contrary a few pages back was laughably ludicrous. Anyone who's ever had the chance to read one of his scripts, compared to most of the drivel that passes through Hollywood, knows this is the case.)

The trailers aren't much to go on, true, but bear in mind that they're constructed of what footage exists at that point in postproduction that's been assembled by the studio's marketing group. Cameron himself has confessed his frustration that, while giving the audience a lot to look at, the trailers don't sufficiently convey the story that's carrying the visuals along. This was true of Aliens in its own day. It had a bunch of marines running around, with a bunch of aliens running around after them. The story of Ripley facing her nightmare and her redemptive rescue of a surrogate "daughter" made no appearance at all in the previews--and why should it? It's no good complaining that the blurb on the dust jacket of a novel doesn't fully communicate the epic scope of the tale within. If that's what you're after, you read the book, fercryinoutloud.

I stand with those who've said that the visuals are just a secondary element to the story, a tool, no more important than a camera or a prop or a physical effect. If the story sucks, as is the case with most Hollywood attempts these days (the Transformers movies certainly rank as prime examples, though the SW prequels don't lag far behind), then the effects actually become more of an annoyance than a justifier. If the story is brilliant, the effects become part of the whole tapestry, providing the mental images that linger with us when we revisit the tale in our memory. To this point, Cameron has dealt entirely in the latter category. I have no reason (yet) to think he'll do otherwise in this case.

I'm looking forward (hesitantly optimistic, we'll call it) to Horner's score. He's certainly capable of doing fine work. So are a lot of underachieving high school students these days. I really, really hope he's brought his best game for this one. I could live with seeing him win another Oscar.

- Scott

[A24 4,333]

I stand with those who've said that the visuals are just a secondary element to the story, a tool, no more important than a camera or a prop or a physical effect.

I can't believe I just read that. This film's goal is to be the next step in visuals! It wants to be a show off. The future of visual experience! The fact that it's a SFX heavy movie in the 'new 3D' format speaks for itself. And he knows the whole world is waiting in anticipating. If Cameron thought the visuals are no more important than a prop than he would've told us the story of Pocahontas.

Alex