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[Spitfrnd]

People can take the movie however they like. Love it, hate it, dont see it, whatever.

Exactly my point.

But can I then ask why some decry those who DO see a message? One that they dont like (in my case)? Isnt it also my perogative to see a message, and not to like it if they so choose?

As long as we agree that each is entitled to see his own message, there is no disagreement.

Some people recently had strong reactions to Danish newspaper cartoons. Death edicts have been issued over books. Art is often highly controversial. And movies are art.

People react strongly to just about everything, art, politics, religion; not in that order of course. Movies are indeed art.

 

[Scott]

I finally saw it today in 3D. Corny story but GOOD corny. Cameron took the Indians in Space theme and ran with it.

Stephen "General Pickett/Stonewall Jackson/Ike Clanton" Lang was great as the villain.

 

[Scott]

"Avatar banned by Chinese sensors (sic) because plot 'could cause civil unrest'"


http://www.independent.ie/entertain...se-plot-could-cause-civil-unrest-2021043.html

 

[Spitfrnd]

"Avatar banned by Chinese sensors (sic) because plot 'could cause civil unrest'"


http://www.independent.ie/entertain...se-plot-could-cause-civil-unrest-2021043.html

H,mmm, well you know what the Chinese government considers destabilizing. Amusing to see the Vatican and the Chinese agree on something, albeit with much different agendas.

 

[jazzeum]

H,mmm, well you know what the Chinese government considers destabilizing. Amusing to see the Vatican and the Chinese agree on something, albeit with much different agendas.

Politics make strange bedfellows

 

[Spitfrnd]

Politics make strange bedfellows

Indeed. How's this for curious though. According to Box Office Mojo:

China, though, was Avatar's top market of the week at $17.9 million, and the movie is already the country's highest grosser ever with $75.6 million in the till.

Bring's to mind barn doors and such. Perhaps China is worried about a reverse in the balance of trade.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Indeed. How's this for curious though. According to Box Office Mojo:

China, though, was Avatar's top market of the week at $17.9 million, and the movie is already the country's highest grosser ever with $75.6 million in the till.

Bring's to mind barn doors and such. Perhaps China is worried about a reverse in the balance of trade.

I read that China is allowing only the 3-D version to be shown as there are so few 3-D capeable theatres in the country. I can't imagine what the point of that strategy is?

Terry

 

[jazzeum]

To not have the movie shown. According to the article posted by Scott, they're concerned that the movie may be drawing too much money away from domestic fare and that because of practices by Chinese property owners, the Chinese populace may get an idea or two from this movie about resisting evictions. Oh, my god, we couldn't have that, could we, people actually thinking?

 

[Phantom Warrior]

To not have the movie shown. According to the article posted by Scott, they're concerned that the movie may be drawing too much money away from domestic fare and that because of practices by Chinese property owners, the Chinese populace may get an idea or two from this movie about resisting evictions. Oh, my god, we couldn't have that, could we, people actually thinking?

So why not ban it outright instead of limiting it to the 3-D version which will be shown in a few densely populated cities?

Terry

 

[jazzeum]

Good question. PR I suppose.

 

[Spitfrnd]

I read that China is allowing only the 3-D version to be shown as there are so few 3-D capeable theatres in the country. I can't imagine what the point of that strategy is?

Terry

Censorship strategies are always somewhat of a challenge to fathom but obviously that approach substantially limits the revenue drain. It also could be that the eviction issue is more of a country problem and hence this would indeed reduce exposure to that part of the population. Of course the cat will be out of the bag when the dvds are released, no matter what the restrictions.

 

[jazzeum]

I'm sure that pirated DVD versions of the movie are already plentiful in China.

 

[Aleš]

i read that China will not allowed Avatar is played in China because they make a movie about their "master mind" genious Confucio or something like that and they wannt to get rid of the Avatar competition so that people of China will go to theatre and watch their movie about this Confucio....so it is a marketing reason,not political.

 

[redhugh]

thought it was more of a fantasy film than a sci-fi film.. bit like inglorious basterds was described as a revenge fantasy film this was like the inglorious basterds for the australian aborigines and native american indians.. 3d effects were worth the admission price

 

[Scott]

The AMUL butter company in India commented on Avatar with their regular topical cartoons and butter puns.

"Hollywood's futuristic science fiction film Avatar which is being talked about for it's hi-tech special effects - Dec.'09."

 

[The Military Workshop]

Not normally into sci fi or fantasy but was very impressed by the special effects. Just heard it has beaten Titanic in sales.
Seems the Avatar Aussie actor Sam Worthington is going to star in the next Dracula movie.

 

[marco55]

Not Another Dracula.Bram Stoker's Dracula with Gary Oldman is about the best but Beli Lugosi's Dracula is a classic.Now if they would do a historical Dracula fighting the Turks and impaling the Boyers that would be great.
Mark

 

[Rutledge]

hmmmm. This sounds familiar....

The astonishing career of A People’s History is an object lesson in how little criticism matters, or perhaps we should say it is an object lesson in how certain sentimental narratives can utterly overwhelm criticism, be it ever so accurate and eloquent. Zinn’s story—noble savages oppressed by nasty capitalists—was calculated to appeal to the politically correct, anti-American spirit that has been regnant among the country’s elites since the late 1960s. But its flaws were early on pointed out with devastating precision by the Harvard historian Oscar Handlin...

Handlin leaves Zinn’s “deranged … fairy tale” in tatters. It is worth noting, too, that Zinn’s contempt, though focused on America, is fired by a more global hatred. As Handlin noted, “It would be a mistake … to regard Zinn as merely anti-American. Brendan Behan once observed that whoever hated America hated mankind, and hatred of humanity is the dominant tone of Zinn’s book. No other modern country receives a favorable mention. He speaks well of the Russian and Chinese revolutions, but not of the states they created. He lavishes indiscriminate condemnation upon all the works of man—that is, upon civilization, a word he usually encloses in quotation marks.”

 

[Scott]

Howard Zinn, he just passed away. I read his "People's History". Pretty good and I STILL get misty over Old Glory. The older I get the less I get all Rah! Rah! for corporations as the best expressions of patriotism.

World War II

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Zinn#World_War_II

BTW, I just got back from seeing Avatar again. This time with my wife and daughter. The theater was STILL full.

 

[Rutledge]

One doesnt have to be rah rah over corporations to appreciate the role western civlization has played in advancing humanity beyond a hunter/gatherer existence. Then again, maybe the world would be better off if we were all still living a 12th century existence. (but uh-oh, there would be no computers or internet...)

Avatar is still popular because of its fantastic technology. Its storyline is considered pretty banal by most.

Zinn was an unabashed hater of america and its culture. Best of luck with that.