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[bengraven]

I love film. I read film sites, I usually keep up even on movies I have little interest in. Avatar never really hit my radar. Maybe it was because it was so long in development, having heard rumors for almost a decade, that I kept waiting for the moment it was going to become "real" and when it did it never registered. Most of the articles and buzz online, including here, seem to make it out be a spectacle for it's revolutionary 3D.

When the movie became the top grossing film of all time, I was shocked. "How?" I still ask myself that. Like the article states, nothing about the movie stands out as particularly amazing, iconic, legendary. But when people say "Avatar" I say, "Oh that kung fu fantasy show on Nick a few years ago".

I like the movie. I saw it twice. I liked it, was moved by it, enjoyed the cinematography and attention to detail that made it look like a "real" sci-fi universe. I own it - I got the extended cut for Christmas three or four years ago. I haven't watched more than 30 minutes of it, though I remember that I was liking it.

But nobody fucking talks about it and if it isn't mentioned by name, I completely forget it even exists.

James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ opened on December 18, 2009, five years ago this month. In a theatrical release that would stretch on for 34 weeks, Cameron’s motion-captured 3D spectacle grossed $749 million in the U.S. and an additional $2 billion overseas. Box-office-wise, it is the biggest movie in history by an absurd margin; it tops its closest competition, Cameron’s own ‘Titanic,’ by some $600 million. That’s more than ‘The Dark Knight’ made in its entire domestic theatrical run.

To be totally honest, I didn’t remember it was ‘Avatar’ anniversary. That’s not unusual though; as Scott Mendelson wrote in Forbes earlier this month, the film—which, again, is the number one movie of all time—seems to have “left no pop culture footprint” whatsoever. Millions upon millions of people paid to see ‘Avatar,’ and millions upon millions of people have apparently forgotten about it completely:

Kids don’t play ‘Avatar’ on the playground nor with action figures in their homes. There is little-if-any ‘Avatar’-themed merchandise in any given store. Most general moviegoers couldn’t tell you the name of a single character from the film, nor could they name any of the actors who appeared in it ... ‘Avatar’ didn’t inspire a legion of would-be ‘Avatar’ rip-offs, save perhaps for Walt Disney’s disastrous ‘John Carter.’ It didn’t set the mold for anything that followed save its use of 3D which turned the post-conversion tool into a valuable way to boost box office overseas.
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How could a huge blockbuster vanish so quickly into obscurity? ‘Titanic,’ the previous “biggest movie ever” at least launched Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet to mega-stardom and generated zeitgeist-defining lines of dialogue that are still quoted to this day. (“I’m the king of the world!&#8221 Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldana are still working in Hollywood, but neither became huge, iconic figures in pop culture (Saldana arguably generated more buzz in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ a much smaller movie). And no one quotes ‘Avatar.’ Hell, I just re-watched ‘Avatar’ last night and I can’t quote a single line of dialogue from it.

In other words, ‘Avatar’ isn’t a brand; it’s a movie, perhaps one of the last that will ever be made of its scale and scope. In the five years since ‘Avatar’’s release, the five biggest hits at the box office have been sequels (‘Toy Story 3,’ ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2,’ ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire&#8217 or Marvel movies (‘The Avengers,’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy&#8217, and Hollywood has become almost entirely focused on building, subdividing, and perpetually extending movie series as long as they possibly can. Those films haven’t been forgotten because we have not been allowed to forget them—because they have been sold to us over and over as books and shirts and Halloween costumes and breakfast cereals and Blu-ray box sets and a million other branded products.

‘Avatar,’ in contrast, wasn’t primarily a product, it was an idea; the somewhat flawed but deeply felt creation of one guy. No amount of test screenings or focus groups would create a movie as conflicted, confused, weird, messy, and beautiful as ‘Avatar.’ Ironically, if anyone but that one guy was in charge of ‘Avatar,’ the film probably wouldn’t have been forgotten, because if anyone but James Cameron was in charge of ‘Avatar’ Fox probably would have already cranked out one or two sequels and who knows how many other ancillary materials. ‘Avatar’ would be remembered—and grossly watered down.

Article: http://screencrush.com/back-to-pandora-why-is-avatar-forgotten/

 

[~Kinggi~]

James Cameron WILL fucking return.

 

[Cameron122]

backlash probably had something to do with it

it was a movie about a handicap buddy kicking giant robot ass smanging blue alien amazon chicks, surprising I didn't like it more.

 

[Nudull]

I wish I could.

 

[strafer]

it was Camerons first movie since Tittanic.

Hype to the max.

 

[zoukka]

People forget forgettable films.

 

[Sephzilla]

I tend to forget about Avatar.

It was a very pretty to look at movie that told a story that's been told in a bunch of other movies already. Cameron did a respectable job telling the story and didn't really do anything wrong. It's just that everyone knew the journey and the conclusion well in advance.

 

[elrechazado]

. It was the bieber of movies.

 

[Nabbis]

It's the type of movie that's utterly boring the second time you watch it.

 

[George Oscar Bluth II]

I watched it and I liked it. I remembered it for the next few months and then it disappeared from my memory.

 

[Enduin]

It was a great spectacle, but as a franchise, characters and setting I could not give any more fucks about it.

I might go see the sequels in theaters if the buzz is really phenomenal, but even then I probably won't be willing to pay out the ass to go to super Imax 3D showings and will just opt for the normal show.

 

[Mysterious]

I just checked Sam Worthington's upcoming filmography.

Avatar 2
Avatar 3
Avatar 4
Avatar 5
Avatar 6

LMAO

 

[~Kinggi~]

Wait, 6 movies really? I thought it was 3 more....not 5 more. Damn son.

 

[Floridian]

I was one of the cool kids who didn't see this on weekend release in IMAX 3-D. The movie was to me was just a graphical showcase, and nothing else.

 

[Eidan]

Well it is a fairly forgettable film. I think the fact that it became the highest grossing film of all time and has had far less of a cultural impact than movies like Twilight, Hangover, or Hunger Games is remarkable.

 

[depths20XX]

I mean, it was pretty forgettable.

 

[El Topo]

Avatar hasn't been forgotten, no matter how hard certain people or groups like to pretend. It just hasn't been turned into a brand, unlike virtually all other recently successful movies.

 

[JumpJeff84]

I watched it in the theatre in 3D, and walked out saying 'well that was a dumb but fun way to waste a couple of hours' and would have forgotten about it completely if not for all the hilarious news stories that appeared the year following, you know, the stories about people that were totally obsessed with Pandora.

 

[bengraven]

How did it get so huge?

I like to call myself an "everyman", "the average American" because I come from a horribly average, boring family of normal, Walmart-trip planning and television watching types of Middle Americans. ALL of them went to Titanic. NONE of them went to Avatar.

No one talked about it, except a pervy cousin of mine who wanted to fuck blue cats.

And now, it's just not even on my radar, ever.

I watched it in the theatre in 3D, and walked out saying 'well that was a dumb but fun way to waste a couple of hours' and would have forgotten about it completely if not for all the hilarious news stories that appeared the year following, you know, the stories about people that were totally obsessed with Pandora.

Yeah, that happened. The blue ribbed dildos and the first big XXX parody. But even that was brief.

 

[Rhomega Beta]

It's lost its appeal because everyone knows that the plot has been done, and the sequel has been talked about for 5 years, yet we don't know much of anything about it. It's taking too long.

 

[PlayALLtheGames]

Well, it was kind of forgettable thanks to the story. Bad guys aim to destroy tree to get to crystals worth a lot of money. It was like some cheesy shit from a 90's cartoon.

I'm not going to say the movie sucked or wasn't entertaining, but I can understand why people would forget about it.

 

[Affeinvasion]

The movie felt done when it was over. I don't even know what they would do in sequels.

 

[DizzyCaffeine]

If anything, its legacy seems to be that it ushered in a wave of 3D films. And while they have declined dramatically in popularity, 3D films are still released regularly.

 

[bengraven]

I still can't believe it's the top grossing film of ALL fucking time.

Titanic makes sense - it was an event. It had history, beautiful imagery, a moving soundtrack that sold millions, memorable lines, an Oscar battle that was watched by millions, that FUCKing song and a decent popcorn love story (stolen from another Titanic film years before - I remember doing a 6th grade play version of the same story, 7 years before Cameron's film came out - I was Billy Zane's character).

Avatar had nothing at all like that. It was just the first big 3D movie. That's all it had behind it - 3D.

It's lost its appeal because everyone knows that the plot has been done, and the sequel has been talked about for 5 years, yet we don't know much of anything about it. It's taking too long.

I wonder if that's it. I remember for a decade hearing "is he going to do Battle Angel? No, it's Avatar" then "No, Battle Angel first, then Avatar" then "Okay, we're making Avatar" and then silence. Then "hey we're still here, here's a weird blue thing that might be a creature from the movie". Then silence. Years of this. Then suddenly within a year it was everywhere and popped up and after it left a few months later, with it's blue dildos and SNL parodies, it's like people are waiting for the sequel, but know we're going to get even more years with pure silence, so we forget it exists.

 

[JumpJeff84]

Well, it was kind of forgettable thanks to the story. Bad guys aim to destroy tree to get to crystals worth a lot of money. It was like some cheesy shit from a 90's cartoon.

I'm not going to say the movie sucked or wasn't entertaining, but I can understand why people would forget about it.

It was pretty much Ferngully, wasn't it? Shoulda had Tone Loc in it.

 

[Fawoosh]

It was a movie that was impressive the first time you watch it: It was an amazing spectacle piece, it was a new setting, and the story was decent if not something we've seen before (part of one culture, discover a new one, grow to dislike the first). But each time you see it it becomes less and less impressive.

I genuinely liked it the first time I watched it. After seeing it a few more times though (not in theaters), it became more and more just "okay."

At least we got to see a top grossing film that wasn't a sequel, a remake, a reboot, or a movie adaptation of a comic/tv show/video game. Making sequels even though the first movie had a very clean cut ending might ruin that.

 

[Zarovitch]

People forget forgettable films.

Exact.

 

[AbsolutBro]

It's still the first movie I watch on any long plane flight. I don't get tired of movies the way other people do, and according to this thread I apparently have terrible taste in films.

 

[Extra Sauce]

The sequels have so much potential it's not even funny. I just hope they're not a retread of the first movie, which was a retread in itself.

 

[Verger]

It also didn't help that Cameron badly injected some super heavy-handed storytelling with the whole Eywa stuff and the subtle as a brick falling allusions to the war on terror.

The Na'vi were portrayed as the "perfect" "harmonious" race and the humans were cringe-worthingly evil. As others have stated, everything you figured would happen happened in the film, no surprises or mystery.

The star of the film was Pandora. The environment.

 

[Faddy]

No one cares about 3D so whatever

 

[Ushojax]

All I remember is 'unobtanium' and how stupid it sounded.

 

[bengraven]

It's still the first movie I watch on any long plane flight. I don't get tired of movies the way other people do, and according to this thread I apparently have terrible taste in films.

Honestly, I fucking love sci-fi and fantasy. I have dozens of DVDs of great genre films and every single one I consider comfort viewing. Something I can sit down and watch or have on in the background when I'm really bored just to get me through the next few hours, like your plane trip. But Avatar, I forget I even own it. I don't hate it...

...I just wonder what gypsy lady put the curse on Cameron. "You will beat your box office with Avatar...but no one will remember it".

 

[4Tran]

Avatar isn't forgotten at all. It's primary fan base was the general public rather than genre fans and film geeks, so it's not talked about constantly, but that's more a perception issue rather than anything to do with the film itself. The public will be reminded of Avatar again when the first sequel is closer to release, and then it'll take over box offices again.

 

[Floridian]

This is the only part of the movie I remember actually. It was cute.

 

[injurai]

All I remember is 'unobtanium' and how stupid it sounded.

also "enhance"
the years leading up to that movie were also the peak CSI and peak complaining about the "enhance" trope

 

[Cyan]

It lives on in all the movies with unnecessary 3D.

 

[Manmademan]

People forget forgettable films.

That about wraps up the thread

 

[DizzyCaffeine]

Honestly, I fucking love sci-fi and fantasy. I have dozens of DVDs of great genre films and every single one I consider comfort viewing. Something I can sit down and watch or have on in the background when I'm really bored just to get me through the next few hours, like your plane trip. But Avatar, I forget I even own it. I don't hate it...

...I just wonder what gypsy lady put the curse on Cameron. "You will beat your box office with Avatar...but no one will remember it".

Yeah, Cameron is definitely some kind of wizard at putting asses in seats. Titanic and Avatar...someone must love them, right?

 

[Tatsumaki Senpuukyaku!]

Isnt it true that avatar didn't sell nearly the amount of tickets that titanic or even star wars did and it grossed so much money because it was the first movie that convinced people they needed to see it in 3d

 

[Verger]

The sequels have so much potential it's not even funny. I just hope they're not a retread of the first movie, which was a retread in itself.

The Screenplay writers Cameron chose don't instill the most confidence:

Sequel 1: Josh Friedman (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles)
Sequel 2: Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes) '
Sequel 3: Shane Salerno (Savages)

Yeah, Cameron said they locked themselves up in a room for several months ironing out the scripts for all the sequels at once so they will gel together.

I guess we will have to wait and see.

 

[Mr. Poolman]

What happened with all those people who were depressed that Pandora wasn't a real place?

 

[ElTopo]

I really, really hope the sequels bomb and Cameron will finally do Battle Angel Alita.

 

[MonkeyKing]

I enjoyed it, even if it was a familiar telling of "outsider going native" ie dances with wolves or the last samurai. And of course it's Cameron telling another story about how corporations are evil. That's cool, it's still a fun action film.

 

[Banzai]

When I hear the word "Avatar" i think "The Last Airbender".

The movie with the blue people was...okay. Visually it was amazing, of course, but everything else just didnt stand out.

 

[Flandy]

I've never seen it :x

 

[Moon]

. It was the bieber of movies.

.

 

[DizzyCaffeine]

Isnt it true that avatar didn't sell nearly the amount of tickets that titanic or even star wars did and it grossed so much money because it was the first movie that convinced people they needed to see it in 3d

Ticket price inflation is real, yes. Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz were insanely popular in their day too.

 

[Amir0x]

I went to the movie with all the hype about the special effects and 3D and whatnot and left like "wow this was one mediocre film, jesus." Characters are almost universally one dimensional sock puppets parroting simplistic worldviews wrapped up in insanely tired movie tropes and the film embarrassingly heads down the ol' semi-offensive "white man sees the light of native ways and tries to stop other boorish white industrialists from destroying their way of life" cliché, only this time with blue aliens.

About the only thing I could say captivated me was the beauty of some of the scenes. The part in the Hallelujah Mountains was very pretty. *clap clap clap*

 

[timetokill]

Well, I never saw it, so it was pretty easy to forget.