Rant: Avatar

Now that Avatar is out on DVD – the slow beating of the drum is going again regarding how it’s a “rip-off” of Ferngully, Pocahontas, Dances with Wolves... Blah blah blah...

Here’s a movie plot for you: A mad man holds a ‘something’ hostage playing a cat & mouse game with the hero. What film am I talking about? The Dark Knight? Dirty Harry? Fight Club? Die Hard?

Here’s another: The last hope for the world is found – one group wants to use it for good – another for evil. What movie am I talking about? The Lord of the Rings? The Dark Crystal? Children of Men? Fifth Element?

How about this one: So-n-so must reform their ways before it’s too late. Is that – Christmas Carol? American History X? It’s A Wonderful Life? He Got Game? Gran Tornino? Citizen Kane?

So-n-so’s reality is not what they thought it was: Wizard of Oz? The Matrix? Fight Club? The Sixth Sense? Alice in Wonderland?

All these movies I listed are considered pretty good right? Nobody’s bitching about these movies – are they?

Repeat after me: Originality is overrated.

Why do you think everything is being remade? It’s because instead of retreading a plot and calling it something else – you get the name recognition and peak the interest of people by throwing a known name onto it.

What was the last 100% original film you’ve ever seen? You can probably draw lines from any film to another. There’s several basic stories/myths that TONS of films follow. The real challenge in filmmaking is taking that basic plot and making it your own. Did James Cameron do this with Avatar? Yes. Can we please drop it?

No, because it’s the King Kong on the block – and people want to throw stones and find reasons to say they don't like it - even though they love Quentin Tarantino's originality. I don't care if you don't like it - you don't have to watch it - just don't think you're telling me something new when you insist that it's not "original" - because that my fitness friend is NOT ORIGINAL!

(Gorgeous Blu-Ray by the way for those of you who are interested in the technology...)