Does 'Avatar' Contain Hidden Messages?

Does 'Avatar' Contain Hidden Messages?

movies.yahoo.com

Since it opened last week, James Cameron's much-anticipated film "Avatar" has won praise from movie critics and been a juggernaut at the box office.

But some who have seen the film say that it contains hidden messages that are anti-war, pro-environment, and perhaps even racist.

For the benefit of those who haven't seen the film, a little nonspoiler background might be useful.

(visit the link for the full news article)



Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
Avatar – A Masterpiece With A Spiritually Profound Message!
The new movie Avatar and it's hidden Illuminati symbolism and themes.
Avatar, Great Achievement, or a Liberal/Communist Indoctrination Campaign?
Is Avatar putting us one step closer to DISCLOSURE??

[edit on 23-12-2009 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

This movie is going to knock your socks off with its visually stuning artowrk, the C.G.I., 3-D, and the message.

Whatever message you take from it, I took from it a neutral message, without direction towards any one Government, without any one country, without any specific drive towards war and peace, but towards Hegemonic rule not always winning.

Go See Avatar, Worth the Money, No Political Party Message

Avatar: The Movie (New Extended HD Trailer)


I have now seen it twice and to me it spoke of respect for nature, the Native indigenous population, and how a Hegemony always tries to take away from those who currently occupy a territory, often without their consent.

Quote from : Wikipedia : Hegemony

Hegemony (Greek: ἡγεμονία hēgemonía, English: [UK] /hɨˈɡɛməni/, [US]: pronounced /hɨˈdʒɛməni/; "leadership" or "hegemon" for "leader") is the political, economic, ideological or cultural power exerted by a dominant group over other groups, regardless of the explicit consent of the latter.

While initially referring to the political dominance of certain ancient Greek city-states over their neighbours, the term has come to be used in a variety of other contexts, in particular Marxist philosopher Antonio Gramsci's theory of cultural hegemony.

James Cameron's Avatar Movie Interviews


movies.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 23-12-2009 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

Originally posted by SpartanKingLeonidas

Does 'Avatar' Contain Hidden Messages?

movies.yahoo.com
But some who have seen the film say that it contains hidden messages that are anti-war, pro-environment, and perhaps even racist.

Racist? I am not sure I can link the two, nor do I think Jim had any intention of doing so. I really hate movie critics! His intention was to create a mind blowing, new generation of film making, and in my opinion, he has.




(Edited Quote Box)

[edit on 23-12-2009 by Scooby Doo]

*face - palm!*

Hidden messages? I mean, its only hidden if its not OBVIOUS, right?

Somehow I don't think those 'hidden messages' of anti war, pro environment, anti stupid humanity(for killing our planet and ourselves) were meant to be 'hidden'...

Pretty good movie, I must admit.

Awesome to get some huge mainstream propaganda for GOOD things for once.

People will read whatever they want into any movie, and often it only reflects their OWN state of mind and what thoughts they personally have been entertaining (and by "they" I mean the critics).


It's a sign of good art that many different people see many different things expressed.


Some people are offended by nude statues. Again, this only reflects their own prudish state of mind, not anything negative about the sculptor.

Avatar was an excellent movie. i do not believe there were any hidden messages. the message was clear. from the trailers(no spoiler here) humans came to take ore from this moon because it was worth a lot of money and in typical fashion they did what ever they could to get to it. humans are mostly ruled by greed, the navi represented a culture in tune with nature and harmony.

its a simple message and a story that has been told a thousand times.

is the movie anti war? yes, after a fashion. this was not a movie about war. the violence here was mostly one way. this was out in the open not a hidden message

is this movie pro-environment? sort of. the message was not like the environmental movements we have. it was more of a 'everything is connected' life is sacred sort of thing. again, not a hidden message

is the movie racist?

no not at all, i can even see how this would be misconstrued that way.

Originally posted by Scooby Doo

Originally posted by SpartanKingLeonidas

Does 'Avatar' Contain Hidden Messages?

movies.yahoo.com
But some who have seen the film say that it contains hidden messages that are anti-war, pro-environment, and perhaps even racist.

Racist? I am not sure I can link the two, nor do I think Jim had any intention of doing so. I really hate movie critics! His intention was to create a mind blowing, new generation of film making, and in my opinion, he has.




(Edited Quote Box)

[edit on 23-12-2009 by Scooby Doo]

I heard the phrase 'Get some!' twice, Full metal jacket - Vietcong

They are missing Spirituality; connecting with mother earth, the 'tree of life', place of dreams and death, whispers of the past, demon possessed bodies, the concept of 'prayer', ritual resembling yoga or Muslim pray

also the evolution of tribal to civilization

Originally posted by Scooby Doo

Originally posted by SpartanKingLeonidas

Does 'Avatar' Contain Hidden Messages?

movies.yahoo.com
But some who have seen the film say that it contains hidden messages that are anti-war, pro-environment, and perhaps even racist.

Racist? I am not sure I can link the two, nor do I think Jim had any intention of doing so. I really hate movie critics! His intention was to create a mind blowing, new generation of film making, and in my opinion, he has.




(Edited Quote Box)

[edit on 23-12-2009 by Scooby Doo]

Scooby Doo, I believe they are referring to the references to "blue monkeys", and "savages".

The connotation of those particular words can be traced to racist commentary, by ignorant people referring to "African-American's" as "monkeys", not that I believe in that particular ignorance, and "Native-American's" as "savages".

While I saw those as troubling only due to the ignorance of the white man, myself being white, and respecting the Native-American's more than I do the white man, those connotations, context, content, and intent messages left within the movie can be perceived by many as racist.

[edit on 23-12-2009 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

Originally posted by beebs
*face - palm!*

Hidden messages? I mean, its only hidden if its not OBVIOUS, right?

Somehow I don't think those 'hidden messages' of anti war, pro environment, anti stupid humanity(for killing our planet and ourselves) were meant to be 'hidden'...

Pretty good movie, I must admit.

Awesome to get some huge mainstream propaganda for GOOD things for once.

beebs, that's what I loved about the movie, it had a meaning, but it was neutral.

It let you draw your own conclusions from it.

Most movies are tossing around "America is better" or "patriotism".

James Cameron left it open for you to interpret.

He left the dogma at the door.

The Report from Iron Mountain : Truth, Cover-Up, Or Manipulation of the Masses?

[edit on 23-12-2009 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

Originally posted by bsbray11
People will read whatever they want into any movie, and often it only reflects their OWN state of mind and what thoughts they personally have been entertaining (and by "they" I mean the critics).


It's a sign of good art that many different people see many different things expressed.


Some people are offended by nude statues. Again, this only reflects their own prudish state of mind, not anything negative about the sculptor.

bsbray11, I could not agree more, people draw their own conclusions based upon their individual perceptions, whether they are altruistic, or ignorant.

Whether you support an ignorant war, are a peaceful person, a prude, or lewd, you draw from what you see based on what you were raised to know.

The Men Who Stare At Goats : Secret Missions, Movies, and Propaganda

Almost like the "Men Who Stare At Goats", the message was semi-neutral.

Originally posted by VortiganX
Avatar was an excellent movie. i do not believe there were any hidden messages. the message was clear. from the trailers(no spoiler here) humans came to take ore from this moon because it was worth a lot of money and in typical fashion they did what ever they could to get to it. humans are mostly ruled by greed, the navi represented a culture in tune with nature and harmony.

its a simple message and a story that has been told a thousand times.

is the movie anti war? yes, after a fashion. this was not a movie about war. the violence here was mostly one way. this was out in the open not a hidden message

is this movie pro-environment? sort of. the message was not like the environmental movements we have. it was more of a 'everything is connected' life is sacred sort of thing. again, not a hidden message

is the movie racist?

no not at all, i can even see how this would be misconstrued that way.

VortiganX, this movie was like any other of hundreds of movies, a Hegemonic system comes in, intends to wipe out the indigenous population, and here's the kicker, they left out the American Government/Military, Russian Government/Military, British Government/Military connections.

While I saw one Marine symbol and a lot of militaristic references, over all, the movie was blase in containing less propaganda than most movies that push the message of patriotism, country, and race.

What James Cameron did was leave it blank, leaving it to your imagination, and most directors would not do that, they would sell out to the propaganda-machine.

Originally posted by JRSB

I heard the phrase 'Get some!' twice, Full metal jacket - Vietcong

They are missing Spirituality; connecting with mother earth, the 'tree of life', place of dreams and death, whispers of the past, demon possessed bodies, the concept of 'prayer', ritual resembling yoga or Muslim pray

also the evolution of tribal to civilization

That's just it, JRSB, it was about connectivity, with nature.

About not being connected as a hostile entity, but about connecting with the planet, and still being connected without the electrical crap we have gotten so hooked on, like a crack-baby going through withdrawals without the Internet.

Truth : The First Victim, The Last to Be Un-Buried, Never to Rest...

[edit on 23-12-2009 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

Yeah i do concur, i'm not sure about the hidden messages so much as to what was promoted.
I found this to be a rather profound movie... if you can't tell by my new Avatar avatar heheheheh... that was fun to look up .. meh.

Great entertainment.. me thinks I am going to go see it one more time...
Grrr.. I need to find it, but if this relates to much (which I doubt) I posted a thread with a link for the Na'vi language that is in development. No conspiracy there, but just for my fancies hehe.

Cheers!

Originally posted by Choiseul
Yeah i do concur, i'm not sure about the hidden messages so much as to what was promoted.
I found this to be a rather profound movie... if you can't tell by my new Avatar avatar heheheheh... that was fun to look up .. meh.

Great entertainment.. me thinks I am going to go see it one more time...
Grrr.. I need to find it, but if this relates to much (which I doubt) I posted a thread with a link for the Na'vi language that is in development. No conspiracy there, but just for my fancies hehe.

Cheers!

I noticed almost everything about the Na'Vi was taken from the Native American culture.

Quote from : Wikipedia : Native Americans in the United States

Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from North America now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska and the island state of Hawaii.

They comprise a large number of distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as intact political communities.

The terminology used to refer to Native Americans is controversial.

European colonization of the Americas led to centuries of conflict and adjustment between Old and New World societies.

Most of the written historical record about Native Americans was made by Europeans after initial contact.

Native Americans lived in hunter/farmer subsistence societies with significantly different value systems than those of the European colonists.

The differences in culture between the Native Americans and Europeans, and the shifting alliances among different nations of each culture, led to great misunderstandings and long lasting cultural conflicts.

Estimates of the pre-Columbian population of what today constitutes the United States of America vary significantly, ranging from 1 million to 18 million.

After the colonies revolted against Great Britain and established the United States of America, the ideology of Manifest destiny became integral to the American nationalist movement.

In the late 18th century, George Washington and Henry Knox conceived of the idea of "civilizing" Native Americans in preparation of American citizenship.

Assimilation (whether voluntary as with the Choctaw, or forced) became a consistent policy through American administrations.

In the early 19th century, most Native Americans of the American Deep South were removed from their homelands to accommodate American expansion with some groups presently residing in Alabama, Florida, Lousianna, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Tennessee.

By the American Civil War, many Native American nations had been relocated west of the Mississippi River.

Major Native American resistance took place in the form of "Indian Wars," which were frequent up until the 1890s.

Native Americans today have a unique relationship with the United States of America because they can be found as members of nations, tribes, or bands of Native Americans who have sovereignty or independence from the government of the United States.

Their societies and cultures still flourish amidst a larger immigrated American populace of African, Asian, Middle Eastern, and European peoples.

Native Americans who were not already U.S. citizens were granted citizenship in 1924 by the Congress of the United States.

While the syombolism was reminiscent of Native American's, the Aborigines of Austraila, the Indian people with many differing tribes when the British took over India, and many other cultures can be seen within the confines of the movie, if you know history.

reply to post by SpartanKingLeonidas


Very nice. I find this film to relate to the Native american in language and a bit between that and paganism a bit. I am part cherokee and have some sorts of spiritual ideals... very nice post m8... . (yep, gonna see it again.. meh.. listening to the D@mn soundtrack over and over.. heheh)

It's a re-used story line..."dances with wolves/Pocahontas". Great movie..it sucks that hollywood has little or no originality. Why do people see things in movies that just aren't there...it's only hollywood re-using popular scripts over and over to make money.

reply to post by kerazeesicko


The whole time I watched this movie all I could think of was the old Richard Harris movie "A Man Called Horse" in sci fi.

The problem isn't so much the movies as it is with our culture.
We as a culture relate more to Hollywood than history with which we base our opinions on. If our favorite Movie star, rock star, or athlete has a certain opinion on political hot topics we tend to favor their view.

We need to change the culture. If their is something nefarious about this movie then we as a culture have brought upon our selves. TPTB know that we worship at the church of Hollywood. People are influenced more through media than just about anything.

Avatar is a milestone in cinema, no because of its script but for the visual experience, the emotions and the messages it sends in our times of climate and environment negligence and destruction.
I also wanted to point out that trees on Earth communicate with each other, we are far from knowing exactl how our plants and our ecosystem works, I wouldn't be surprised if it has a conscience.

Originally posted by kerazeesicko
It's a re-used story line..."dances with wolves/Pocahontas". Great movie..it sucks that hollywood has little or no originality. Why do people see things in movies that just aren't there...it's only hollywood re-using popular scripts over and over to make money.

Hollywood lost its originality a long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.

It would actually surprise me if they actually came up with a new story plot.

The only thing that has changed in Hollywood in fifty years, is the technology, the actors, and the cashflow.