The Release of Avatar

This is not a post about whether or not the film is good, this is a post posing a question about the first dvd/blu ray release of Avatar. Ever since they have released the information about the release, most of the comments are " OH JAMES CAMERON, JUST WANTS TO MILK IT FOR MORE MONEY BLAH BLAH BLAH". These people obviously are oblivious to the interviews given with not just Cameron but his production staff, producers, etc, about how their release on Earth Day, April 22, will not include special features, trailers, menus, etc. BECAUSE, and this is where the people stop reading or dont care to talk about, they wanted to fill up as much space as possible to create the best looking picture they could. Now, releasing it on earth day is only 4 months after it came out in the theatres, and for a movie of this magnitude, you would expect a bit longer. But, releasing it on Earth Day is only fitting for the film’s overall message, but for people who enjoyed the film, can get their hands on it. Yes they will release another version, and a 3-d version, but ultimately, its about the film. Yes Special Features are great, and for movies like this they can be almost as great as the movie to watch, but honestly, and here is my question, would you rather have special features with a lesser quality looking picture, or would you want a better looking picture with no special features? I personally will take the better looking picture, because I am a huge film freak, and I have a 1080p Samsung Tv and cant wait to see it in full HD. What are your thoughts? Better picture, or more features?

I saw Avatar in the theatre (3D) and enjoyed it – I’d rate the film three stars and plan to buy the Blu-ray release for home viewing. This will be become the first Cameron addition to my library. I have to say though – my decision to purchase it is based on the special effects, not the storyline. Not really interested in special features on the disc if that’s what you’re asking – better picture for sure.

I don’t buy that argument about freeing up space to have better picture quality. So, a few months after the first release, they are going to release another blu-ray of this film, with Cameron’s self-satisfied smirk beaming out at us in the extras, and everyone thinking that that version must have an inferior picture quality? I think not. They just want your money twice – hell, three times! The first one, released on “Earth Day” – hmm – will have fantastic picture quality. The next version will have extras, and fantastic picture quality. But these won’t be in 3D, so who wants ‘em? And I’ll be damned if I’m going out to remortgage the house to get one of these new 3D television sets so I can enjoy one film.

Coming out so soon after it is still making money in the theaters proves that they want money. It may be symbolic with the message, but it is also a marketing tool. As Neil McCauley’s Cooler Brother said, the argument of freeing up space to have better picture quality is rather weak considering Blu Ray disc (single layer) can hold 25-50 GB which is beyond the capacity of something needed for HD. DVD’s are below the capacity, but they’re not for HD. Having said that, I do think the film is the main attraction and some special features do take away from the feature. But, this information that you’re giving us only furthers Cameron wants the money. He’s releasing it right after it ends its theater run and at a time while it is still popular.

Surely then what people say is a lie….

" James Cameron describes his decision to release the Two-Disc Avatar Blu-ray set without any trailers or ads. “All of this extraneous material takes down the bit rate when you’re a long picture like ‘Avatar’,” Cameron explains. “It just barely sits on the disc, [and] if you have to make room for a lot of other content it starts to degrade the image quality.”

“Why the decision to release such a bare-bones Blu-ray?
According to Cameron, they wanted to use every available bit of information on the disc to preserve the visual and audio quality of the film. You know, like those old “Superbit” DVDs…"

“So what’s this second Avatar release and what’s going to be on it?
That’ll be the “Ultimate Edition,” the multi-disc Avatar Blu-ray with all the extras and special features you were hoping for on this most recent release. We would expect three or four Blu-rays worth of content, though the specific features have yet to be revealed. "

Well, looks like the November release will have three of four blu rays worth of content, therefore most likely keeping the original avatar blu ray with no trailers, ads, etc on it.

“April Means AVATAR
Determined to achieve the very best home entertainment presentation, the April AVATAR Blu-ray and DVD release features the film and corresponding menu, utilizing the disc’s entire storage space in order to provide the highest quality optimal picture and sound.
“We wanted the best presentation of any film in the history of the Blu-ray and DVD formats,” said AVATAR producer Jon Landau. “Our launch into the home in April will allow fans to return to Pandora again and again.”

The AVATAR Program
Through a unique code found inside the AVATAR Blu-ray/DVD, consumers can register at Avatarmovie.com into “The AVATAR Program” and gain exclusive access to first-look bonus materials, special content, money saving offers and much more. Additionally, only those fans will be able to adopt one of the one million trees being planted on behalf of Earth Day and receive a virtual hometree they can locate on a map to see where it’s actually planted. "

So Cameron is just trying to make as much money as possible?? Maybe, maybe not, wouldnt you? Im just trying to say im sick of people saying or so pissed that hes releasing a Blu Ray with no special features, obviously he wants to take his time with it since he’s not currently directing anything. And, Stephen Prokow, if releasing it that soon proves it only wants to make money then most other films can fall under that category, such as Sherlock Holmes, which came out christmas and took 3 months to come out on dvd, which is next tuesday. 3 vs 4 months, looks like Sherlock is trying to make more money.

Blue Goes Green
Earth Day Network will spearhead the initiative and collaborate with its international partners to plant one million trees, indigenous to each region in 15 different countries, by the end of 2010. The organization is committed to caring for and nurturing the trees to maturity, as well as considering natural disasters such as fires and landslides during the planting process.

“I am pleased to have the opportunity to share the environmental messages from AVATAR through the efforts during the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day and with Earth Day Network,” said James Cameron. " Earth Day Network’s commitment and actions to promote a healthy, sustainable planet go hand-in-hand with the themes of AVATAR."

“AVATAR sends a universal message about the danger of exploiting our natural resources and brings to the forefront of the global consciousness the need to protect our planet and humanity, said Kathleen Rogers, President, Earth Day Network. “We hope this commitment from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment to plant one million trees, will inspire others to stand up against climate change for Earth Day.”

Now tell me that Sherlock Holmes has a greater reason for coming out after its release date,

A regular film might stay in the theatres for two months, maybe less if not performing well ,however, Avatar is an exception, staying in the theatres until who knows when, and still in the top 10 box office every weekend. If it was a regular film, it would not seem like such a close theatre to blu ray timing, but others like Up in the Air, and Sherlock, Fantastic Mr Fox, Lovely Bones, etc.

I probably will buy the blu Ray depending on how I feel after the blu-ray.com review. But it’s still pretty obvious they’re milking hard. Sure give me a bare bones disc so the picture quality is better but put the special features and everything else on a 2nd one. I don’t need a blu ray and a DVD of the same movie.

The only reason I would ever consider having that dvd would be so that I could watch special features about the special effects. I can almost guarantee I would never watch that movie ever again. Very rarely do I hate a movie like I hate that one, but the effects are bar-none.

Its not a good movie.

I

So… like the Blu-ray equivalent of Superbit ?

This isnt about whether the movie is good enough so stop commentating on thats, its simply about whether you prefer a better visual picture without trailers, ads, special features, or a disc with that stuff included, and yes Sunday, you nailed it on the head, just like Superbit for Blu Ray

This isnt about whether the movie is good or not so stop commentating on thats, its simply about whether you prefer a better visual picture without trailers, ads, special features, or a disc with that stuff included, and yes Sunday, you nailed it on the head, just like Superbit for Blu Ray

I just said that the only reason I would consider having the DVD is for special features, was that no clear?

I would also like to add that they are bull-shitting people about using the whole disk for maximum visuals and sound. There is really only so much visually that people can process, they can’t push the limits any further than a normal blue ray and expect most people to actually notice. I know this is the age of HDTV and blu-ray… but I don’t see them getting better quality than most blu-ray dvds already have, and people actually noticing. The only way that sound would accommodate that much space would be if they tailored it for people super extreme amazing awesome ultra bad ass surround sound systems in their houses… which, lets face it, most people don’t have, so that would be a waste most the time too.

So either they are making a dvd for a pretty small percent of the population, or it is a marketing technique.

I find James Cameron’s rhetoric about the environment to be absolutely spurious.

For five hundred million dollars, they could have skipped the movie and went straight into saving rainforests.

So, “Avatar” is to be released on Earth Day? Brilliant: the one day of the year when people are supposed to REDUCE energy consumption will see roads all across America cluttered with automobiles spewing carbon emissions into the air, the computers processing those credit card transactions, cash register jingling, as people buy their precious “Avatar” disc, people rushing home to WATCH the movie on their MASSIVE high deinition televison home theatres…what B.S.

It will be like CHRISTMAS EVE all over again…IN APRIL!

Let’s not forget the immeasurable amount of fossil fuel it takes to produce all these Blu-Rays, the untold number of planes and trucks that will move these Blu-Rays all over the world…all building up to Earth Day, so James Cameron can once again stroke his ego and rake in the filthy lucre.

We don’t need JAMES FRIGGIN’ CAMERON make a film that costs ONE HALF BILLION DOLLARS to tell us the world faces environmental hardships. You could just go along to the cinema and watch a revival of “Soylent Green” or buy an already existing D.V.D. and get the same message (and it’s a shorter film made on a much smaller budget, too).

However, because “Soylent Green” was made in 1973, it’s automatically “boring” to the M.T.V. nitwits who don’t like to be preached about the environment in films…UNLESS you throw in REALLY COOL BIG BLUE SMURFS ON GROWTH HORMONES to keep their short attention spans amused!

Or maybe it’s because Charlton Heston was evil (because, you know, Michael Moore tells you someone is evil, it’s got to be true). Or maybe because it was directed by Richard Fleischer and not JAMES FRIGGIN’ CAMERON.

I dont’ get it: why doesn’t James just release a 2-disc set if he is that concerned about extras detracting from the picture quality of the disc containing the feature film? One for the film, one for extras…and I missing something?

Oh, sorry, JAMES ISN’T DOING THIS FOR THE MONEY….HE’S DOING IT BECAUSE HE REALLY CARES ABOUT YOU, PEOPLE!

And James really cares about indigenous peoples? Why make a film about some far away land that doesn’t exist, with big fat blue Smurfs who aren’t real?

Oh, that’s right: BECAUSE A STRAIGHT FILM ABOUT THE NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES IN THE AMAZON DOESN’T EQUAL BIG BUCKS AT THE BOX OFFICE LIKE SOME OVERBLOWN SCI-FI POPCORN FLICK WITH EYE-POPPING COMPUTER GENERATED IMAGERY!

Please don’t piss down my leg and tell me it’s raining. You’d have to be a moron to think J.C. (whoa, those initials, maybe he IS the Second Coming!) doesn’t do this for the moolah.

You like “Avatar”? Fine. Just don’t try convincing me of any “altruistic” values behind ANYTHING that costs haf a billion dollars, has sucked in more money than any film ever made, then continues to leech from consumers like an insatiable parasite.

And you avergae “Avatar” fan wouldn’t know squat about environmental and indigenous issues. And even if the film were to make such allegorical statements, fact is most audiences haven’t the brainpower and/or cultural nous to process such statements. They’ll just see it as a fun sci-fi movie. Oh, SOME people might “get it”: that is grossly disproportionate the people who WON’T get it and will continue living their mundane lives detached from any sense of ecological responsibility.

Silly me for handing out recycled leaflets to apathetic by-passers on city street corners all those years…I guess I should have made a fiscally overblown three hours three dimensional movie (visually, most likely not intellectually) instead!

The term “GREENWASH” comes to mind…or is it “BLUEWASH” in this case?

I like your soapbox.

Still haven’t seen this and have no interest in purchasing it on disc. Mark, nice post.

Personally I’m always slightly pissed off when there are no special features (at least on newer releases) sort of made it a tradition to watch the trailer after the film (dunno why, just enjoy doing so)

That aside, have not seen Avatar and not interested either.