Two movies that I really enjoyed when they came out were “Pleasantville” and “Avatar”. Little did I know years later, I would be comparing them in a blog post for a class. Re-watching these films was somewhat nostalgic for me as they both came out when I was quite a bit younger then I am now.

“Pleasantville” is a movie that was unique when it came out in 1998, and in my opinion is unique now. The film is about two teenagers from the 90’s – David who’s mind is stuck in the 1950’s, and Jennifer who’s is a bit more on the promiscuous party side of life. Both of them become trapped in David’s favorite black and white sitcom from 1958 called Pleasantville after a random TV repairman gives them a magical remote.

 

Once in the show they are in black and white and expected to conform to the conservative 1950’s lifestyle of the show. This of course takes a bizarre twist when Jennifer informs other teenagers of what sex is and the world begins to change from black and white to color. As people in the town begin to break out of their social norms and become more freethinking the more things and people become colorized.

 

 

Elements of this movie mirror the segregation that was occurring during that time that our nation was facing similar issues. In the film people who become colorized were snubbed and harassed in the film, as some believed their presence was taking away from the towns values. There was even a sign put up that said “No coloreds”, and during a court room scene all those who were colorized sat upstairs while all those in black in white sat downstairs. The whole town eventually changes and everyone becomes happy because they are no longer in a little box and allowed to think freely.

While this storyline is wonderful, it is not the only reason that this movie drew me in. I really just loved the way that the film was actually put together. The film was filmed digitally, and edited the same way. This allowed for easy editing to gray scale. So unlike other films that were colorized in the past, (think Wizard of Oz), the color was brilliant, and that made the movie aesthetically pleasing as well.

Being visually entertained through a film is just as important as being intellectually entertained. “Avatar” is by far one of the most aesthetically pleasing movies I have ever seen. Seeing the film in theaters years ago, I remember being so impressed with the new 3D technology that was used. That coupled with the digital animation, I was sold. Seeing this movie again I was still so impressed with the beauty that the technology used allowed this film to have. In this film, a man named Jake’s twin brother dies in a robbery and this gives him the opportunity of a lifetime to take his place on a mission to a planet named Pandora. Once there, he and his introduced to his avatar. The avatar is genetically breed hybrid that is identical to the Na’vi, which is the native tribe of the planet. Once Jake is there, he learns of the corporations plan to wipe the tribe out and take whatever natural resources they want from the planet. He is ok with this idea until he gets to know the tribe, learn their ways, and falls in love with Neytiri –the tribe’s princess. In this and learning about these people he realizes that the genocide of these people and their land is not right and fights with them to save their people and planet. To me this mirrors issues that we have with our own tribal people (past and present). We may not be killing in present day, but definitely have no issues stripping land. In the end when Jake and the tribes win the battle for the planet. They send the remaining humans back to Earth, and Jake goes through a ceremony to leave his human body and live in his avatar permanently.

Both of the films, although made years apart, use newer technology to make memorable films that also touch on social issues in the telling of their stories. I really enjoyed revisiting them both.