瘋人瘋語

「我離港前到過一間精神科醫院。當時有位病人禮貌地問,一個以作為世上最悠久民主政體而自傲的國家,如何能夠將此地交給一個政治制度非常不同的國家,且既沒諮詢當地公民,又沒給予他們民主的前景,好讓他們捍衞自己的將來。一個隨行同事說,奇怪,香港提出最理智問題的人,竟在精神科醫院。」彭定康 金融時報

“During a visit to a mental hospital before I left Hong Kong, a patient politely asked me how a country that prided itself on being the oldest democracy in the world had come to be handing over his city to another country with a very different system of government, without either consulting the citizens or giving them the prospect of democracy to safeguard their future. Strange, said one of my aides, that the man with the sanest question in Hong Kong is in a mental hospital.”Chris Patten Financial Times

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Thursday, December 24, 2009

遲了點看的電影:阿凡達 Avatar

遲了點看的電影:阿凡達 Avatar



來頭很大的“阿凡達” Avatar,由上次把我引得笑足成場戲的名導演:占士甘馬倫執導,他令我在看“鐵達尼”,於散場時放聲大笑,結果被週圍左右的女生們,投以鄙視的眼光,雖然已十多年前,但記憶猶新。


今次香港祇有3D版,在我家園最近的戲院,週六早場票價都要七十大圓,環顧之前上映的 Christmas Carol 祇要過多幾個星期,就降價到五十圓,所以把心一橫,遲點才看!


但“阿凡達”引誘力驚人,我卒之願意多付,先睹為快。這還有另一原因的,因為聖誕臨近,可能要等到新年假期完結,才會真正降低票價,那就要等足兩個多星期。


今次,甘大導沒能把我引得大笑,反而令我差點下淚,亦很罕有的令我感到傷感,自步出電影院後,一路步行返回家時,心情很是沉重。


Avatar 港譯:阿凡達Trailers & Clips ,講人類進攻一個星球上的 humanoid 生物叫作 Na'Vi 納威人,這個星球叫 Pandora 潘朵娜星。各位一定想起,Pandora Box 潘朵娜的盒子,這個經典故事,"HOPE" is humanity's final reliance,“希望”成為我們人類最終的依靠,但結果納威人還有沒有希望呢?




圖片來源: 維基百科




Starring:
Sam Worthington Jake Sully 雙腳癱瘓的前海軍陸戰隊員,Zoe Saldana Neytiri 納威人族長女兒,Sigourney Weaver Grace 女生物學博士,Laz Alonso Tsu'tey 納威人勇士,Wes Studi Eytukan 納威人族長,CCH Pounder Moat 族長妻子 精神領袖 納威人的智者。


Directed by: James Cameron


(注意:以下包含部分內容)

故事:
潘朵娜星球的大氣層,是充滿著對人類有毒的氣體,但那裡住了一種 humanoid 仿似人形的高等生物,他們有一對長耳朵,足足有十英呎高,頭上有一條長辮子,和一條長尾巴,一身逞藍色的 Na'Vi 納威人,星球上還有各式各樣,其他飛禽走獸並存。有毒的大氣層,保育了納威人、星球上的生物、和美麗的自然環境,納威人過著如原始人類般的漁獵、畜牧、務農的簡樸生活,但倒是樂也悠悠。


直至人類採礦公司,意外發現潘朵娜星蘊藏了,價值連城的“能源礦石”,貪婪的人類,就開始開發礦場採礦。但礦苗最豐富的地點,卻剛巧就是納威人聚居的 Omaticaya 村落所在,那便需要把所有那裡的納威人搬遷,才能夠全面開採豐富的礦產,並且減低開礦成本,增加利潤。


礦務公司受到極高利潤誘因,便出資讓女生物學博士,研究出破解毒氣的技術,女生物學博士 Grace 利用生物科技,培育出人類與納威人,合成基因的仿納威人”阿凡達”,並可由捐出基因的人類,透過機器遙距控制這”阿凡達“的思想、行為、行動。


納威人散居在整個星球,女博士和她的助手們的“阿凡達”,去到其中一個納威人叫 Omaticaya 村落,進行研究,並教他們說英語,所以一部份納威人是可以用英語,可和人類溝通。就如歐洲殖民時代,傳教士們去到印第安人中間傳教、辦學、教導英語。


貪婪的人類礦物公司礦場領導,需要派一個志願者成為“阿凡達”,進人潘朵娜星球納威人 Omaticaya 村落,充當間諜,負責刺探地形,搜集防衛情報,計劃武力佔領納威人的 Omaticaya 村落。他們本來已有一個隊員,但不幸死亡,因為培育的“阿凡達”需時,而且祇可接受有共同基因者遙控,一個下身雙腿癱瘓的前海軍陸戰隊員 Jake Sully,就被送到潘朵娜星球,因為他就是死去隊員的孿生兄弟,他有相同的基因,結果 Jake 成功成為“阿凡達”。


於是就由女生物學博士的“阿凡達”,帶領著 Jake 的“阿凡達”,乘坐直升機深入 Omaticaya 村落野外受訓。在一次受訓時,Jake 的“阿凡達”落單了,又剛巧受到猛獸襲擊,在逃跑時跳落大瀑布,迷失了路,要在野外過夜求生,入黑後 Jake 的“阿凡達”就受到更多猛獸群攻擊,幸宜得到納威族長的女兒拯救了,就帶了他回到部落裡。


傳統的納威人 Omaticaya 部落族長是一位男性勇士,而他的妻子就是精神領袖,也是族中的智者。一武一文負責管治納威人部族。族長的女兒已經和一位年輕納威勇士立了婚約,將來他們就會組成新的一對領導班子,繼續負責起管治 Omaticaya 的納威族人。


族長妻子是部落的精神領袖,也是族中的智者,她認為可以通過 Jake 增加人類和納威人的互雙了解,就讓 Jake 的”阿凡達“留下來,並指令女兒教導 Jake 的”阿凡達“納威語言,風俗習慣,生活方式,訓練 Jake 的”阿凡達“為一位納威戰士。另一方面,她亦可以仔細觀察 Jake 的“阿凡達”,研究人類的思想行為,云云。


但礦物公司礦場主管和雇傭兵團領導,並沒有太多耐性等待,他們決定向納威村落進攻,強行把納威人趕走,好讓公司繼續開採礦藏。他們預先準備好,就在進攻之時,把 Jake 和 女生物學博士 Grace 的真身跟他們的“阿凡達”連繫的訊號切斷,兩人的“阿凡達”立刻暈倒下來了。無助的納威人,慘被無情的炮火,亂轟亂擊,死傷忱寂,族長也蒙難了,慶幸生還的納威人,唯有逃到納威人的神聖地方,“聖樹”所在之處,暫時躲避。


得到女生物學家的助手和女直升機機師的幫助,Jake 和女生物學家的真身一起逃脫,但女生物學博士 Grace 卻受了槍傷。 Jake 的真身成功重新進入機器內,令到 Jake 的“阿凡達”再騒醒過來,並成功馴服了納威人傳說中的”巨神鳥“,他騎著”巨神鳥’飛去到,納威人躲避的地方,”聖樹“所在地,成功說服了慶幸生還的精神領袖族長妻子、她的女兒、和立有婚約的勇士,和他統領幸存的納威戰士。他們四處聯絡,並且團結了散居的其他納威人部族,一起反抗人類兵團的入侵。


他們的人數比人類兵團多了幾倍,但祇有弓箭、刀劍、和長矛等原始武器,卻被採礦公司雇傭兵團的領導,說成他們是野蠻人,而且人多勢眾,這次是人類在潘朵娜的生死存亡一戰,要求人類兵團士兵,要切底地不分男女老幼殺戮,要殺死每一個納威人,這是要領令到納威人屈服,不敢再反抗,起了示範作用,是減少以後和其他納威族人,發生衝突的最佳方法。


結局,當然是由 Jake 的”阿凡達“帶領納威人,打敗了人類的兵團,至於怎樣能夠利用簡陋原始的弓箭、刀劍、和長矛等武器,打敗武器精良的人類兵團呢?受了重傷的女生物學博士生死如何呢?就請各位購票入場捧場觀看。


我見:
電影可分成兩部份,一半部戲是人類社會,就如一般電影拍攝。而另一半部,就集中在潘朵娜星球上,納威人的生活部份,是利用 motion capture animation technology 技術,由真人演員全身包括面部都貼上感應器,在電影廠內拍攝而成。


不過甘馬倫的創新技術,是讓收集演員動作和面部表情時,即時 real-time 就由電腦數碼即時譜成納威人,再加上人工電腦背景,在線即時完成畫面,讓導演立刻看到知道成果,作出改善重拍。而不是事後,才利用電腦美工,再把人和景物結合而成。顧此風景美麗得如畫如仙境般的潘朵娜星球,和靈活矯捷的納威人動作,結合得更緻完美完善,甘馬倫的技術是比以前的,更進一大大大步。


【維基百科】Unlike previous performance capture systems, where the digital environment is added after the actors' motions have been captured, Cameron's new virtual camera allows him to observe directly on a monitor how the actors' virtual counterparts interact with the movie's digital world in real time and adjust and direct the scenes just as if shooting live action. 詳情請參考以下維基百科的連結。


整部片子映像,實在太過繽紛,根本就是目不暇給,再加上 3D效果,我根本就未能專一地,多方面地,細緻地去仔細欣賞,是顧得睇頭,睇不到腳,是顧得睇風景,睇不到動作 etc etc,若不再購票多看幾次,那可能要等到買到影碟,才能細心欣賞過夠,才能感受得到盡。那麼甘大導投巨資研究開發,是否合附成本效益要求呢?


Anyway 這方面的創新技術,是可以轉賣給其他後來的導演、制作人、投資者,可利用會計 Research and Development 研究發發這開支理論。不知美國稅局和投資者之間,就本部電影的利潤與成本,如何討價還價,怎樣去抽稅呢?這不是討論范圍之內。


整部電影整個故事,映射歐洲人殖民主義 colonialism,對中南北美洲殖民,殺戮土著人口,強佔土地,奪取資源,這一段黑暗歷史外。又有像電影『風中奇緣 Pocahontas』故事,有一位白人和土著公主相戀,公主拒絕了印第安勇士的婚約。


故事還有抄襲『與狼共舞 Dances with Wolves』個別橋段的嫌疑,好像納威人教 Jake 說土語,又讓 Jake 馴服神馬神鳥,至于納威人對納威人談話時,未有發覺出現說英語的蝦碌,當然還有 Jake 的轉變,他最後成為納威人一份子,共同對抗人類兵團。雖然如此,但甘馬倫的創新意念,可算是多方面的,要抄過來的都已經稍為變調,增加了趣味性。


以女生物學博士為首的一班科學家,祇是著眼在研究潘朵娜星球的納威人、星球上的生物、植物,並且教納威人英語,給納威人兒童上課,這情形就如殖民主義時代的一群傳教士,是存著善意的,但祇屬小數。


一群受雇于礦物公司的職業軍人,卻祇是散兵游勇,收人錢財,替人消災,他們的目標祇是向錢看,殺死納威人就如殺一隻蟻,沒有任何道德觀念。這包括初來的 Jake,他的唯一目標是為礦物公司的兵團當間諜,以換取醫治他一雙癱瘓了的腿。


Jake 每次和他的“阿凡達”結合後,深入納威村落,刺探情報,到脫離連結醒來,他的真身回到人類社會中,都會作報告,還有他的日誌 daily log,記下他自己的感受,卻後來成為他背叛的證據。到了後來 Jake、和負責駕駛直升機女機師、還有女生物學博士和她一班助手,一起背叛人類兵團和礦物公司,與納威人并肩作戰,都祇是小眾的同情者,並不代表主流。


Omaticaya 的精神領袖,也是納威族的智者,同時亦是族長的妻子,她是否太過草率下決定,讓 Jake 的“阿凡達”深入 Omaticaya 村落,又教曉 Jake 很多納威人的風俗習慣,是否自己拿石頭砸自己的腳呢?而 Jake 到了 Omaticaya 不夠三個月,就由職業軍人觀念,變成納威人的同情者,這是否太過容易,也太快了呢?


甘馬倫利用高科技畫成的潘朵娜星球優美景色,令我眼前一亮,尤其是 floating mountains 《浮山》,就很有中國山水畫的味道。《浮山》就像中國的黃山、廬山、張家界,石林,而石山上長滿了勁松,又有飛瀑由山頂飛瀉而下,一座座《浮山》懸在半空,在雲霧中漂浮,若隱若現,就像是置身仙境中。


甘馬倫又設計納威人的長辮子末梢,是長有神經線纖維的,這可以和潘朵娜星球的神馬和神鳥的辮子,連結一齊,那就可以和它們,利用腦波來溝通,通過連結人獸合一,騎在神馬背上在地面,任意奔馳,坐在神鳥背上飛上天空,傲翔天際。


還有納威人有一棵”聖樹“,導演甘馬倫把”聖樹“描繪畫成一顆白色會發光的樹,這和幾年前十分時興的光纖白色聖誕樹一般,是會發光和轉換顏色,很是美麗。這一條條光纖般的聖樹樹枝,是可以和納威人長辮子末梢的神經線纖維連結,這樣納威人就和聖樹連結合一,也可以向著“聖樹”祈禱,云云。


臨尾當看到無助的納威人,慘被無情的炮火,亂轟亂擊,死傷忱寂。人類兵團士兵,要切底殺戮,不分男女老幼,殺死每一個納威人,這是要令到納威人屈服、屈從,以後不敢再反抗人類。這豈不就是日本人,當年在南京展開大屠殺,就是要讓中國人知道,反抗祇會帶來屠殺的嚴重後果,是要中國人屈服、屈從,看到這裡差點令我落淚,要找包 Tempo 紙巾出來。


而最後亦最令我心噏的是,結局雖然打敗了人類兵團,這一次勝利卻是一場慘勝,族長和勇士都不幸戰死了,很多納威人犧牲了。打敗了人類兵團,讓戰俘返回地球,包括礦物公司的礦場主管,他們回到地球會講出真相嗎?


由于珍貴的礦石豐厚利潤,祇會引來更多的人類兵團,下次他們再來時,就陣陣有詞,說成是野蠻的納威人,無理殺害了人類,他們處于道德高位,要為戰死的人類復仇,要拿回屬于礦物公司價值連城的礦石,那就得殺死更多納威人,戰事會更加慘烈,就會更加殘酷!


一路看電影,令我差點下淚,亦很罕有的令我感到傷感,自步出電影院後,一路步行返回家時,心情很是沉重。我相信甘馬倫已經準備好下集的故事了,Pandora Box 潘朵娜的盒子,這個經典故事,"HOPE" is humanity's final reliance,“希望”成為人類最終的依靠,但結果納威人 Na'Vis,還有沒有 HOPE?會有希望呢?



後記:因為結局不難估到,各位多能意會納威人,今次必能打敗了人類兵團,所以寫出了結局出來,但是其中過程是另有蹺蹊,不想掃打算購票入場朋友的慶緻,暫時保密,是怎麼樣如何演變成,這個結局?三週後才補登罷。



伸延閱覽:
Avatar (movie) 維基百科
阿凡達(電影) 維基百科
Avatar 北美雅虎電影
阿凡達 香港雅虎電影
Pandora Box 維基百科
風中奇緣 Pocahontas 維基百科
與狼共舞 Dances with Wolves 維基百科
幫你做個”阿凡達“大頭相 Mcdonalds Finland

我的舊文:
歐洲殖民主義
續談:Avatar 阿凡達



16 comments:

exile said...

"實在太過繽紛,根本就是目不暇給,再加上 3D效果,我根本就未能專一地,多方面地,細緻地去仔細欣賞,是顧得睇頭,睇不到腳,是顧得睇風景,睇不到動作"

Really? That's what I am afraid would happen.

Overall sounds like a wonderful production. Thanks for the heads up.

新鮮人 said...

你不算遲,
我還没有看,
也未必看,
殖民地主義又何止發生在南美呢?
基本上地球上有地佢哋就去搶,
插枝旗就當係自己嘅,
又以為自己高人一等,
仲話要教人語言,
點解唔去學人家的語言,
擺明自以為是,
仲要搶人地的東西,
又殺戮無辜的人,
衰格之極!

the inner space said...

Exile,》實在太過繽紛,根本就是目不暇給! That's what I am afraid would happen.《

I would recommend to see that on big screen than waiting for the DVD unless you have a home theatre which is quite common for Southern Californians.

Heads up? I will give it a Thumb UP but not two thumbs up !

the inner space said...

新鮮兄:殖民主義太多黑暗面,實在罄竹難書!

白人的 優越主義 Superiorism 和 種族歧視 Racial Discrimination 固然是白人中常見得到。但白人有一種叫 Condescension 的優越感,會令人感覺得很舒服,難以察覺,連被歧視了 being discriminated 都不知到。

exile said...

Space, if you are interested in reading racism blog, check this one out. I read it everyday. It seems to attract a lot of non-white readers from all over the world.

http://resistracism.wordpress.com/

I am sorry. I should not have used too much American slang. Heads up = advance notice or tips.

I read that some religious groups actually found the movie to be "too violent and have too much subtle sexual messages"?? True?? But hey who wants to watch a movie religious people approve, right? :-)

No, I do not have a home theatre but you are right, it is quite common here. No big deal.

the inner space said...

Exile, thank you for the Link. I might one day pay a visit there, but for the time being I have had more than enough. I don't want to get into racial hatredism.

AS I mentioned "實在太過繽紛,根本就是目不暇給,再加上 3D效果,我根本就未能專一地,多方面地,細緻地去仔細欣賞,是顧得睇頭,睇不到腳,是顧得睇風景,睇不到動作。" I might have missed the subtle sexual message parts,but why a Human Male conquered a Na'vi Female's heart but not vice versa?

Like I mentioned in many of my archives ASKING why Chow Yun Fat ,Jacky Chan, and Jet Li, though they gained some success in Hollywood, there were never a lips kissing or sex scene or love scene for an Asian male fxxking a Caucasian woman? on the other hand,Caucasian male did that very often with asian females in movies.

Save for one movie Tony Leung Kar Fei did that but he was playing a male prostitute or a gigolo,he was just the PET of a Caucasian woman.

exile said...

Why are Asian men continuously ostracized and emasculated in the American media?

Well, this is a question our Asian American brothers have asked for a long time.

Someone has provided some pretty good answers here if you are interested.

http://www.asiafinest.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=122230

Personally, I think if Asian men want to play Romeo with Caucasian ladies, don't wait for white men in Hollywood to cast you, make your own movies that rock the world.

Why wouldn't Jacky Chan with all the budget make a romantic movie about himself (or Chow Yun Fat) falling in love with a white girl?

I don't watch Hong Kong movies but how often do they portray romantic love between white women and Chinese men in movies? If not, why not?

exile said...

"Caucasian male did that very often with asian females in movies"

May be in some of Maggie Cheung movies?
I don't recall...hmm...many of the roles Asian actresses play in Hollywood movies are just as demeaning as Asian actors. Our Asian American sisters complain about that all the time. Like if we aren't hookers, we are nerds working at library, haha....

the inner space said...

Exile,》》Why are Asian men continuously ostracized and emasculated in the American media?

Hollywood movies investors don't see it meets the US Market expectation, after all it is a business deal.

》》if Asian men want to play Romeo with Caucasian ladies, don't wait for white men in Hollywood to cast you, make your own movies that rock the world.

see above

》》I don't watch Hong Kong movies but how often do they portray romantic love between white women and Chinese men in movies? If not, why not?

I have no idea perhaps no one will believe so no market too!

the inner space said...

Exile, 》》May be in some of Maggie Cheung movies?

I recalled Nancy Kwan who fallen for William Holden in "The World of Suzie Wong".

exile said...

Do you know Jacky Chan has a new movie? It's called "The Spy Next Door"? It's another martial arts/comedy.

I hope he is going to kiss many many white girls in the movie :-)

the inner space said...

Exile, YOU mean he plays a pedophile in the movie?

exile said...

No, I meant him kissing white WOMEN. Don't be silly! Judging from the title of the movie, he must be a spy.

the inner space said...

Exile, I have googled “The Spy Next Door”, in the movie he deals with kids more like Van Diesel in ”Pacifier“.

Saw the Movie Poster and read some one's blog

Quoting:
Jackie Chan is The Spy Next Door a new comedy movie of 2010 (January 15, 2010). This new comedy movie 2010 The Spy Next Door is the latest comedy form Jackie Chan.

Jackie Chan is all I've admired in many movies with fight scenes that and it has improved over time. I do not think that is very surprising news to anyone to learn that filming address where he will play will be somewhat weaker than what we would have used the actor.

I was thinking about it and when I saw the trailer of "The Spy Next Door", a new project for the family. How Jackie Chan, more or less talented of Hollywood, I tried to play in a fun way of life babysitter? And here I remember Dwayne Johnson Fri Quick and Hulk Hogan. But can Jack be with more flair. It remains to be seen.

exile said...

Jacky Chan plays an ex-CIA agent. Now, that's new. In his past movies, didn't he always play a Chinese man from Hong Kong or China.

This time he plays an American (CIA agent) who babysits for his girlfriend (may be she is white?) and he has to deal with a Russian terrorist living next door. I heard it only took them 2 months to make the movie. Probably not that good. There isn't much promotion at all in the U.S media.

the inner space said...

Exile, thanks for reminding. I further check with wikipedia it was finished 2 years ago with no one wanted to show in cinemas.

Wikipedia: The Spy Next Door is an upcoming 2010 martial arts-action-comedy film starring Jackie Chan, Magnus Scheving, Billy Ray Cyrus and George Lopez. Filming started in late October in New Mexico and was finished in late December 2008.

IT WAS SOMETHING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST TO FILL THE GAP BETWEEN BIG MOVIES