If you are interested in seeing any movies that are out, check out the movie Avatar. Actor Sam Worthington plays Jake Sully, a former Marine that was paralyzed in combat, forcing him to use a wheelchair. To regain a sense or normalcy, he travels to Pandora to participate in a program where his mind will control an alien body, called an Avatar (hence the title of the movie). As an alien, Jake has full function of his body. He even manages to fall in love with one of the aliens on Pandora. While it is a little weird that paralysis is still an issue during the time period of this movie (well into the 22nd century), it is nice to see that relationships can be formed not by appearance but by personality. That aspect alone is something that is difficult to come by today. Check out the trailer here.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Sam Worthington as Jake Sully In Avatar
If you are interested in seeing any movies that are out, check out the movie Avatar. Actor Sam Worthington plays Jake Sully, a former Marine that was paralyzed in combat, forcing him to use a wheelchair. To regain a sense or normalcy, he travels to Pandora to participate in a program where his mind will control an alien body, called an Avatar (hence the title of the movie). As an alien, Jake has full function of his body. He even manages to fall in love with one of the aliens on Pandora. While it is a little weird that paralysis is still an issue during the time period of this movie (well into the 22nd century), it is nice to see that relationships can be formed not by appearance but by personality. That aspect alone is something that is difficult to come by today. Check out the trailer here.
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hello i just wanted to know if you know whats the model of wheelchair they use in the movie..
ReplyDeleteDo you know if he really is disabled? I am onnly asking because I saw his legs and they were really really skinny. I thought he really was disabled. Thank you
ReplyDeleteHe isn't disabled for real
DeleteI do not think he is disabled... as for the type of chair he uses, I am unsure.
ReplyDeleteYou said it was a little weird that paralysis is still an issue in the time period of the movie. Keep in mind its only an issue for those that dont have the money for corrective surgery. And no the actor is not disabled, they just changed his legs with special effects.
ReplyDeleteThe actor Sam Worthington is definitely not disabled in real life ... he was the "good" cyborg in the last Terminator Salvation, and will be displaying quite alot of physical heroics in the upcoming Clash of the Titans. Just acting & CGI effects.
ReplyDeleteHe's not really disabled, but I myself wondered how they managed to make his legs look so thin, considering he's running around in full muscley-leggedness in "Clash of the Titans", which comes out this year. I remember in 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire', Brendan Gleeson had to wear a blue-screen stocking during filming of one scene, so they could digitally remove his leg. Maybe they did something similar with Worthington to give him digitally skinny legs? *shrugs*
ReplyDeleteHe is NOT disabled! He's in Clash of the Titans coming out in March and was in Terminator Salvation! Also, saw pics of him at the Avatar opening!!!! Walking perfectly!!!!
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to figure out the skinny leg thing and I'm thinking it was green screen/ CGI??? Possibly had that green sheet (or tights) on like they did in Narnia for Mr. Tumnus!
the chair has "grunt" labled on the back of it...
ReplyDeletethey are prosthetic or "fake" legs... not sure how they hid his real legs.
ReplyDeleteYou guys talk about how you are shocked that paralysis was still a problem in that time period during the movie. But you guys forgot that they were going to get it done for him medically fixed when he was done helping the humans get into the heart of pandora.
ReplyDeleteHis chair says "Grunt" on the back because that is a nickname for a Marine. Probably put there by another "grunt." The message says he is equal to the other soldiers. They also bothered to dogear, weather that sticker a little which is amazing attention to detail and realism.
ReplyDeleteAm I the only one to feel disappointed that they couldn't use a truly paraplegic actor for the part? Considering they use CGI effects, couldn't they have dubbed his face and upper body over an able-bodied double for the Na'vi scenes? Come on - in this day and age isn't it time we gave less-physically-able actors a chance?
ReplyDeleteIf the less-physically-abled actors are given a chance, then for the avatar part, they cnt run?! O_O? so we'll have avatars in wheelchairs ... D'uh
ReplyDeleteUsing able bodied actors for disabled roles reminds me of using white actors to play black roles in the early days of movies...
ReplyDelete"If the less-physically-abled actors are given a chance, then for the avatar part, they cnt run?! O_O? so we'll have avatars in wheelchairs ... D'uh"
ReplyDeleteThe actor's weren't in costumes running around the film you know...when they were "avatars" that was all computer generated!
why e'rrybody gotsa be so sensuhtive...
ReplyDeleteThey would have needed an able bodied actor to do all the other filming sequences for the "alien" him. They use motion capture to plot the actors movements which are then put through the whizzy 3D rendering machines. In essence he was acting as an able bodied alien for more of the movie than when in a chair.
ReplyDeleteMy questions is wtf do the Avatar's eat? The sleep, drink, fight, make tail sex, and never eat;I didn't see anyone take a bite of anything except for Jake who ate a juicy plumb throughout the entire movie; good john James.
ReplyDeleteA "grunt" is a nickname for an Army soldier. Marines are devil dogs, jar- heads and leather necks.
ReplyDeletethey dont make tail sex its a bonding thing you nimrod
ReplyDelete>To regain a sense or normalcy, he travels to Pandora to participate in a program where his mind will control an alien body, called an Avatar (hence the title of the movie). As an alien, Jake has full function of his body. He even manages to fall in love with one of the aliens on Pandora. While it is a little weird that paralysis is still an issue during the time period of this movie (well into the 22nd century), it is nice to see that relationships can be formed not by appearance but by personality. <
ReplyDeleteI find this perception of disability very difficult to stomach. The term 'regaining normalcy' is extremely problematic - it implies that a wheelchair user can only be 'normal' if they are able to walk again after an accident.
The relationship between the protagonist and the female Avatar is not based on personality rather than appearance - perhaps if they had met whilst he was a wheelchair user this could form a suitable argument. However, his disability has no bearing on why they fall in love.
Becoming an Avatar allowed the lead character to simply dispose of his former body - implying that his human body is useless; his body as an Avatar becomes an 'upgrade' because it functions in a conventional way.
Cameron could easily have employed a disabled actor. Perhaps the casting process would have taken slightly longer (oh no!) or the screen testing and CGI may be more complicated (god forbid!). He would have created further oppurtunities for so many disabled actors.
No he was not paralized, those are not his actual legs. his actual lega are tucked down under the chair, the ones you see in the movie are prostetics.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that he preferred being an avatar was more to do with the fact that he loved the place so much and fell in love, and much less about the fact that he couldnt use his legs in his human body. And so what if it was that reason?!!! Its not implying that his human body is "useless" at all. You cannot disagree with the fact that someone in a wheelchair would prefer to walk than not. Its human nature.
ReplyDeletejeezuz. Would everyone calm down a bit? it's just a story, it's not intentionally meant to offend by not using a disabled actor. And to hp54 saying 'He would have created further oppurtunities for so many disabled actors.' ...erm it would of only created one job role! It's a shame that many of you can't see the real message in this story, that of human destruction and how much of a tragedy it is how we behave, eating up our own planet, and then another. An to all who say the legs are prosthetics....b.s! They used green screen material tights on him and shrunk them down.
ReplyDeleteExcellent movie!
well said!!!
DeleteYeah, that's right! remember colonialism and how it started? it is always about selfishness and not respecting other people who live differently. I heard a statement like 'blue monkeys' in the movie and believe me that's just as derogatory as ' nigger'. Avatar is not about the wheelchair name and all that kinda b.s. most of you guys have talked about, its about being humane and respecting nature.
ReplyDeleteWow.... 15 replies before someone dropped the N-word. Calm down and enjoy the movie and what it says to you as an individual.... I love Trees, Marines and Blue Monkeys, the physically challenged and the physically abled ... How can I get through the day!?
ReplyDeleteto the person that claimed they had "tail sex" - weren't you paying attention?
ReplyDeletetheir ponytails are the connectors there. geez!