James Cameron: Fox Wanted Treehugging "Crap" Removed From Avatar

February 18 2010

In a new interview with MTV, director James Cameron offers a bit of interesting backstory to Avatar’s green message — and how he used it to inspire people to make a different on this planet. Here are some highlights:

On FOX Studio Execs reading the script and reacting to the green elements:

“When they read it, they sort of said, ‘Can we take some of this tree-hugging, “FernGully” crap out of this movie?’ And I said, ‘No, because that’s why I’m making the film.’ ”

On how the film’s message inspires people to effect change here on Earth:

“If you’re tuned in to what’s happening in ‘Avatar,’ you start to feel a sense of moral outrage when you see the tree fall [destroying the Na'vi's home], and it’s a compassionate response for these people. Then you feel a sense of uplift at the end as good vanquishes evil. If you put those two things together, it actually creates a ripe emotional matrix for people to want to do something about it.”

On reaction from environmental groups:

“We’re getting a tremendous amount of feedback from environmental groups, from people with specific causes. Whether it’s indigenous people being displaced by companies to do mining or to do oil drilling, or if it’s environmental groups saying, ‘Let’s do some curriculum around “Avatar.”‘”

Source: Ecorazzi.
Link: http://www.ecorazzi.com/2010/02/18/james-cameron-fox-wanted-treehugging-crap-removed-from-avatar/.