Fly Me to the Moon

Soon after Avatar’s release, it became evident that it was not only a movie – it was a worldwide phenomenon that was bringing people together, getting young and old to sit in darkened cinemas for over two hours and forty minutes (promptly making it the highest grossing film of all-time – ending just shy of 2.8 billion dollars). The creative piece of world building, with its vivid, alien landscape and intoxicating mythology (while also ushering 3-D back into the cinematic limelight), also caught the eye of Rudolf Schenker, a founding member (and guitar-god) of the iconic German hard rock band Scorpions.

A master song-writer, the man has concocted numerous classic rock tunes, with catchy riffs, iconic lyrics and impressive solo work. Sharing solo and rhythm duties with co-guitarist Matthias Jabs, Schenker and the band have become known for their unforgettable, high-octane, crowd-pleasing live performances. Selling over 100 million records worldwide, it would be hard to have not heard and enjoyed their rousing tunes – be it the powerful symbolic anthem ‘Wind of Change’ (highlighting the changes occurring in the world circa the fall of the Berlin Wall), a power ballad like ‘Still Loving You’, or faster-paced songs like ‘Rock You Like a Hurricane’, ‘No One Like You’, and ‘Big City Nights’.

I was lucky enough to interview the rocker, who was generous with his time. The man quickly pointed to Avatar as being his favourite – make sure to check out the video interview directly below to hear why the film impressed him so. Also, head to the bottom of the page to hear Schenker in action, performing “Rock You Like a Hurricane” with Scorpions on September 19, 2015 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Written and directed by James Cameron, this epic adventure follows a paraplegic former marine, Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), who luckily happens to be a DNA match for his now deceased brother – which has given him the opportunity to make the journey to Pandora; a richly forested, habitable moon that circles a giant gas planet. Being that he is a DNA match, this allows him to utilize his brother’s avatar (basically a meat suit that fuses his genetic material with that of the behemoth, blue, human-like creatures – namely Na’vi, that live on the moon). The scientific team are able to transfer his consciousness to his avatar, which allows him to live on Pandora – as it has an atmosphere that is uninhabitable for humans.

Our planet has been over-harvested, leading to an energy crisis – which is why the Resources Development Administration, led by Parker Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi), has made the journey to the distant satellite; specifically, to mine the valuable mineral unobtanium.

Working with a team of scientists led by Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver), the former jarhead does not fit in with the inquisitive individuals. He is soon approached by Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang), who is looking for a man on the inside who can provide him with intelligence on the Na’vi, the way they live and the locations the miners are interested in.

Sully is soon being dropped off by the rebellious pilot Trudy Chacón (Michelle Rodriguez), along with Augustine and the highly trained and very knowledgeable Norm Spellman (Joel David Moore), to collect some samples. Given the job of guarding the two scientists, he is soon ambushed by a violent creature on the ever-dangerous moon, forcing him to separate from his team.

Lost and alone, he tries to survive the long, dark night. Being ambushed by creatures that go bump in the night, he is unknowingly in the sights of Na’vi hunter Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). Knowing that he is not a true Na’vi, the woman only decides to spare him after getting a sign from the natural world. Though his arrival creates divisiveness amongst the Na’vi tribe, with clan leader Eytukan (Wes Studi) being hesitant of the man and head warrior Tsu’tey (Laz Alonso) immediately despising Sully, he is allowed into their world by spiritual leader Mo’at (CCH Pounder), even though no human has ever been given the opportunity before.

He is trained by Neytiri in the ways of the Na’vi. Slowly gaining a respect for their way of life and their deep bond with the natural world, he is placed in a difficult and highly uncomfortable spot. Sully is still reporting to the Colonel, though he now has an allegiance to the tribe that has welcomed him in. With the corporation looking to devour the Na’vi’s Hometree, as well as their Tree of Souls (that is the heart of their bond to nature) in order to get to the unobtanium, will Sully choose his own human race, or will he decide to aid the Na’vi in saving their precious Pandora?

Pulling from numerous sources, James Cameron’s Avatar is chock full of references. Feeling a bit like a non-animated FernGully: The Last Rainforest, the motion pictures look at cultural clashes and the role of mother nature feels eternally old, yet its delivery feels fresh and new. One might also draw a connection to Oscar winning Dances with Wolves, as it too features a man who befriends outcasts, which leads to him becoming ostracized from his own society. As to the battle sequences, I am sure that it will remind some of the Vietnam War. Both the explosive strikes that cause fiery carnage as well as the way in which the humans are unable to win the hearts and minds of their ‘combatants’ are highly reminiscent of this infamous war. There are also connotations made to the Iraq War – as the way in which the humans attack the Na’vi can easily be termed shock and awe. Similarly, there are clear connections made to the historical events that occurred when the Europeans first explored North America, which led to the Aboriginal peoples being highly impacted (in a negative way) by their arrival. The humans have highly effective weapons and advanced technology, while the Na’vi rely upon the ancient ways of their ancestors (still using bows and arrows, and animals as modes of transportation), yet are more in tune with the natural world. With the humans trying to educate the Na’vi in English, as well as provide them with medicine and trinkets, Cameron re-works our history in interesting and thought-provoking ways – highlighting our lack of a bond with mother nature and our bombastic opposition to those who are different. It also focusses on imperialist ventures, pulling from countless examples from past and present. As to the complicated love triangle that develops between Sully, Tsu’tey and Neytiri, it will probably remind some of the star crossed love affair (between culturally different people) that blooms in Cameron’s previous epic motion picture, Titanic.

I would be remiss if I did not mention James Horner’s fitting score. The composer sadly passed away in 2015, crashing his aircraft, and Avatar is a wonderful example of the moving work Horner was able to create.

With Avatar, James Cameron was able to develop an immersive world for us to delve into. Featuring so many layers, this is the type of film that needs multiple viewings. Avatar boasts complicated relationships, difficult decisions, intriguing romances, high octane action and a world that is full of unimaginable beauty and exciting adventures. Containing impressive computer generated effects and superb acting, Avatar has left its fans in high anticipation for its sequel, which has been pushed back to a 2018 release date. So, don’t be afraid to look into the mystical box that is Pandora to discover whether the winds of change will blow as a result of the humans unwanted arrival.