Avatar (Extended Collector's Edition) [Blu-ray]

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Product Specifications

Product Description

Product Description Experience the spectacular world of James Cameron’s Avatar as never before with this all-new three-disc extended collector’s edition. The journey begins with three movie versions: the original theatrical release, the special edition re-release, and the exclusive extended cut not shown in theaters. And that’s just what’s on the first Blu-ray disc. The set’s bonus feature run more than eight hours and include over 45 minutes of deleted scenes; actor’s screen tests; on-location footage; feature-length documentaries on the film’s groundbreaking production; an interactive scene-deconstruction feature that lets you explore different levels of production for 17 scenes; a comprehensive guide to the world of Pandora; and more. The greatest adventure of all time just got bigger and better.

Amazon.com Here’s what we had to say about the original theatrical edition of Avatar after seeing it on the big screen:

After 12 years of thinking about it (and waiting for movie technology to catch up with his visions), James Cameron followed up his unsinkable Titanic with Avatar, a sci-fi epic meant to trump all previous sci-fi epics. Set in the future on a distant planet, Avatar spins a simple little parable about greedy colonizers (that would be mankind) messing up the lush tribal world of Pandora. A paraplegic Marine named Jake (Sam Worthington) acts through a 9-foot-tall avatar that allows him to roam the planet and pass as one of the Na’vi, the blue-skinned, large-eyed native people who would very much like to live their peaceful lives without the interference of the visitors. Although he’s supposed to be gathering intel for the badass general (Stephen Lang) who’d like to lay waste to the planet and its inhabitants, Jake naturally begins to take a liking to the Na’vi, especially the feisty Neytiri (Zoë Saldana, whose entire performance, recorded by Cameron’s complicated motion-capture system, exists as a digitally rendered Na’vi). The movie uses state-of-the-art 3D technology to plunge the viewer deep into Cameron’s crazy toy box of planetary ecosystems and high-tech machinery. Maybe it’s the fact that Cameron seems torn between his two loves–awesome destructive gizmos and flower-power message mongering–that makes Avatar’s pursuit of its point ultimately uncertain. That, and the fact that Cameron’s dialogue continues to clunk badly. If you’re won over by the movie’s trippy new world, the characters will be forgivable as broad, useful archetypes rather than standard-issue stereotypes, and you might be able to overlook the unsurprising central plot. (The overextended “take that, Michael Bay” final battle sequences could tax even Cameron enthusiasts, however.) It doesn’t measure up to the hype (what could?) yet Avatar frequently hits a giddy delirium all its own. The film itself is our Pandora, a sensation-saturated universe only the movies could create. –Robert Horton

Versions of Avatar on Blu-ray and DVD

Edition Format Release Date Special Features Avatar (Extended Collector’s Edition) Three Blu-ray Discs Nov. 16, 2010 Three versions of the movie including the previously unreleased extended cut, plus more than eight hours of bonus features including over 45 minutes of deleted scenes, interactive scene deconstruction, Pandorapedia, documentaries and featurettes, and BD-LIVE content (requires compatible player and Internet connection) Avatar (Extended Collector’s Edition) Three DVDs Nov. 16, 2010 Three versions of the movie including the previously unreleased extended cut, plus more than three hours of bonus features including documentaries and over 45 minutes of deleted scenes Avatar (Original Theatrical Edition) Two-disc Blu-ray/ DVD combo Apr. 22, 2010 None Avatar (Original Theatrical Edition) DVD Apr. 22, 2010 None

Contents of the Blu-ray Extended Collector’s Edition What follows is the back-of-the box summary of the Blu-ray set’s contents and then a complete listing of everything that’s included.

Disc 1: Three Movie Versions Original Theatrical Edition (includes family audio track with objectionable language removed) Special Edition Re-Release (includes family audio track with objectionable language removed) Collector’s Extended Cut with 16 additional minutes, including alternate opening on earth

Disc 2: Filmmaker’s Journey Over 45 minutes of never-before-seen deleted scenes Capturing Avatar: Feature-length documentary covering the 16-year filmmakers’ journey, including interviews with James Cameron, Jon Landau, cast and crew A Message from Pandora: James Cameron’s visit to the Amazon rainforest The 2006 art reel: Original pitch of the Avatar vision Brother termite test: Original motion capture test The ILM prototype: Visual effects reel Screen tests: Sam Worthington, Zoë Saldana Zoë’s life cast: Makeup session footage On-set footage as live-action filming begins VFX progressions Crew film: The Volume

Disc 3: Pandora’s Box Interactive scene deconstruction: Explore the stages of production of 17 different scenes through three viewing modes: capture level, template level, and final level with picture-in-picture reference Production featurettes: Sculpting Avatar, Creating the Banshee, Creating the Thanator, The AMP Suit, Flying Vehicles, Na’vi Costumes, Speaking Na’vi, Pandora Flora, Stunts, Performance Capture, Virtual Camera, The 3D Fusion Camera, The Simul-Cam, Editing Avatar, Scoring Avatar, Sound Design, The Haka: The Spirit of New Zealand Avatar original script Avatar screenplay by James Cameron Pandorapedia: Comprehensive guide to Pandora Lyrics from five songs by James Cameron The art of Avatar: Over 1,850 images in 16 themed galleries (The World of Pandora, The Creatures, Pandora Flora, Pandora Bioluminescence, The Na’vi, The Avatars, Maquettes, Na’vi Weapons, Na’vi Props, Na’vi Musical Instruments, RDA Designs, Flying Vehicles, AMP Suit, Human Weapons, Land Vehicles, One-Sheet Concepts)

BD-Live Extras BD-Live extras require a BD-Live-enabled player and an Internet connection. The following extras may be available a limited-time only and are subject to change over time: Crew Short: The Night Before Avatar; additional screen tests, including Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, and Laz Alonso; speaking Na’vi rehearsal footage; Weta Workshop: walk-and-talk presentation

Product Reviews

This movie is considered a reference disc in 3D and the extensive CGI use makes it a great story to be seen in that medium

SKIP THE 2Disc THEATRICAL EDITION – BUY THE SPECIAL EDITION OR 3D VERSION INSTEAD1. A special edition including 20 minutes of additional footage was released just months after Theatrical Edition. (But fans weren’t told until it was too late)2. No special features in 2 disc Theatrical Edition. If you are a fan, of all the discs in your collection this is the one you really want the extra stuff.3. 3D version also now available, though not in the extended version yet. This movie is considered a reference disc in 3D and the extensive CGI use makes it a great story to be seen in that medium, as are most animated movies. Hopefully a 3D Extended Version will be released soon.Regarding the multiple releases while holding back on the whole package: The studios are becoming so brazen. Offering bare bones Blu Rays shortly before re-releasing the movie with additional footage was a classless act that kicks dirt in the face of fans. I completely understand the business side of the equation. However, I think we would all like to see them release multiple versions and let fans decide how much they need verses how much to spend. At least release a complete package a year or so on. There still isn’t an extended 3D version US general release at the time of my update Dec 2014. The first 3D release was just the theatrical edition, even though the extended footage was already available. It’s like pulling teeth to get these studios to release everything fans want in a single package, even down the road. After all the releases we have had, they really owe it to fans to do something for us, rather than themselves. We all understand the business side and multiple releases are no surprise. But seriously, this is somewhat an old movie now! Avatar is a particularly egregious example of this practice.If 3D doesn’t interest you regardless, then you are set with the Avatar Special Edition. That is the one I recommend until the 3D Extended Edition comes out. I originally wrote this article as a one star protest review, but there are so many versions of the movie out now and reviews to all of the versions are linked on Amazon to each release so it’s better just to explain what to look for. Other worthy reviews cover both the general plot and the content differences between the standard and extended content. I will leave those aspects to them rather than duplicate it.

Fantastic Movie - Improved with 3D

This movie has a fantastic story and some of the most beautiful images I have seen in a motion picture. I originally saw the movie in IMAX 3D and quickly purchased Blu-ray version when it was initially released. While the regular Blu-ray is great, I missed the WOW factor of seeing the movie in 3D. So when I upgraded my home theater with a 3D projector and I wanted this to be the first movie I watched.Amazing!! I had intended to just watch the first few minutes, to test it out, and ended up watching the entire movie. I do not recommend testing this out at 11 pm when you have to be at work early the next morning. But as I write this, I have no regrets.If you enjoyed this movie and want to improve your home viewing experience, I highly recommend purchasing the 3D version.Note - The 3D version is the standard theatrical release.

Similar to Pocahontas with the John Smith/princess story

This is one of my favorite movies. It is long, so be sure that you have time to set down and watch it. I bought the digital HD version. i had not seen it in HD yet, but I loved the effects. This is a very futuristic, sci-fi movie. As I watched it we discussed how it was similar to different movies…Pocahontas because of the John Smith/princess part, Native Americans because of their ties to their world, etc…There were no cuss words, and a few romantic touching scenes.*Spoiler*The basic story is about a paralyzed marine who is tasked to find out what a species on another planet will take to give up there homes. This is a very futuristic, sci-fi kinda movie. The marine is promised an expensive surgery that will allow him to walk again for immersing himself in the ingenious population and gathering intel. Scientist have figured out how to have him and others transport their minds into Avatars (or created alien bodies). They hope to fit into the society but have failed. Along comes the marine in his Avatar and impressed the society because he is a warrior, the leader tasks his daughter with teaching Sully who they are and how to be one of their warriors. He seems to find himself along this journey and when their homes are destroyed he sides with the indigenous population. I won’t spoil the end but it has a very romantic end.

Vivid, breath-taking use of color, theme, and story-telling!

I watched this in the movie theater (3D) and loved it- just loved it! Then, when we bought a 3D plasma TV, Avatar was at the very top of our list!Read any review to learn about the breath-taking scenes of nature, color, popping 3D (great movie for those who don’t have 3D, too!). To be honest, there are some political undertones: the gist is that the big, bad government comes in to mine the area, including the ancestor tree…and these beings are one with nature…think USA and Native peoples…there is even a “mission accomplished” comment when one of the big-bad’s took out some of these beings (human-like creatures). I did see an older couple stomp out of the theater when that happened.The title, Avatar, is based on the main character- a paraplegic man who gets to wear an avatar because it was made for his brother who is out of the picture. So it is a dream come true (they lie in what look like tanning beds and “mind blend” with their human-oid costumes to blend with the native beings on this planet) because the man can run/walk, is finally free. But as a quirky mistake, he is accepted into the tribe of beings. He reports back to the scientists (the well-meaning ones that want to learn the culture) as well as the commandos, and along the way he becomes one of the beings…only to realize his intel is used to trigger ways to get rid of them or relocate them.The story, from there, is not new, but the journey is novel, right down to the creatures, plants and animals, and customs of these beings. Just an incredible movie!

Five Stars

Excellent

Five Stars

Amazing visual effects. Good story line and directing.

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