Spectacle to

promote an
emotional
repsonse.
Question1

Jack Wales GUID- 2556391w

Question 1.
James Cameron’s “Avatar”, is a film that effectively employs the use of spectacle to provoke

an emotional response, engage the audience with what’s on screen, and create a suspense-

filled atmosphere. According to the oxford dictionary Spectacle is defined as “a performance

or an event that is very impressive and exciting to look at”. We can find the technique

spectacle in a multitude of films, most notedly in several scenes within James Cameron’s

“Avatar”, the ‘Arrival to Pandora’ Scene, the ‘Final Battle’ Scene, ‘Pull The Plug’ as well as

others. These scenes show a different, but equally valid type of spectacle, and although these

examples of spectacle are very different, they both provoke an equal but almost opposite

response from the viewer.

The ‘Arrival to Pandora’ Scene uses spectacle to effectively set the scene of Pandora and

show its natural, untamed beauty. The ‘Scene starts when a party of humans, including the

main character Jake Sully arrives on the alien planet of Pandora, this scene has little dialogue.

The camera cuts to showing the natural beauty of Pandora, slowly coming in from the

planets hemisphere. Panoramic shots of the whole planet show the gargantuan size of

pandora, to therefore creating a sense of awe in the viewers mind, which is furthermore

emphasised when the camera moved from outer space into the planet below. Later in this

scene we are shown another panoramic shot, however this shot is of Pandora’s natural flora

and alluring landscape which is effectively used to show the intense beauty of the alien

planet. Which only further engrains a sense of awe within the viewer. The shots were used

within quick succession of each other create this spectacle of Pandora, and the purpose of this

spectacle is to work with-in the establishing shots to help set the scene and show the

magnitude of Pandora as a place and as a setting. Moreover, creating a sense of wonder and

curiosity of where the film is going to venture next. The use of spectacle did not only set the
scene of Pandora, which creates a sense of awe within the viewer, but it also pushes forward

the narrative, by introducing us to the setting of the whole film.

Unlike the ‘Arrival to Pandora’ scene, the ‘Final Battle’ scene uses spectacle to effectively

show the brutality, and futility of the ‘Final Battle’. James Cameron employs the use of quick

cuts between the ground battle showing potentially hundreds of thousands of ground forces

(on both sides) and humans armed with technology. Spectacle is used to show the magnitude

of the armies on both sides as we are shown hundreds of Na’vi riders charging towards

potential deaths at the hands of the humans and their guns likewise, the same goes for the

humans at the end of an arrow or a Na’vi weapon. Mass death later ensues on both ends with

dramatic music playing in the background, helping to emphasise the total brutality of the

situation that they’ve found themselves in. Following the deaths at several places within the

scene, we are shown the air battle between the Na’vi riders and the human militia. This is

similar to the ground battle as the use of spectacle shows the magnitude of the armies on both

sides. Later in this scene, we are shown several explosions and deaths of Na’vi riders at a

large scale, along with the death and explosions of several main characters ( Trudy Chacon

and Tsu’tey), with the humans overpowering the Na’vi and their riders with their superior

firepower. Subsequently what happened in the skies, happened on ground, with the Na’vi

being overpowered and retreating, leaving Naytiri stuck behind a tree, seemingly helpless and

awaiting her death. Throughout this scene, the dark and blue colour palette on the ground

emphasises the sadness of battle and countless deaths. In this case, the technique of spectacle

has been used to reinforce an emotional response. This scene is the opposite of the opening

scene, we are shown a brutal use of spectacle which can not only keep the viewers on edge,

but to also create a sense of sadness. This is because the spectacle allows the viewers to see

what is happening in full detail, engaging the audience with the Na’vi’s plight, and showing
this battle in full detail. We as the viewers are engaged within the narrative and the

characters battle. In this case, we sympathise and potentially even have a strong emotional

response for the blight of the Na’vi people as they are struggling to defend their homes and

are only getting brutally murdered for doing so.

The ‘Pull The Plug’ scene uses spectacle in one distinct area to promote an emotional

response. This scene is when Naytiri is forced to pull the plug on the humans, who are

inhabiting the body of their Na’vi avatars. At one point we see the Na’vi home in a blaze of

flames, disintegrating, as well as the lifeless bodies of the avatars being dragged across the

forest floor. The facial expressions of the Na’vi show their genuine sadness of having to flee

their home without choice. The red hue of the intense flame engulfs their once lively tree

homes, whilst the red-orange hue of the fire could be argued as a contrast, as it creates a sense

of warmth, reminding some of a fireplace. However, in this case the fire is the burning their

hope and their homes. The large flame is another form of spectacle which in this case

provokes a saddened response from the viewer as they are upset for the Na’vi people due to

the sudden loss of their home, belonging and sense of place.

James Cameron’s “Avatar” effectively uses suspense throughout the film to provoke strong

emotional responses from the viewer by effectively using spectacle. Cameron follows the

definition given by Oxford to the letter, creating vast scenes for the viewer to stare in awe at.

This only leaves the question as to whether Cameron’ main focus when creating his film was

to provoke deep emotions between supposedly fictional characters and the audience. What is
however certain is that spectacle, is the vehicle in which the emotions of the audience is

driven.

Bibliography
 Avatar.2009. directed by James Cameron

 Stead T. Stage 32. 2019. “What is Spectacle in Film Making?” . Stage 32, Available :

https://www.stage32.com/blog/What-is-Spectacle-in-Filmmaking-And-How-Can-Indie-

Filmmakers-Use-it

 http://www.mediaknowall.com/camangles.html