(c) Photofest / Getty Images
A meaningful “box office failure”. What did Cameron see in The Abyss?
2019.04.15
look into the abyss
"When you look into The Abyss , The Abyss looks back at you." (Translation from the subtitles on The Abyss Complete Edition DVD)
The epigraph of ``The Abyss'' quotes a passage from philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche's book ` `Beyond Good and Evil .'' This epigraph was removed from the 140-minute theatrical version. The same words were quoted in ``Criminal Law'' (1989), which was released a while ago, and he didn't want people to think he was copying them. Later, this epigraph was revived in a ``complete version'' that added about 30 minutes, including the CG scene of the large tsunami.
Cameron came across Nietzsche's words after finishing writing the screenplay for The Abyss and was shocked. This is because when considered in the light of the work, the part ``the abyss looks back'' can be interpreted in two ways. One is that you are forced to look at yourself and learn about your true nature.
The other meaning is that non-terrestrial intelligence (NTI) living in the abyss is peeking at humanity. The story of ``The Abyss'' is about Bud and Lindsey, whose marriage was about to end, as they each have near-death experiences to reconsider themselves and realize what is truly important - love. It is also a story about learning the value of peace from the crisis of the massive tsunami.
“The Abyss” (c)Photofest / Getty Images
It can be said that Cameron also reexamined himself after making The Abyss and has grown significantly. Developing the deep sea exploration expressed in the short story, it has been sublimated into an epic story depicting a couple and their crew who face a crisis at an underwater facility, and their encounter with extraterrestrial life forms that can freely manipulate water.
Driven by his passion for diving, he introduced many new engineering techniques to achieve an unprecedented level of reality in his underwater photography, which would later be used to depict the inside of a sinking luxury liner in `` Titanic .'' . The concept of ``peaceful extraterrestrial beings guiding humanity'' is reminiscent of Kubrick's ` `2001: A Space Odyssey '' (68), which Cameron once fell in love with, and is, of course, a concept connected to `` Avatar .''
Another important thing is that Cameron encountered computer graphics in this film. It can be said that the company's belief in the potential of CG and its introduction determined its subsequent breakthrough. I would like to discuss the visual effects of ``The Abyss,'' including such CG, in my next article .
【reference】
・DVD “The Abyss Complete Edition” 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment Japan
・"James Cameron's Visual Dynamics" written by Ryohei Takahashi Victor Music Industry
Text: Ikuya Takamori
Freelance writer, English-Japanese translator. Mainly contributes movie reviews and columns to web media, and translates news articles. The translated book is ``Science of Star Wars--Thorough verification! From the true nature of the Force to intergalactic travel” (written by Mark Blake and John Chase, published by Kagaku Doujin) and others.
(c) Photofest / Getty Images
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