Avatar Unseen

A firend of mine over on DeviantArt posted a link which discussed the original treatment for Avatar. It's discussed here:
http://chud.com/articles/articles/21969/1/PROJECT-880-THE-AVATAR-THAT-ALMOST-WAS/Page1.html

What is particularly interesting is that all of the plot conveniences, one sided and convenient storytelling is all absent. The story here is much more coherent, much more conflicted and the stakes are a lot higher. In short it makes sense and plays fair with the audience. It is a shame that Cameron then hatcheted at this until all the holes were visible. I think he'd have had to cut some of it as the treatment is quite long and he'd never fit it all into the run time but all of the original flair and IDEAS are here. The end result is all about the whizz bang and there's no originality.

Almost all of my criticisms are addressed in this draft which goes to show that they were valid points and that there ARE huge chunks missing in Avatar that make it a funtamentally flawed movie. From the reason that negotiation has failed to the less out-of-the-blue god intervening moment, the logic of the story is here. Other facts such as Pandora's ability to cure all known disease and the true value of Unobtanium (as well as a description of the fact that this is the joke name for it not the real name) are in this draft. The unity of the planet also conspires against the humans at the end and says that if mankind ever comes back it will create a disease that could wipe out the human race. This is a sensible example of Nature winning over technology, not throwing wooden spears through windcreens. It also means the film ends with no humans ever being able to come back which considering the value of what they're having to give up also makes Sully's conflict more of a conflict. It also sets up Earth as an almost lifeless shit hole which would have made even more of an impact when you realise no-one's seen forests before Pandora...

Ah what might have been, had Cameron not done a George Lucas and decided that more money means more effects which only means dialogue, plot and character all get shunted out of the way.

Have a read and you'll see what I mean.