Just Saw "The Abyss" But Didn't Really Get It... (1 Viewer)

[Kevin Grey]

It was in the novelization. The novelization was by acclaimed SF writer Orson Scott Card and he worked very heavily with Cameron on it. The ship that inadvertently takes out the sub at the beginning was actually a ship coming from outer space to their base at the bottom of the trench.

 

[Kevin M]

...or alien.

 

[Kevin M]

...or alien.

 

[Ernest Rister]

They are NTIs. Non-Terrestrial-Intelligence.

"But, some of the resulting "falling action", I think, is both necessary and satisfying. Particularly Bud's journey down and her speaking to him. It's a great juxtaposition to the drowning, and I have no problem with the film ending on Bud smiling at the end of his journey."

Why couldn't both happen at the same time? Why can't the NTIs see Bud fighting to save Lindsay's life, see Lindsay's sacrifice, and meanwhile, their waves are raqcing across the Globe. The sacrifice and Bud's love and determination not to lose Lindsay stops the NTI's from destroying the world -- Not a text message, a real-world demonstration of the value of life. Why couldn't both of these plot events happen simultaneously, and end the movie with an emotional and visceral bang, as opposed to half an hour's worth of falling action?

 

[Ernest Rister]

They are NTIs. Non-Terrestrial-Intelligence.

"But, some of the resulting "falling action", I think, is both necessary and satisfying. Particularly Bud's journey down and her speaking to him. It's a great juxtaposition to the drowning, and I have no problem with the film ending on Bud smiling at the end of his journey."

Why couldn't both happen at the same time? Why can't the NTIs see Bud fighting to save Lindsay's life, see Lindsay's sacrifice, and meanwhile, their waves are raqcing across the Globe. The sacrifice and Bud's love and determination not to lose Lindsay stops the NTI's from destroying the world -- Not a text message, a real-world demonstration of the value of life. Why couldn't both of these plot events happen simultaneously, and end the movie with an emotional and visceral bang, as opposed to half an hour's worth of falling action?

 

[Laura Nicholson]

Kevin

Thank you for bringing up the novelization. IMO, novelizations generally don't add anything to the movie. There are two exceptions that I can think of off the top of my head and The Abyss is one of them. The novelization adds another whole dimension that would not have been possible to film.
If you can find a copy it is definitely worth the read. The only problem I have with it is now I have a very hard time watching the theatrical edition. The book added too much in for me to watch it.

Thanks
(if anyone cares, the only other novelization I think really adds to the movie is Alien: Resurrection.:b Book is so much better than the movie, but it also helped me see where they wanted to go.)

Shutting Up Now

 

[Laura Nicholson]

Kevin

Thank you for bringing up the novelization. IMO, novelizations generally don't add anything to the movie. There are two exceptions that I can think of off the top of my head and The Abyss is one of them. The novelization adds another whole dimension that would not have been possible to film.
If you can find a copy it is definitely worth the read. The only problem I have with it is now I have a very hard time watching the theatrical edition. The book added too much in for me to watch it.

Thanks
(if anyone cares, the only other novelization I think really adds to the movie is Alien: Resurrection.:b Book is so much better than the movie, but it also helped me see where they wanted to go.)

Shutting Up Now

 

[Terry St]

Yep. That would be me.

Although Cameron is often less than subtle, the extended cut is even *less* subtle than the theatrical cut. The viewer is clubbed over the head repeatedly by the same old "Nuclear-Weapons-BAD!" schmutz that's directly out of, as someone said before, "The Day the Earth Stood Still". It was new and interesting in the 50's, but frankly, anti-nuclear sentiment has gotten a little old. Yep, those pesky nukes do generally suck, and I think everyone knows that now. Why beat a rotting horse? It'll just stink even worse after you're done.

Personally, I find that the the alien presence is much more mysterious in the theatrical cut. Although they do save the day, deus ex machina style, it's unclear just what they were doing at the bottom of the ocean to begin with. Conversely, in the extended cut, they're down there waiting for the opportunity to whip up some tsunami and give everyone heart-attacks. However, think about it for a bit. Arguably, if a bunch of aliens came to Earth to lecture us on the all-around general badness of nuclear weapons they wouldn't make a side-trip to the deepest parts of the ocean in the process. Why waste all that energy coming down out of orbit? Why not lecture/menace/exterminate us from orbit? It just doesn't make sense. Why wipe out a civilization for using nukes anyways? Isn't it a tad counterproductive?

In the theatrical cut the aliens' purpose is unclear. It's quite probable that they're down on the bottom of the sea for reasons that, believe it or not, probably don't involve humans at all. Maybe they're interstellar marine biologists? Heck, maybe they just like deeeeeeep sea diving. They could be dumping toxic waste or burying alien treasure for all we know. Humans start poking around, leave a nasty little present on their doorstep, and one of them has the decency to come clean it up. Heck, why not return the favour and save the hairless apes hiney?

Personally, I view the extended cut additions as crap that flat out never happened. The wonderfully mysterious, curious, and perplexing alien presence turns into generic anti-nuke BS with those scenes and cheapens the entire film. If you absolutely must have every last shred of meaning handed to you on a silver platter then I suppose the extended edition might be to your liking. If you would prefer to create your own meaning and enjoy a far less cheesy film, stick with the theatrical cut.

 

[Terry St]

Yep. That would be me.

Although Cameron is often less than subtle, the extended cut is even *less* subtle than the theatrical cut. The viewer is clubbed over the head repeatedly by the same old "Nuclear-Weapons-BAD!" schmutz that's directly out of, as someone said before, "The Day the Earth Stood Still". It was new and interesting in the 50's, but frankly, anti-nuclear sentiment has gotten a little old. Yep, those pesky nukes do generally suck, and I think everyone knows that now. Why beat a rotting horse? It'll just stink even worse after you're done.

Personally, I find that the the alien presence is much more mysterious in the theatrical cut. Although they do save the day, deus ex machina style, it's unclear just what they were doing at the bottom of the ocean to begin with. Conversely, in the extended cut, they're down there waiting for the opportunity to whip up some tsunami and give everyone heart-attacks. However, think about it for a bit. Arguably, if a bunch of aliens came to Earth to lecture us on the all-around general badness of nuclear weapons they wouldn't make a side-trip to the deepest parts of the ocean in the process. Why waste all that energy coming down out of orbit? Why not lecture/menace/exterminate us from orbit? It just doesn't make sense. Why wipe out a civilization for using nukes anyways? Isn't it a tad counterproductive?

In the theatrical cut the aliens' purpose is unclear. It's quite probable that they're down on the bottom of the sea for reasons that, believe it or not, probably don't involve humans at all. Maybe they're interstellar marine biologists? Heck, maybe they just like deeeeeeep sea diving. They could be dumping toxic waste or burying alien treasure for all we know. Humans start poking around, leave a nasty little present on their doorstep, and one of them has the decency to come clean it up. Heck, why not return the favour and save the hairless apes hiney?

Personally, I view the extended cut additions as crap that flat out never happened. The wonderfully mysterious, curious, and perplexing alien presence turns into generic anti-nuke BS with those scenes and cheapens the entire film. If you absolutely must have every last shred of meaning handed to you on a silver platter then I suppose the extended edition might be to your liking. If you would prefer to create your own meaning and enjoy a far less cheesy film, stick with the theatrical cut.

 

[Travis_S]

:rolleyes

 

[Travis_S]

:rolleyes

 

[Jose Martinez]

I love the extended edition but I love Orson Scott Card's novelization even more. Definitely worth a read.

 

[Jose Martinez]

I love the extended edition but I love Orson Scott Card's novelization even more. Definitely worth a read.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Terry as Travis has pointed out your last few statements are very condescending.

Too bad, as the rest of your post is well constructed.

Also, the main thrust of your argument rests on giving the aliens human motivations. They are aliens - how does one know how they would act? Maybe they have their own version of the Prime Directive!

As for me, the theatrical cut has a major narrative disjunction after Lindsay's resuscitation. The director's cut corrects this.

Also, any movie that suggests tolerance and respect for one another, especially in today's times, including The Day The Earth Stood Still - is never out of date or more needed.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Terry as Travis has pointed out your last few statements are very condescending.

Too bad, as the rest of your post is well constructed.

Also, the main thrust of your argument rests on giving the aliens human motivations. They are aliens - how does one know how they would act? Maybe they have their own version of the Prime Directive!

As for me, the theatrical cut has a major narrative disjunction after Lindsay's resuscitation. The director's cut corrects this.

Also, any movie that suggests tolerance and respect for one another, especially in today's times, including The Day The Earth Stood Still - is never out of date or more needed.

 

[Jefferson Morris]

Lou wrote:Now that's a more pragmatic and sensible reason (even if it still makes for a heavy-handed message), but I don't think the film really supports it. We are led to believe that the aliens simply can't stand to see us hurting each other.

But then again, maybe that's what they wanted us to believe, to cover their true, self-interested motivations. An interesting speculation, though somehow I doubt Cameron ever thought about it.

--Jefferson Morris

 

[Jefferson Morris]

Lou wrote:Now that's a more pragmatic and sensible reason (even if it still makes for a heavy-handed message), but I don't think the film really supports it. We are led to believe that the aliens simply can't stand to see us hurting each other.

But then again, maybe that's what they wanted us to believe, to cover their true, self-interested motivations. An interesting speculation, though somehow I doubt Cameron ever thought about it.

--Jefferson Morris

 

[David Coleman]

I've always felt that the SPECIAL EDITION of THE ABYSS is Cameron's finest film!

When I saw the theatrical it just didn't make sense to me but upon seeing the Special Edition it all makes sense. The fact that you really get to see how the world tensions evolved and that the world was really on the brink comes out in the additional scenes. Which really makes Bud's sacrifice show it's significance!

 

[David Coleman]

I've always felt that the SPECIAL EDITION of THE ABYSS is Cameron's finest film!

When I saw the theatrical it just didn't make sense to me but upon seeing the Special Edition it all makes sense. The fact that you really get to see how the world tensions evolved and that the world was really on the brink comes out in the additional scenes. Which really makes Bud's sacrifice show it's significance!

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Like I mentioned earlier, we're probably all giving this a lot more analysis than Cameron ever did!