Avalon
Seen: 2004-06-09
Overall: *** 1/2
Writing: *** 1/2
Acting: *** 1/2
Cinematography: *** 1/2
Effects: ***
Music: *** 1/2
Art: ****
Direction: ***
Originality: *** 1/2
Enjoyment: ****
Conditions: ** 1/2
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For the first time since the fest, I watched Avalon
again last night. Lovely movie. I'm going to discuss
a little bit of my interpretation. For anyone who hasn't
seen it, be warned. Below this point, I'm going to be
discussing SPOILERS.
Confronted with a world (or "level") that
appeared not only more real than any game stage she had
previously seen, but also more vivid, pronounced, and
interactive than her real life, Ash had to make a
choice.
When she found Murphy, she was faced with 2 options.
(1) Kill Murphy, thus completing her objective in the
game (if it was, in fact, a game), or (2) Leave him
alive, and continue to live in this unprecendented
state of existence.
Obviously, she chose the first option. My question is
why? Disregarding of the ultimate outcome (I would have
been equally happy with the film if reality had been
revealed to be different), why did she act in the way
she did?
In an attempt to answer, let's look at what would have
happened if she had instead decided to put down the gun.
Both she and Murphy would have continued to inhabit
"Class Real" indefinitely. A world of full
of unpredictability, objectivelessness, uncertainty, and
color. What would she do in the presence of all these
"neutrals", some of them who looked up at her
with the eyes of children staring in wonder and curiosity?
Where would she go? How would she cope?
Even if it was real, for Ash, this form of reality
would have been meaningless. There would be no other
objectives, missions, or victories to win. Even the
face of her dog would be lost in the game (or perhaps
that was the only real thing afterall). Color and vibrance was
ultimately irrelevant. All that mattered was the familiar.
So she chose to do what was familiar, complete the
level, and proceed to the next stage. Her mind would
be lost forever, because even if she did make it back
to the "real" world of dimly light alleys,
cooking stew, and feeding her dog, it would no longer
provide a convincing environment for her senses. She
would be in the game forever, because even if she woke
up and got out, there would be no way to know that she
was home.
A mental vegetable. In Avalon.
For the first time since the fest, I watched Avalon again last night. Lovely movie. I'm going to discuss a little bit of my interpretation. For anyone who hasn't seen it, be warned. Below this point, I'm going to be discussing SPOILERS.
Confronted with a world (or "level") that appeared not only more real than any game stage she had previously seen, but also more vivid, pronounced, and interactive than her real life, Ash had to make a choice.
When she found Murphy, she was faced with 2 options. (1) Kill Murphy, thus completing her objective in the game (if it was, in fact, a game), or (2) Leave him alive, and continue to live in this unprecendented state of existence.
Obviously, she chose the first option. My question is why? Disregarding of the ultimate outcome (I would have been equally happy with the film if reality had been revealed to be different), why did she act in the way she did?
In an attempt to answer, let's look at what would have happened if she had instead decided to put down the gun. Both she and Murphy would have continued to inhabit "Class Real" indefinitely. A world of full of unpredictability, objectivelessness, uncertainty, and color. What would she do in the presence of all these "neutrals", some of them who looked up at her with the eyes of children staring in wonder and curiosity? Where would she go? How would she cope?
Even if it was real, for Ash, this form of reality would have been meaningless. There would be no other objectives, missions, or victories to win. Even the face of her dog would be lost in the game (or perhaps that was the only real thing afterall). Color and vibrance was ultimately irrelevant. All that mattered was the familiar.
So she chose to do what was familiar, complete the level, and proceed to the next stage. Her mind would be lost forever, because even if she did make it back to the "real" world of dimly light alleys, cooking stew, and feeding her dog, it would no longer provide a convincing environment for her senses. She would be in the game forever, because even if she woke up and got out, there would be no way to know that she was home.
A mental vegetable. In Avalon.