In one of my classes we were discussing the movie Avatar and someone had said that there is actually a website for people who have seen the movie and can blog about how they wish to be in that world, or are depressed now from seeing the movie. I didn't believe it so I had to check it out myself. The website is www.avatar-forum.com with the topic thread of "Ways to cope with the depression of the dream of Pandora being intangible"
Now to me this sounds a little ridiculous so I did some more research and found an article that was done by CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/Movies/01/11/avatar.movie.blues/index.html
In this article it does refer to the avatar-forum, and gives examples of what people have blogged or commented on it regarding their feelings. The people talk about how they were emotionally drawn into this life by the Navi and want to live on Pandora. People have contemplated on suicide or gone into lucid dreaming to escape to the Pandora land. People posting on the avatar-forum are not only expressing their view and mental illnesses now due to Avatar but are also helping others cope with such a feeling.
I understand where some of these people are coming from, having seen the movie, yes it is a beautiful place to want to live...but suicide, and depression? I'm not sure why someone would let themselves get to that point all because of a movie. It is fantasy, not reality, nor will it be reality in the world we are living in now. It is beautiful, peaceful, and kind of shows how our world is as of now, and some don't want this world we live in anymore. It just amazes me how one movie can turn into a reason for suicide, depression, and among other things.
If you have seen the movie, what is your take on the 'Avatar' Blues, if you havent seen the movie, I do recommend seeing it in 3D and see for yourself if it is a movie to have depression or suicide thoughts over, or a movie for simply entertainment. I'm going with entertainment.
Avatar was one of the most visually stimulating movies I have ever seen. The 3D experience is the most immersive to date. I have to admit after leaving the theater and walking outside to the cold, bland, unappealing Iowa winter I found myself disappointed by the imagery I was now viewing compared to what I just saw. Depressed? Not really. Suicidal? Definitely not. I would say that people experiencing those feelings have other factors affecting their emotional state, and the movie plays a very small part. I'm not sure, but I think there may be some research about how since we are so disconnected with the environment that it can be a source of depression as a result of not satisfying some basic human need of belonging in nature. The themes from the movie might have cultivated something related to that.
Here are some articles that might relate:
http://www.childrenandnature.org/news/detail/counselors_encouraged_to_incorporate_nature_into_therapy/
http://www.childrenandnature.org/news/detail/counselors_encouraged_to_incorporate_nature_into_therapy/
^Just read the top entry. the link to the actual article doesn't work. read the comments at your own risk.
http://www.ecopsychology.org/journal/ezine/archive2/holism.pdf
http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/texts/emerson/nature-emerson-a.html
Does anyone think this might be the case? Do we need to be involved with nature to be completely happy?
I learned in film school that this is actually a very common reaction to films with such dramatic components. We all experience it to some degree, we cry at movies like The Notebook, Titanic and Steel Magnolias. We have trouble sleeping after seeing horror flicks (I can't name too many of these because I hate watching them), we feel a rush of adrenaline after watching action films, and we continue quoting "one liners" from our favorite comedy films for weeks. If the movie altered your emotional state at all, that is what these people are experiencing, just at a higher level. It's possible their grasp on reality was slightly different than yours or mine as well.
Any film's intention is to make the viewer believe that what took several months to write, produce, shoot and edit is actually happening in front of you as you are watching it. A film like Avatar is so incredibly detailed and James Cameron is sooo good at his job that people will be obsessing about this movie for years, if not decades to come. The way Star Wars enveloped fans that actually believe that the "force" is a real phenomenon. It happens in movies, music and others forms of art and entertainment.