DVD Talk Forum
Page 1 of 5
1
2
3
Last »
Show 40 post(s) from this thread on one page

DVD Talk Forum (https://forum.dvdtalk.com/)
-   Movie Talk (https://forum.dvdtalk.com/movie-talk-17/)
-   -   The Abyss (1989, W/D: James Cameron) -- Discussion Thread (https://forum.dvdtalk.com/movie-talk/370771-abyss-1989-w-d-james-cameron-discussion-thread.html)

PacMan2006 06-20-04 05:52 PM
The Abyss (1989, W/D: James Cameron) -- Discussion Thread
 
I just finished watching it. It definitely wasn't what I expected it to be.

Anyway, can people help me out here. I know there is probably some symbolism in this movie and more than meets the eye. But a lot of the extra-terrestial stuff, especially at the end, I just didn't "get it."

Thanks.

PopcornTreeCt 06-20-04 06:06 PM
Did you watch the extended version?
Basically
Spoiler:
The aliens took the high road and decided not to obliterate life on earth because people will kill each other anyway
And in closing thank God Cameron stopped putting sappy messages into his movies.

PacMan2006 06-20-04 06:14 PM
No, I only saw the theatrical version. Thanks though...

Abranut 06-20-04 06:22 PM
Yup.

Standard James Cameron philosophy. [Arnie]"It's in your nature to destroy yourselves."[/Arnie]

Lara Means 06-20-04 07:01 PM
Well, no wonder you didn't "get it." You were supposed to watch the extended cut. The aliens didn't even try to obliterate life in the theatrical version. I still dont know what the hell they were there for in that version.

OldBoy 06-20-04 08:43 PM
one of my favorite movies. watch it again..you may get it upon a second viewing. i also think you can get it with just the theatrical edition.

devilshalo 06-20-04 10:20 PM
Better than watching the director's cut.. read the novelization by Orson Scott Card. Cameron gave him the basic principles and he expanded on it. I happened to have read it before the Abyss opened and it made a lot more sense to me.

Charlie Goose 06-20-04 11:57 PM
In the extended cut,
Spoiler:
there is mention of how bad things are in the world politically. When the aliens have Bud, they show him how they've created thousand-foot tidal waves and are going to destroy humanity. When he asks why they would do such a thing, they show him film clips of man's tendency to war. Then they show him how the tidal waves are slowly disappearing, they have spared mankind. They saw his selflessness in decommissioning the nuclear warhead and decided people were worth saving after all.

tonyc3742 06-21-04 12:02 AM
Hmm.
I might have to watch it again.
I last watched the extended cut over a year ago, and the feeling I got was
Spoiler:
that the aliens were kinda saying 'Hey, you're a good guy, so we'll help you out', or just showing how advanced they were compared to humanity.
And the saving-the-world bit, I got as: We're here. You don't know we're here: But don't f*** with us, and don't f*** up the world, because we'll take you out before we let you take out the world. More of a warning-type thing. We'll share knowledge, once you've advanced past this blow-up the world- stage, but if you try to destroy our new home, you're in for it.

I also agree 110% that the extended cut TOTALLY changes the meaning of the film, and is a superior version that makes more sense.

Rivero 06-21-04 05:40 PM
Originally posted by PacMan2006
No, I only saw the theatrical version.
You must, MUST see the Extended version. Better in every single possible way. Awesome movie.

natesfortune 06-21-04 09:24 PM
Definetly watch the extended cut. It's a must - a completely different film, and I think the "The Abyss" that will survive as the version people refer to as "the actual film" from now on.

Hiro11 06-21-04 09:35 PM
This is up there with "Once Upon a Time in America" as the film most destroyed by idiotic studio chiefs. Get the extended cut to see the actual movie.

PorkChopExpress 06-22-04 12:10 AM
Geez, I didn't even know there was an extended cut. I watched it years ago when it came out and remember thinking that this is one of the best movies I've ever seen...except the ending, which just made me go huh? Felt similar to when I saw S. King's IT. Will definitely check it out

shaun3000 06-22-04 12:36 AM
Agreed, the the extended cut.

Get this version: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...v=glance&s=dvd It's one of the best DVDs ever released.

This is the same thing, but without the second disc.

Puzznic 06-22-04 02:10 AM
I love The Abyss. Does it actually ever say that they are aliens in the movie. They could just as easily be an intelligent species that evolved deep underwater that humans never had contact with. It would especially make sense given that water based organisms came long before land based ones so that would give them a long time to evolve to their advanced state. This way the warning would carry more weight, by saying "we were here first and you have no right to trash our environment".

Ted The Bug 06-22-04 08:46 AM
Whoah. Never thought of that possibility before.

Galanthas 06-22-04 12:18 PM
The only bad thing about the ext. edition, unless it's just my copy, is that there is one bad edit close to the end of the film. Where one of guys starts to say a word and it gets cut off mid way through the word. Not a huge problem, but I'm a nit-picker heh.

Corvin 06-22-04 12:54 PM
Originally posted by Puzznic
I love The Abyss. Does it actually ever say that they are aliens in the movie. They could just as easily be an intelligent species that evolved deep underwater that humans never had contact with.
I'm pretty sure this is what the writers had in mind. There isn't any reason to believe they are foreign to this planet. And if I remember correctly, it seems as if they had been watching human civilization and its atrocities for a while.

devilshalo 11-13-23 02:40 PM
re: The Abyss (1989, W/D: James Cameron) -- Discussion Thread
 
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/dvdtalk...c20e957969.jpg

Dan 11-13-23 02:48 PM
re: The Abyss (1989, W/D: James Cameron) -- Discussion Thread
 
maybe PacMan2006 will finally get it after one more viewing.

DWilson 11-13-23 06:02 PM
re: The Abyss (1989, W/D: James Cameron) -- Discussion Thread
 
I was in the theater on opening day and my problem was that the sequence where Harris and Mastranonio almost die is so powerful that it upstaged the rest of the film. However, the "Special Edition" gives the back half the power it needs.

TomOpus 11-13-23 06:37 PM
re: The Abyss (1989, W/D: James Cameron) -- Discussion Thread
 
It should look amazing. Should.

TomOpus 11-13-23 06:42 PM
re: The Abyss (1989, W/D: James Cameron) -- Discussion Thread
 
I still love the Chris Elliot line "Oh look who's with them. It's the queen bitch of the universe".

devilshalo 11-13-23 06:43 PM
re: The Abyss (1989, W/D: James Cameron) -- Discussion Thread
 
Originally Posted by DWilson (Post 14349859)
I was in the theater on opening day and my problem was that the sequence where Harris and Mastranonio almost die is so powerful that it upstaged the rest of the film. However, the "Special Edition" gives the back half the power it needs.
If only for the longer 'conversation' Bud has with the alien/NTI to give it more weight...

Troy Stiffler 11-13-23 08:48 PM
re: The Abyss (1989, W/D: James Cameron) -- Discussion Thread
 
I liked seeing it cut with a modern trailer.

I haven’t watched it in 10+ years. Will be fun to revisit.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:18 AM.
Page 1 of 5
1
2
3
Last »
Show 40 post(s) from this thread on one page


Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.