Avatar and Apocalypto

Me `parece buena la comparación que has puesto...!!! Desde luego toda la película de Gibson se plantea en un contexto tribal, donde tribus de igual rango se enfrentan impulsadas por el ansía de aplacar el hambre de los dioses. El Otro mágico necesita sangre que haga fructificar la tierra baldia y sin frutos, La llegada de los conquistadores españoles con sus navios surcando los mares es símbolo de una nueva forma de hacer, que se impondrá con los instrumentos que la mente de ese siglo XVI hizo brotar en los confines de Europa en los estados modernos. El Imperio español es el primero de ambito global. Se decía, luego ya en el reinado de Felipe II, que en él nunca se ponía el sol (las posesiones españoles estaban repartidas por todos los confines del globo):  La razón logró imponer los instrumentos necesarios para esta primera globalización...Lástima que "los sueños de la razón produjeran monstruos" (Nombre este de un aguafuerte de Francisco de Goyal pintor español del siglo XIX).
 

In English (Goglee traslator):

`I look good comparison because you ...!!! Of course all Gibson's film is raised in a tribal context, where tribes of equal rank face driven by the desire to appease the hunger of the gods. The Other magic you need blood to make fruitful the barren, fruitless, the Spanish conquistadors arrived with their ships sailing the seas is a symbol of a new way of doing, to be imposed with the tools that the mind of the sixteenth century did forth in the confines of Europe in modern states. The Spanish Empire is the first global in scope. It was said then and in the reign of Philip II, that he never set the sun (Spanish possessions were scattered to all corners of the globe): The reason managed to impose the necessary tools for this first globalization ... Too bad "dreams of reason produce monsters" (Name the etching of a Spanish painter Francisco de Goyal nineteenth century).

...funny that you bring this!

I remember that when I read about the Apocalypto project (years before it was actually filmed) I was so upset!

I was still defending post-modern values and romantising tribes, and hating progress, and so on (guess what my colors were :)

Now, I can see the great truths in that film, showing the predator/brutal side of the pre-modern Tribal equation, that I myself blindly negated some years ago.

Nonetheless, and just as a little nuance: The ships coming at the end of the film are not the promise of Orange arriving but instead of blue arriving. Blue, that will put in order Red, according to some prescribed law; in this case, the bible.

It's an important point because, if Gibson is well aware of red and below brutal aspects, he doesn't seem to be as aware of Blue brutal aspects...because he is (I think) a Christian fundamentalist.

But anyway, Blue IS a progress coming from red and below.

So, in general, I think your perspective is right on the money; and, if I have to choose, I would prefer Apocalypto to gain more popularity than Avatar in mainstream culture. At least it is more accurate!

Peace,

Federico