Avatar Inspired By Yes’ Album Cover Artist?
By Seraphina L.
There is no doubt that Avatar is one of the most exciting movies to come out this year. The trailers and the short commercials on TV create a sense of a dreamworld through extravagant special effects and mad art concepts. Although it doesn’t premier worldwide until tomorrow on December 16 and in the US on December 18, we’re banking on it living up to its expectations. The fact that James Cameron has made the most expensive movie in existence should be enough justification.
What’s interesting about the beautiful visions the film provides is the fact that it looks eerily similar to some album artwork that has surfaced from the past. If you’re a fan of bands such as Yes and Asia, you probably already know what we’re talking about.
According to io9.com, James Cameron’s Avatar looks exactly like the art done by classic album artist, Roger Dean. They report Connor Freff Cochran, founder of Conlan Press, has suggested that “Avatar‘s lush moon might have gained some inspiration from Dean.”
io9.com has recently posted Cameron’s art concept and now they have posted several album covers and artwork done by Roger Dean. After comparing the two, we can’t say we don’t agree with him. There is an insane amount of similarities, it’s scary.
What do you think? Did James Cameron’s Avatar get inspiration from Roger Dean?
Thursday, December 17, 2009 8:43PM
As an old Yes fan, it was immediately obvious that the art of Avatar is heavily inspired by Roger Dean. I only happy to see that this is already discovered and will wait to see Dean's name somewhere in the credits…
Sunday, December 20, 2009 3:53PM
Roger dean deserves to be in the credits. its the ONLY thing NOT perfect about AVATAR the movie.
Saturday, January 2, 2010 8:01PM
It would be difficult to believe that no one on the design team was aware of Roger Dean's rich body of work. Seems they've appropriated his designs without so much as an 'inspired by' credit.
Thursday, January 21, 2010 3:36PM
WE TOTALLY AGREE……….BEING AVID YES FANS FOREVER AS WELL AS ROGER DEAN! THIS IS WHY WE WERE DRAWN TO GO SEE THE MOVIE IN THE FIRST PLACE………..WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING YET EXACTLY HOW SIMILAR THE INFLUENCES ARE!
JAMES CAMERON: GIVE CREDIT WHERE IT'S DUE!
Saturday, March 20, 2010 6:52PM
I liked it. "Getting" cultural references in film and music is a special game for me. Probably is for you, too. We don't need to be hit over the head with it., the subtlety is half the fun. We know it's there.. and dig it.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 8:35PM
DUH! Oh course it's all lifted from Roger Dean. Just push the '3-D' button for a tri-D psychorama. We'll get to Delaney in a moment.
Cameron has never had an original idea he can honestly call his own and of course his HUGE ego will never admit he shamelessly steels without attribution or the courtesy of a "Thank You" to anyone. Particularly the great SF authors of the last century which he and & have read with great avidity & appreciation apparently.
And he steals from himself. Did you notice The Comapny "suits" with the same upturned business suit collars from Aliens??? And all the other updates from the same movie?
What a flaming a$$hole. Laughing all the way to the bank, though; so you have to give him that.
Avatar is lifted from John Varley's trilogy Titan, Wizard & Demon. Completely.
Sunday, May 30, 2010 8:40PM
Oh, and he steals from the great Samuel R. Delaney's Nova wherein the main plot point and arc of the story is the quest for a corner on the galactic market of "Illyrion." Which is a pretty funny pun if you get the joke, 'cuz Cameron would never pop for buying the rights honestly from Delaney's Estate: so "Illyrion" is quite naturally "Unobtainium."
Complete jerkoff.
The movie is a spectacular piece of trash. Not ONE original thought in it. Still, $2 bil & counting … pretty good con job. Nice work if you can get it.
Friday, February 17, 2012 8:30PM
As some one who has had posters of Roger Dean on his wall for like 12 years I am still shocked that io9 was so late on this news back then.
Also Daft Punk also was inspired by Roger Dean's work when making Interstella 5555 and added the arches on the planet of the music group who got abducted. But at least they gave him credit