AVATAR: soundtrack analysis

(Complete soundtrack of the whole film)

Sountrack 1) You Don't Dream In Cryo:

This is the first soundtrack of the movie to open us up to the outer space feel where the film takes place, far beyond Earth. This soundtrack has a mix of both dramatic live music and soft opera singing to perhaps hint at the clash of futuristic and destructive Human technology which is used through the film against the Na'vi and their ways of living on Pandora. It certainly gives you both sides of the story as almost foreshadowing the rising tension between the two races. Further more, at some points while it's playing the soft dramatic violin pieces it can link to how Jake Sully is in the middle of the conflict, being torn between his duty as a soldier and his loyalty to the Na'vi. Parts of this piece also plays while he is narrating on the way to Pandora in the beginning, further suggesting that it is representing the clash of two races through out the film and the choices that Jake will have to make in order to prevent the destruction of not only the humans and the Na'vi but also Pandora itself.
Over all, despite all of the above, this piece still manages to carry an out of space feel to it, suggesting to the audience that this is uncharted territory that the character are entering, and not anywhere close to our home planet as we know it.All the themes carried through this one piece however it is still not an unusual musical composition for the film and very much fits into the category of mainstream sci - fi blockbuster films, perhaps wanting it to hype the audience for the impact as well as action of the story.


Soundtrack 2) Jake enters his Avatar:





The name of this piece alone suggests discovery and adventure, and that's exactly what is coherently heard through out the piece. The build up of the music up to 2:00 suggests that Jake has just entered his Avatar and is now discovering what the world looks and feels like in the body of one of the Na'vi. first on it also has tribal sounding music which could mirror the thought of him being in another races body, giving a slight hint into the personality and ways of the Na'vi.
At 4:50 minutes in the music suddenly uplifts to a dramatic piece as if screaming adventure to the audience as well as how magnificent the Avatar bodies are and the possibilities they hold.

Soundtrack 3) Pure spirits of the forest:





This piece mirrors the first venture into the dense forests of Pandora, having the dramatic and almost horrific daunting parts of the music to suggest the dangers of being in a new place and the predators that surround them. This also sets the audience on edge as to where the Na'vi may be located and if they will run into the on the humans first trip into the forest. towards the end it also has a most sinister sounding touch to it as could mirror the obscurity and unknown of the forest, reflecting the feeling of being alone and lost in an unfamiliar place.

Soundtrack 4)  The Bioluminescence of the Night :



This soundtrack is the first piece we hear after Jake come into contact with one of the Na'vi as well as the spirits which inhabit the forest. instead of giving off a very alien like feel the piece instead relates to somewhat native american type music as it caries the spiritual vibe which their music did long ago. It takes away all the tension which built up with two coming into contact with one of their kind and instead of having it as a violent confrontation it instead had a very calm and spiritual presence, which clashes greatly with the music which was displayed with the human technology on screen.