Does Avatar Steal From Roger Dean?
Since its release in December, Avatar has become a cinematic phenomenon.
The 3-D world of Pandora, the futuristic planet filled with floating mountains and mystical creatures, has captured the imagination with the film breaking box office records worldwide.
But if you thought those vivid, surrealistic landscapes look familiar, then you are not alone.
It doesn’t require 3-D glasses to see why many have drawn comparisons between the Pandora created by Avatar director James Cameron and the iconic work of artist Roger Dean, whose dreamlike, fantasy paintings have graced numerous album covers, most notably those of Yes.
“You wouldn’t believe how many letters I got,” Dean tells Classic Rock. “Some people congratulated me assuming I’d worked on it.”
But Dean hadn’t worked on it, nor has he been credited, which has led him to explore his legal options.
“I can’t talk more now. I have been told by my lawyers not to talk to anyone at this stage.”
Since first developing the idea for Avatar in 1995, Cameron has pursued his singular vision, albeit with the assistance of a large creative team, including the film’s production designer Robert Stromberg, whose initial drawings made a huge impression on the director.
“I stayed up all night and did two images and one of them was an image of this alien planet with floating mountains.” When Cameron saw them, Stromberg said he pointed at them and went: “That’s my movie.”
Asked if he was aware of Dean’s work and whether it was ever referenced during the film’s development, Stromberg replied: “The answer is yes, in among many science fiction artists and different artists, just trying to get, not a direct influence, but see what people were up to.
“There are not many places to go when talking about floating mountains when you’re talking imagery.”
“There’s not, is there?” responds Dean, sardonically.
Check out the images below. What do you think?
* For more on this story, check out the March issue of Classic Rock, on sale Wednesday, February 3.
Roger Dean’s cover to Osibisa’s 1971 album Woyaya.
A typical Roger Dean ‘floating islands’ image.
A Dean-style creature in full flight.
Cover to Budgie’s Never Turn Your Back On A Friend.
Above and below: stills from the Avatar movie.
I love Roger Dean’s work, but doesn’t he already have a lot of money? Come on people y does everything have 2 result in litigation? It’s not that important! Besides, artists have been influencing and inspiring other artists 4 years…
Was impressed that Roger Dean’s vision had been brought to life when I saw the film. Certainly thought a lot of the Magnetic Storm was the inspiration for what was on the screen.
looks like avatar is influenced by, but they have not stolen. its in the mood of rogers pictures but – sorry to say so – he just painted fantasy pictures. like lots of others as well.
mmmm magic floating islands, dragons? Roger Dean, surely….
I think somewhere along the line, the artist for avatar was certainly influenced by the Dean’s work. Perhaps he’s a secret Yes fan
Patrick Woodroffe also used islands in the sky in his artwork. That’s who i thought of when i saw the film, although having just looked in one of his books they appear to be floating upside down…but nevertheless they are floating.
The idea has been used but not abused i’d say in reference to the film.
If it was just the floating Islands i’d agree – but it’s the sheer weight of similarities from the floating islands, to the stone arches, the dragons and their patterning and more that make me think it’s far more than mere coincidence. And no, it shouldn’t be ok to plagiarise an artists’ work that heavily and blatantly without even acknowledging that artist. It’s not like Cameron hasn’t done that before.
Dean deserves a proper credit and even a small slice of the $billions the film’s raked in of it’s wonderful visuals – to say Dean already has money so doesn’t deserve any more completely misses the point.
So some recognition is only fair!
When the Avatar crew uses Deans world and does not own up to it I see that as an issue. Roger Dean has been trying to get his own animated project going and you dont think Avatar takes some wind out of the sails?? I have met Roger Dean at a couple of his shows in SF and he very humble guy with an amazing vision! Not quite the “master of the world” or what ever Cameron claims to be!
I think it possible (although perhaps unprovable) that Dean’s work is so well known to many of a certain generation that it has almost entered our collective subconscious. Therefore it might have been unconscious of the designers to go in this direction without even thinking about it. However, I am being generous there. In other respects it looks so derivative that I think they should have at least given him some sort of recognition, thanks or acknowledgement in the screen credits.
There’s absolutely no way that ‘Views’ and all of Roger Dean’s other books weren’t ‘kicking around’ the art dept while this film was being designed.
I’ve worked in film and TV, and I know how art depts work – get a mass of ‘reference’ material and ‘mood boards’ together and cherry pick the bits that inspire – Deans books were there for certain.
One of the Avatar concept artists has already admitted using Roger’s ideas. Cameron will settle out of court, I expect, and quite right too.
Granted, there are similarities to Deans work and he should get some recognition but how far is our ’suing culture’ going to take this? I agree with Howard Johnston who says that work which is well known to us enters our collective subconscious.
When I first saw Deans floating islands I was reminded of Rene Magritte (Castle in the Pyrenees). Lets be honest here, art is an amalgamation of many ideas and things.
Art borrows from life itself.
If Cameron settles out of court, perhaps a small donation by Dean could go to the Rene Magritte Foundation, hmm…I wonder?!
I took my family to see Avater becuase, based on the previews, I knew it was based to Roger Dean’s work. I was shocked when I couldn’t find his name in the credits.
It’s not about how much money Mr. Dean has. It is about using ideas without recognition. Not being conscious of stealing it is not an excuse. There is no question in my mind that this is plagarism. I fervently hope that Mr. Dean sues. It’s just not right!
If Ronald Mack, gets credit from George Harrison, (‘My Sweet Lord’ => ‘He’s So Fine’ ) Then Roger Dean must get credit from …… James Cameron? …Rob Legato?…
Does anyone also see the Dean influence in Sponge Bob Atlantis Squarepantis? If you’ve seen Dean’s architecture, you’ll see it.
Its not the first time that James Cameron has upset artists, HR Giger wasnt Happy with how Cameron used his Alien designs in Aliens & how he was mentioned in the closing credits with the ‘original Alien design by’ tag when the look of the movie used the ‘Giger look’ ripped off from Alien, just a pity Giger chose to work on Poltergiest 2 instead, still Giger didnt throw a wobbly,id love to see the ulimate Giger Movie though!
I don’t see any significant similarity between Dean’s work and Avatar visual style. Green leaves, blue sky and fantastic flying creatures (DIFFERENT fantastic flying creatures!) ain’t enough to support such claims.
As an artist a Yes fan, and someone who enjoyed Avatar, I too believe Mr. Dean deserves full credit in some huge Artistic capacity. He was not the Art Director (but thinking back to his book Views he could easily have pulled the films’ team together). I’ve gotten credit on major films for a tiny sculpture or two and Roger Dean gets no credit for his obvious contributions?? I think that credit + a verbal thanks from the film-makers aknowledging his work would mean more to him than a check from the studio. But I’m not the one they should be asking eh?
[Google images: "Roger Dean Avatar"]
I would like to agree with the contributor who mentions the painting by Renee Magritte, “Le Chateau des Pyrenees”, As far as I’m concerned, it is the ‘origional’ of the flying island/mountain idea.It has a great deal more feeling and meaning than any of the fantasy versions and ’spin offs’ by artists such as Mr Dean and others, since it appears to be a response to the Cathar castles of the Languedoc. No one could visit that area and not be deeply moved by the history of the Cathars, who lead intensely spiritual lives but were eventualy destroyed for political reasons.
Must have been one of the last people on the planet not to have seen Avatar. Saw it for the first time a couple of days ago. Immediately thought of Yessongs and the artwork of Roger Dean. Quite amazing to see Deans imagery turned into a movie. Hopefuly it wont be a long drawn out court case.
hey vous j’aime bien ce post mais l’ immobilier est mon choix avant tout.
bonjour les gens j’aime bien cet article mais l’ immobilier est mon choix avant tout.
comment6, buy cialis soft online, >:(((, is generic cialis safe, 0630, brand generic cialis, 786813, generic cialis reviews, 131430, buy cheap generic cialis online, mzu,
I have been exploring for a little for any high-quality articles or blog posts in this kind of space . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this site. Studying this info So i am satisfied to exhibit that I have an incredibly good uncanny feeling I found out exactly what I needed. I so much no doubt will make sure to dont fail to remember this web site and provides it a look a relentless basis.
Many thanks for another informative blog. Where else could I purchase that kind of info coded in such type of perfect way? I’ve a project that we are at the moment working on, and i also have been on the look out for such information.