At first I just thought it was a quirky movie. I was a little confused at times and then I rewatched it last night. I noticed the text in the beginning says four people died due to the forest fires. I realized that we are only introduced to four characters in the entire film!
Spoiler: They're Ghosts!
You may want to revise the title of your topic, since it contains a MAJOR possible spoiler.
That being said, yes, I do agree with this assessment.
More examples:
- The old man never saw the woman;
- The woman couldn't remember how long it had been since the fire;
- Alvin mentions to Lance that the paint is poisonous;
- Alvin jumps into the ravine without getting hurt;
- They paint a dead body outline on the asphalt...
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I find Oscar bait infinitely more interesting than ticket bait.
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I freshly finished to watch it and I had this feeling two or three times in the movie, especially when the old woman came around. But I wasn't so sure and this is the only topic that discusses it, as far as I paid attention. So could this be a relevant assertion? All the other reviewers have a good opinion about the movie but none of them mention this issue. Can it be enjoyed/understood without this take?
shareI thought it was just a mixture of surrealist/minimalist, which was a...strange combo to say the least. To answer your question, I imagine it will be hard for the average movie watcher to enjoy this movie without some kind of explanation, yes. I had the same thought about them possibly being dead (set in 88, fire in 87), but it just raises too many unanswered questions.
-Is the old man a ghost?
-Is his truck one too?
-And all their camping gear & stuff too? Is it just floating?
-Or is it invisible, possibly not even happening on earth but in their heads?
-Maybe some kind of collective purgatory even? If so...
-Why aren't they all burned up like the trees/houses we see that were hit by the fire?
-Why would ghosts need to eat? By that same account, did he really send/get a letter? What about the phone call from his wife?
Anyway, not a bad little movie. I'd say the problem is that it's listed everywhere as a comedy, when it's more of a drama (w/some comedic moments) than anything. Great cinematography and score though, acting was good too...
"What? Do you wanna just sit around and be wrong?" - Liz Lemon
I want to like this theory. Makes the film more beautiful, sadder and mysterious.
shareI think the old woman was definitely a ghost, maybe the old man too, but I didn't get the impression that Lance and Alvin were.
Alvin is receiving continuous letters from his girlfriend, up to her breaking up with him, so that wouldn't make sense. Also, Lance goes into town and gets a girl pregnant, a subplot that probably wouldn't be included if the characters were meant to be ghosts.
I actually really like this theory though, I kind of wish it was hinted more that they were in fact ghosts.
I think that the old woman was indeed a ghost, but not the old men and Alvin&Lance (are both of their names the reason for the title Avalanche?). the other 3 people are probably the children playing at their burned-down house at the end of the movie.
sharethat is the theory I have come to accept.
Alvin, Lance and the Old Trucker definitely not ghosts.
The old woman was and possibly the people/kids toward the end of the film.
Yeah I totally agree - why else would they mention the four deaths? There's quite a few telling scenes as well that suggest the four main characters are dead. I thought it was a great film.
shareDidn't think this while watching the film or even after it. But now reading these it really might be.
Just a thought: They all died doing what they did in the film. Alvin and Lance constructing the road, truckdriver driving, old lady looking for her license.
What is the point of the movie if they are all ghosts?
My opinion:
The old lady is a ghost.
When the old man tells Lance not to get too attached to a woman in town because she might have a kid and up and leave, he's talking about the fire taking his wife and kids (the old lady).
The old man drinks away his loss.
The kids at the end are the other 3 victims of the fire, and the children of the old man/lady.
Questions:
What was the significant of the old lady stating she was a pilot and searching for her credentials and flight log?
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The old woman alone was a ghost. Why am I going to get invested in the main characters' earthly cares (love, sex, etc.), if they're ghosts? It's a story about life, not death.
shareugh why can't you people just enjoy the movie..why is it necessary to come up with all these ridiculous theories?
Just because the film began with the explanation that there were wildfires in which 4 lives were lost doesn't mean that proves anything within the context of the movie! Wildfires occur every year and every blurb you read in the paper will state how many acres were burned, how many homes were lost and how many people died. It's not necessary to read any further into such a simple setup of the plot. Why all the crappy dappy symbolism nonsense???
I keep reading theories that the kids at the end were ghosts because omg the woman was a ghost and holy hell we HAVE to have 4 ghosts in the film because it said in the beginning that 4 people died. WHY oh WHY can't the kids just be playing in the burnt out remains of a home? I know that's what I'd be doing if I was a kid living there. It's not that big a deal! Why must they be ghosts? What kind of sick freaks are you that you want these kids to be dead?
WHAT ABOUT THE LUMBERJACKS????? THERE WERE FOUR LUMBERJACKS!!! WHY ARE ONLY THE CHILDREN CONSIDERED GHOSTS AND NOT THE LUMBERJACKS??? WHY DO YOU PEOPLE THINK THAT LUMBERJACKS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE GHOSTS????
Seriously people, stop overthinking it and just appreciate it for what it is...if you're wasting time counting ghosts you are completely missing the beauty of the film.
The people you idolize wouldn't like you.
@nrangerseven, usually film makers w artistic integrity include themes and subtext in their projects right?
So, why hate? Theories make it fun..
I also think everyone who wears blue is alive and the yellow lines divide life/death
Whether the ghosts represent actual phantoms or relics/artifacts of life idk...
thank you for the big chuckle of my day! YOU are funny! anyway, couldn't agree with you more, except for your last sentence. i thought the film was such a waste of time, and i was major disappointed. but if you liked it, good for you.
The way to have what we want
Is to share what we have.
Or maybe it's an odd film that is trying to me enigmatic and edgy and is just weird. And poorly done. And absurd.
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