Name the American film director James Cameron is associated with pictures of super-expensive, showy, bright and ... cash. He took two of the most lucrative feature films in the history of cinema: "Titanic" (1997, three awards "Oscar" - for best producer, director and editor) and "Avatar" (2009). However, investments in the shooting and were not the smallest, movies, Cameron can not be attributed to the category of the budget. In contrast, in the process of filming accounting bursting at the seams, without having to meet the needs of picky director.

There was a time when Cameron was not a classic of modern cinema. Moreover - I could not find financing for their projects, and film scripts offered to them were not interested in almost anyone.

James Cameron - a native of Canada (Ontario, Kapuskasing). He already was in elementary school when the family moved to the United States (in the early 60-ies). James's father was an engineer, and son clearly was going to follow in his footsteps by enrolling at the Physics Department of the University of California.

But the study was not completed - in the life of Cameron entered the cinema. Already in 1978, he directed a short fiction film "Ksenogenezis." This work is interested in Roger Corman, the master of low-budget films.

Yes, although it is now hard to believe, but the first steps in the film James Cameron made at the studio «New World», which specializes in movies, shooting of which were very cheap (preferably free of charge at all). Maybe it was a forced savings at the beginning of a creative way and led to the fact that in the future, Cameron began to make films with a truly fantastic scope, including the budget.

In the early years vosmedisyatyh Cameron flu, so much so well, that in the heat of polubredovom able to see the scene of his next movie "Terminator": a terrible monster, able to change shape, and the girl, fleeing from him. This vision became the basis for the script, which is interested, many producers and film company, but to trust an unknown young director to shoot nobody wanted. Over the fact that the script was sold for one dollar producer Gale Anne Hurd, the future wife of Cameron, a prerequisite for the deal was that the director of the film will only Cameron and nobody else.

The budget of "The Terminator" was only $ 6 million. That's where the Cameron School of Roger Horman was useful to create movies from virtually nothing, with a minimum cash investment. However, summed up the special effects - they simply did not exist, such as required the director, and the monster of "liquid" metal that is dreamed during flu Cameron, had to be replaced by a mechanical cyborg, whose role is well played Arnold Schwarzenegger. Now the "low budget" "The Terminator" is considered to be one of the standards of science fiction in film militants.

This was followed by Ridley Scott's thriller sequel "Alien." True, Cameron turned out not so much a thriller as the gunman, but the success was resounding. And that is very rare for an action movie, Sigourney Weaver, who played the leading role, was nominated for "Oscar".

Then the film was made "The Abyss" - about extraterrestrial beings living on the ocean floor. There have Cameron did not have to be limited to a measly $ 6 million., The film spent $ 70 million. In the "aquarium" turned the unfinished power plant by filling it with water - with its characteristic scale of the director. However, critics greeted the film cool and fees amounted to only $ 54, 2 million. It is believed that the failure was due to a lack of "advanced" special effects (by the way, the film won the "Oscar" was for the best special effects, but they were not enough). Now the "Abyss" is considered a classic sci-fi movies.

When the special effects come close to the level needed to Cameron, he proceeded to the creation of "Terminator 2". There is already the question was not about the $ 6 million. For the whole movie, this amount cost only special effects, and the total budget is $ 100 million. But the assembled "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," a lot - $ 200 mln. In the country, $ 300 million. For abroad. And the four "Oscar" can not be dismissed - for the best make-up, sound and visual effects for the best sound.

Interestingly, from film to film budgets increase. If the full effects "Terminator 2" cost $ 100 million., Then shooting the comic spy thriller "True Lies" - at $ 115 million.

Well, in 1997, he was filmed the famous "Titanic" - a romantic story, unfolding against the backdrop of disaster. This film is even more difficult to attribute to any one genre: on the one hand, it is - "About Love", but on the other - a disaster movie, the third - an attempt to reconstruction of the historical events. Incidentally, it is the line "about love" brought Cameron sympathy weak half of humanity.

"Titanic" was the most expensive film of the twentieth century: its budget is $ 200 million. Today it is not only one of the most expensive, but one of the highest grossing films in cinema history: $ 1, 8 billion. Box office of $ 700 million. Net profit . And, of course, 11 "Oscars" (two - for the best film in the category "Best Director").

After "Titanic" Cameron took leave globalism: the director engaged documentaries and television series. But not too long. Again, waiting for a breakthrough in the special effects, he directed the film "Avatar" (budget, of course, even higher than before - more than $ 300 million. And if you take into account advertising, it comes to $ 500 million. True, there should be taken into account inflation, related to the financial -economic crisis).

Wonderful world of Pandora charms are now millions of viewers. 3D version makes many real shock - in a strange planet to believe even more than in his own. This time, James Cameron took not just a beautiful story, and demonstrated the future of cinema, with a full immersion in the dream world.

"Avatar" was able to bypass the "Titanic" in the financial race: today the gap is $ 700 million. And continues to increase. In addition, the "Avatar" was the first film to overcome the hundred millionth bar fees in Russia today, "Avatar" has already stepped over $ 100 million. And continues to move forward. By the way, the film set another record in Russia: the best starting weekend - $ 19, 7 million.

And, of course, awards and prizes could not ignore such a phenomenon in the history of cinema, "Avatar" was nominated for "Oscar" in nine categories - "Best Film", "Best Director", "Best music for the film", "Best Cinematography "," Best Visual Effects "," Best Art Direction "," Best Editing "and" Best Sound "," Best Sound Editing "; the prize "Cesar" in the category "Best Foreign Film"; Georges for the award as the Best Foreign Action; awarded the prize "Golden Globe" in the category "Best Drama Film", "Best Director" (in the category "Best Music" and "Best Song" could not win); awarded «BAFTA» in the category "Best Visual Effects", "Best Art Direction" (in the categories "Best Film", "Best Director", "Best Cinematography", "Best Sound", "Best Editing" and " Best Soundtrack "failed to win).

Now the director shoots two films, "Battle Angel '(expected on the screens in 2011) and" Immersion "(expected to be in the current screen, 2010). But viewers are looking forward to another: the promised continuation of "Avatar", which is just a couple of months rental has already become a cult film. It is said that the continuation will be even more luxurious and entertaining than the first film. Will wait.

Sofia Vargan

Related Articles

Several reasons to dislike Mikhalkov

Emir Kusturica - from outsider art