Why I Dislike James Cameron

One of the trailers I saw before Hugo was for the re-release of Titanic in 3D.  We had our 3D glasses on so we got a good taste of what the movie will look like.  Bodies flying off the breaking ship and into your face.  Yep, that's something I want to see.  Sadly there's no sarcasm button on my keyboard or else I would have used it for that last sentence.  I'd love to know if Cameron had a conversation with Kate Winslet about his converting it to 3D. She's never been shy about nudity in the past but there's something about knowing your body will be on display in 3D that might give her pause.

From the footage in the trailer it doesn't look terribly different.  It adds the depth of field that current 3D excels with but that's about it.  Titanic isn't the kind of movie that will really benefit from the 3D treatment.  It's mostly talk with interesting sets but the action doesn't start until the second half of the movie.  And at that point the action is either fighting to get on a little boat or dying.  If he converted and re-released The Abyss in 3D I'd be all over it.  That movie is on my list of underrated favorites.  It'd be stunning in 3D. But no, he's set on making tons more cash on Titanic so we can see this in 3D:

BORING!

My other problem is the fact that the second biggest money making movie of all time is going back to theaters with what will amount to huge ticket prices.  As I mentioned in my Hugo recap I was charged an additional $4 at the Regal in my town.  If I go to my cheap theater it's only an additional $2 but it's not as nice a theater.  Imagine how much more money this flick is gonna make at today's prices?  Yikes.  Anywhoodle, I would like to think that Cameron, who has an incredibly creative mind, is just having fun figuring out all you can do with 3D.  But honestly I think he just wants to make more money.   

Ok, ok, it's easy to hate on something that was so successful.  I will admit that I liked the movie the first time I saw it.  I cried when Rose let go of Jack's frozen hand.  I kinda maybe sorta understand why some of my friends saw it 3 or 4 times in the theater.  It's also easy for me to hate on Avatar which was the most successful movie in history.  The story is one that's been done before and before and before.  The acting and directing weren't really good either.  The effects are what make that movie.  And yes, the effects are amazing.  Cameron has a knack for winning audiences over.  He's definitely a visionary but he also comes off as a greedy sonofabitch.

So I'm guessing this is the beginning of many movie re-releases in 3D. Lord help us if someone tries to convert Gone With the Wind in 3D. If the re-release of Titanic is successful it means studios will start churning them out at a break-neck pace. Speaking of...I will say that I'm equally perplexed at George Lucas's desire to re-release The Phantom Menace in 3D.  We saw that footage too and it didn't impress me AT ALL.  My friend Kathy mentioned how he just keeps trying to fix the movies (evident with the Blu-ray release/disaster).  Lucas should really leave them alone and find a new project to work on.  Maybe not directing but producing is a good job to have.  That Red Tails movie looks great!  He should do more of that.

C'mon. I had to include this picture. I mean, he is the king of the world, right?

But really I blame Cameron.  Yes, he's done amazing things for technology but he isn't doing it solely for technology's sake.  I was the person cheering most for his ex-wife when she won the best directing nod for The Hurt Locker, which also snagged the Best Picture win as well.  I was desperate for her to get on stage and say, "SUCK IT, JIM!" but she's a classier lady than I. 


NOTE: I would have titled this why I *hate* James Cameron but I try and save strong words like hate for people I know personally. You know who you are...