Happy 66th Birthday, James Cameron! Born today in 1954 as James Francis Cameron, this Canadian environmentalist, philanthropist, explorer, screenwriter and filmmaker is known for his expansive vision and innovative special-effects films.
Cameron grew up in Chippawa, Ontario, Toronto and attended Stamford Collegiate School in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
In 1971, Cameron and his family later moved to Brea, California. This was when he was seventeen years old. Cameron eventually dropped out of Sonora High School, and then later attended Brea Olinda High School to further his secondary education.
Cameron later enrolled at Fullerton College, a two-year community college, in 1973 to study physics. He switched to English, then dropped out before the start of the fall 1974 semester.
Afterwards, Cameron worked several jobs, including as a truck driver, writing when he had time. During this period, he taught himself about special effects.
Cameron said "I'd go down to the USC library and pull any thesis that graduate students had written about optical printing, or front screen projection, or dye transfers, anything that related to film technology. That way I could sit down and read it, and if they'd let me photocopy it, I would. If not, I'd make notes."
Cameron later quit his job as a truck driver to enter the film industry after seeing George Lucas' 1977 American epic space-opera drama/mystery film 'Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope'.
When Cameron read leading American screenwriter and author Syd Field's 1979 non-fictional book and filmmaking guide Screenplay, it occurred to Cameron that integrating science and art was possible.
Afterwards Cameron, on a budget of $20,000, co-wrote, co-produced and co-directed his debut film. This was the twelve-minute 1978 Canadian American science fiction short film 'Xenogenesis'. He had directed the short with two other friends.
During raising money for the film, Cameron and his friends rented cameras, lenses, film stock and a studio then shot it in 35 mm.
They later dismantled the camera to understand how to operate it and spent the first half-day of the shoot trying to figure out how to get it running.
While continuing to educate himself in filmmaking techniques, Cameron started working as a miniature model maker at Roger Corman Studios, named after "The Pope of Pop Cinema" himself Roger Corman ('The Masque of the Red Death'). Making rapidly produced, low-budget productions taught Cameron to work efficiently.
Cameron later did special effects work design and direction on John Carpenter's 1981 American dystopian science fiction action film 'Escape from New York'.
It was Egyptian-born Greco-Italian entertainment executive, film producer, screenwriter, and director Ovidio Assonitis (best known for his numerous B-horror films) of whom later gave Cameron his first job as director.
This was for the 1982 American/Dutch/Italian horror film 'Piranha II: The Spawning', the sequel to the 1978 American horror/comedy film 'Piranha'.
However, Cameron was eventually fired after failing to get a close up of American model, actress, singer/songwriter and writer Carole Davis in her opening scene.
After he was fired, Ovidio invited Cameron to stay on location and assist in the shooting in Rome. When Ovidio took over editing, Cameron was stricken with food poisoning.
During his illness, Cameron had a nightmare about an invincible robot hitman sent from the future to kill him. Upon awakening, this gave him the idea for the film of which would later catapulted his film career into the worldwide mainstream.
Two years later, this would become the first film of which Cameron is best known for co-writing and directing. This was the 1984 American science fiction action film 'The Terminator'.
Upon release, the film topped the United States box office for two weeks. On a budget of $6.4 million, 'The Terminator' went on to gross $78.3 million at the box office.
The film had also helped launch Cameron's film career and solidify Arnold Schwarzenegger's status as a leading man.
The success of 'The Terminator' led to a franchise consisting of several sequels, a television series, comic books, novels and video games.
On AFI's 100 Years... 100 Quotes list, "I'll be back." ranked it at #37.
Two years later, Cameron co-conceived, wrote, and directed the second film of which he is best known. This was the 1986 American science fiction action/horror film Aliens'. In the film, Sigourney Weaver reprised her role as Ellen Ripley. On a budget of $18 million, 'Aliens' grossed between $131.3–183.3 million worldwide.
The following year, the film was nominated for seven Oscars. This included Best Actress (Sigourney Weaver). However, 'Aliens' won Best Sound Effects Editing and Best Visual Effects. This occurred at the 59th Academy Awards in late March 1987.
Cameron's second wife was American film and television producer Gale Ann Hurd. (m.1985–div. 1989) Hurd had co-written and produced 'The Terminator' and produced 'Aliens'.
Four years after the release of 'Aliens', Cameron co-wrote, produced and directed the third film of which he is best known. This was the 1991 American science fiction action film 'Ther Terminator 2: Judgement Day' (also promoted as T2).
Upon release, 'The Terminator 2: Judgement Day' was a critical success upon its release, with praise going towards the performances of its cast, the action scenes, and its visual effects.
Its visual effects saw breakthroughs in computer-generated imagery, including the first use of natural human motion for a computer-generated character and the first partially computer-generated main character.
Regarded as superior to the original film and one of the best sequels ever made, it influenced popular culture, especially the use of visual effects in features.
At the time of its release, with a budget of $94–102 million, 'The Terminator 2: Judgment Day' was the most expensive film ever made. On a budget between $94 million–$102 million, the film grossed $520.8 million at the box office.
This meant that is became the highest-grossing film of 1991, and of Schwarzenegger's career, as well as the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time/ However, this was until the 2003 American science fiction action film 'The Matrix: Reloaded' surpassed it, grossing $741.8 million.
One year later, 'The Terminator 2: Judgement Day' received several accolades, including Oscars for Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Sound, Best Makeup, and Best Visual Effects. This occurred at the 64th Academy Awards in late March 1992.
On AFI's 100 Years... 100 Quotes list, "Hasta la vista, baby." ranked in at #76.
Five years later, Cameron co-edited, wrote, co-produced and directed the fourth film of which he is best known. This was the epic 1997 American romance/drama disaster film 'Titanic'.
Cameron's inspiration for the film came from his fascination with shipwrecks; he felt a love story interspersed with the human loss would be essential to convey the emotional impact of the disaster.
For the three-and-a-half-hour feature, scale models. computer-generated imagery, and a reconstruction of the ill-fated R.M.S. Titanic built at Baja Studios were used to re-create the sinking.
'Titanic' was the most expensive film ever made at the time, with a production budget of $200 million.
Upon release, the film grossed $2.196 billion, with an initial worldwide gross of over $1.84 billion.
Released on December 19, 1997, (originally set for July but set back due to post-production), 'Titanic' later achieved significant critical and commercial success.
The following year, 'Titanic' was nominated for fourteen Oscars. This had it tied with Joseph L. Mankiewicz's 1950 American black and white drama film 'All About Eve'.
This was also for the most Oscar nominations, and won eleven, including the awards for Best Picture and Best Picture, tying to William Wyler's epic 1959 American Eastman historical drama/adventure film 'Ben-Hur' for the most Oscars won by a single film.
Because of this, 'Titanic' became the second film in cinematic history to achieve this feat.
Also, 'Titanic' was the first film to reach the billion-dollar mark. It remained the highest-grossing film of all time until Cameron' surpassed it with 'Avatar' in 2009.
After winning Best Director at the 70th Academy Awards, Cameron famously exclaimed "I'm the king of the world!" This occurred at the 70th Academy Awards in late March 1998.
On AFI' s 100 Years... 100 Quotes list, "I'm the king of the world!" ranked in at #100.
Cameron's fourth wife was American actress Linda Hamilton (m.1997; div. 1999). She is best known for starring in 'The Terminator' and 'The Terminator 2: Judgement Day' as Sarah Connor.
Cameron's fifth and current wife is American environmental advocate, former actress, and former model Suzy Amis (m.2000–present). She had been a supporting character in 'Titanic' as Lizzy Calvert, the granddaughter of Rose Calvert (Gloria Stuart).
Twelve years after the release of 'Titanic', Cameron co-edited, wrote, produced and directed the fifth and final film of which he is best known. This was the epic 2009 American science fiction action film 'Avatar'.
During this decade plus filmmaking hiatus, Cameron had been hard at work with his team. They each had to essentially invent new moviemaking technology on the spot, which they used to make one of the most visually mind-blowing fantasy films ever made.
Filming was supposed to take place after the completion of 'Titanic, for a planned release in 1999. However, according to Cameron, the necessary technology was not yet available to achieve his vision of the film.
Work on the language of the Na'vi (the film's extraterrestrial beings) began in 2005, and Cameron began developing the screenplay and fictional, lush universe of Pandora in early 2006.
Three years later, 'Avatar' was released in the United States on December 18, 2009 to positive reviews, with critics highly praising its groundbreaking visual effects.
During its theatrical run, the film broke several box office records and became the highest-grossing film at the time, as well as in the United States and Canada, surpassing 'Titanic', which had held those records for twelve years.
'Avatar' currently remains the second highest-grossing movie of all time when adjusted for inflation after Gone with the Wind' with a total of more than $3 billion.
It also became the first film to gross more tha$2 billion, and the best-selling film of 2010 in the United States.
The follow year, 'Avatar' was nominated for nine Oscars. This included Bes picture and Best Director, and won three, for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects.
However, Cameron lost to the 2009 American film director, producer, and screenwriter Kathryn Bigelow ('Strange Days') for her 2009 American war/action thriller film 'The Hurt Locker'. Bigelow had formerly been Cameron's third wife (m.1989–div.1991).
For Bigelow's 1995 American science fiction thriller film 'Strange Days', Cameron had conceived the story and also co-wrote the screenplay.
Following the film's success, Cameron signed on with 20th Century Fox to produce four sequels: 'Avatar 2' and 'Avatar 3'.
Filming for these have completed principal filming, and are scheduled to be released on December 16, 2022, and December 20, 2024, respectively.
Subsequent sequels are scheduled to be released on December 18, 2026, and December 22, 2028. Several cast members are expected to return, including Sam Worthington, Zoë Saldana, Stephen Lang, and Sigourney Weaver.
Cameron is best known for making science fiction and epic films for the Hollywood mainstream.
He also co-founded production companies Lightstorm Entertainment, Digital Domain and Earthship Productions.
Cameron has contributed to underwater filming and remote vehicle technologies and helped create the digital 3D Fusion Camera System.
In 2008, 'The Terminator' was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
In 2012, Cameron became the first person to perform a solo descent to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, in the Deepsea Challenger submersible. It was designed to reach the bottom of Challenger Deep, the deepest-part of the Earth's ocean.
In 2017, 'Titanic' was re-released for its 20th anniversary and was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
Cameron is the fourth-highest-grossing director by worldwide box office ($6.138 billion).
Regarding filmmaking, Cameron once stated: "Pick up a camera. Shoot something. No matter how small, no matter whether your friends and your sister star in it. Put your name on it as director. Now you're a director. Everything after that you're just negotiating your budget and your fee."
The top-tiered action director of his generation, as well as one of the most allegedly demanding and precise, Cameron reshaped 1980s and 1990s Hollywood with a string of lucrative multimillion-dollar films remarkable for their marriage of technical wizardry and human sentiment.
Cameron has been active from 1975–present.
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If Cameron was a chef...
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