Moviefone Editorial

Tag: james-cameron

  • Movie References in The Weeknd’s After Hours You Never Noticed

    Movie References in The Weeknd’s After Hours You Never Noticed

    Since the November 2019 release of the music video “Heartless,” The Weeknd, real name Abel Tesfaye a noted cinephile who has cited David Lynch, David Cronenberg, Stanley Kubrick and Martin Scorsese as inspirations in the past, has crafted a deep cinematic narrative throughout the video elements of his fourth album After Hours. Along with the lyrical and visual narratives of the album itself, which tracks a man dubbed The Weeknd through a bad break-up, a hard look at his hedonistic lifestyle, and in the end some wistful wisdom as he starts to maybe group up a bit, the videos and live appearances to promote the album are also chock full of cinematic references. Take the title itself: After Hours evokes late night clubs, but from a cinematic point of view it immediately brings up visions of Martin Scorsese’s 1985 cult classic of the same name about a word processor named Paul who takes a late night trip to SoHo in New York City and can’t seem to ever get himself back home.

    "Blinding Lights" (left) and 'After Hours' (right)
    “Blinding Lights” (left) and ‘After Hours’ (right)

    Much like Paul, the videos find a man dubbed The Character (played of course by The Weeknd) in an endless journey through the darker parts of himself – and through a myriad of film references.

    “HEARTLESS”

    "Heartless" (left) and 'Casino' (right)
    “Heartless” (left) and ‘Casino’ (right)

    The Weeknd debuted his now signature red suit in the video for “Heartless,” directed by Anton Tammi, which itself is a reference to a suit worn by Robert De Niro in Scorsese’s 1995 film ‘Casino’. The video, shot in Las Vegas, features The Character and a friend (played by Metro Boomin) as they gallivant around Sin City, stumbling in a drug-induced haze like Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro in Terry Gilliam’s 1998 adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s 1971 novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. He even worked this stumble into his performance at the Super Bowl LV Halftime Show.

    “BLINDING LIGHTS”

    "Blinding Lights" (left) and 'Blade Runner' (right)
    “Blinding Lights” (left) and ‘Blade Runner’ (right)

    The video for his next single “Blinding Lights,” also directed by Tammi, there are even more film references. We see The Character steal a car and head back to Los Angeles, where, among other things, he dances in the 2nd Street Tunnel. This landmark of Los Angeles has been featured in countless films, including Ridley Scott’s 1982 film ‘Blade Runner.’ An adaptation of the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick (side note: the author is also referenced in the lyrics of “Snow Child,” with the line “give her Phillip K Dick”), the film is set in Los Angeles in November 2019 – the same month the video was released – and references to it will show up in a later video.

    "Blinding Lights" (left) and 'The Dark Knight' (right)
    “Blinding Lights” (left) and ‘The Dark Knight’ (right)

    Much has been made of The Weeknd’s dancing throughout the promotion of After Hours being reminiscent of Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Joker,’ but in fact these videos are peppered with references to many cinematic Jokers, including the moment in Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Dark Knight,’ where Heath Ledger gleefully hangs his head outside a stolen police car he’s driving.

    "Blinding Lights" (left) and 'Blue Velvet' (right)
    “Blinding Lights” (left) and ‘Blue Velvet’ (right)

    Much of the vibe throughout the music videos and live performances for After Hours have a Lynchian feel to them and in “Blinding Lights,” there is a direct reference to David Lynch’s ‘Blue Velvet,’ where Dennis Hopper’s psychopath Frank Booth watches tormented torch singer Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini) croon the titular song. In “Blinding Lights,” The Character is mesmerized by the musical stylings of an unnamed singer played by Miki Hamano, whose voice literally lifts him off the ground.

    "Blinding Lights" (left) and 'Twin Peaks' (right)
    “Blinding Lights” (left) and ‘Twin Peaks’ (right)

    We even get another hint of the Red Room from ‘Twin Peaks;’ in fact much of the eerie instrumental music that accompanies The Weeknd in the moments between videos and throughout the ‘After Hours’ short film have an Angelo Badalamenti vibe to them.

    "Blinding Lights" (left) and 'Joker' (right)
    “Blinding Lights” (left) and ‘Joker’ (right)

    Perhaps the most obvious reference in the video is his dancing, sometimes in the 2nd Street Tunnel, sometimes elsewhere throughout downtown Los Angeles, appears to be directly lifted from Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker as he dances to Gary Glitter’s “Rock and Roll Part 2” as he makes his way to make his late night debut in Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker.’

    AFTER HOURS short film

    'After Hours' (left) and 'The King of Comedy' (right)
    ‘After Hours’ (left) and ‘The King of Comedy’ (right)

    The After Hours short film, again directed by Tammi, takes place shortly after The Weeknd’s performance of “Blinding Lights” on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. The video begins as his set ends, The Character grinning like Rupert Pupkin at the end of Martin Scorese’s ‘The King of Comedy’ – itself a huge influence of Todd Phillips’s ‘Joker.’

    'After Hours' (left) and 'Jacob's Ladder' (right)
    ‘After Hours’ (left) and ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ (right)

    Tesfaye has stated influences on the short film also include Adrian Lyne’s psychological horror film ‘Jacob’s Ladder,’ which includes a scene where Tim Robbins is menaced by unknown forces in an empty subway station, Roman Polanki’s ‘Chinatown’ (the bandage on his nose), Claire Deni’s ‘Trouble Every Day,’ Andrzej Żuławski’s Possession, and Brian De Palma’s ‘Dressed to Kill.’

    “IN YOUR EYES”

    "In Your Eyes" (left) and 'Dial M for Murder' (right)
    “In Your Eyes” (left) and ‘Dial M for Murder’ (right)

    The video with possibly the most film references is “In Your Eyes,” in which The Character wordlessly stalks a young blonde woman à la Michael Myers in John Carpenter’s ‘Halloween.’ The horror movie infused video has nods to everything from Wes Craven’s ‘Scream’ to Dario Argento’s Suspiria to Alfred Hitchcock. At one point the woman takes refuge in a phone booth – à la ‘The Birds’ – and dials for help. Tammi, uses an ultra close-up of the keys, an homage to ‘Dial M For Murder,’ in which Hitchcock blonde Grace Kelly’s husband Ray Milland has hired someone to murder her.

    "In Your Eyes" (left) and 'The Terminator' (right)
    “In Your Eyes” (left) and ‘The Terminator’ (right)

    The woman then flees to a club titled After Hours – which uses the exact same lightbulb font as the Tech Noir club in James Cameron’s ‘Terminator,’ an idea that came early in the creative ideation for the video.

    “TOO LATE”

    "Too Late" (left) and 'The Neon Demon' (right)
    “Too Late” (left) and ‘The Neon Demon’ (right)

    The horror vibes continue in the video for “Too Late”, directed by Cliqua. After being decapitated at the end of the previous video, The Character’s head is found by two models on the side of the road. The world they inhabit feels akin to Nicholas Winding Refn’s psychological horror film ‘The Neon Demon,’ where the Los Angeles modeling scene is depicted as so bleak the models are literally eating each other alive. Tesfaye is a noted friend of director Refn.

    "Too Late" (left) and 'American Psycho' (right)
    “Too Late” (left) and ‘American Psycho’ (right)

    When the two discover that the head belongs to The Weeknd, they concoct a nefarious plan to bring him back to life. Laying newspapers on their floor and donning clear plastic rain gear à la Mary Harron’s adaption of Bret Easton Ellis’s yuppie black comedy American Psycho, the girls lure an unsuspecting male stripper (Ken XY) to their home in order to murder him and place The Character’s head on his body. Spooky.

    “SAVE YOUR TEARS”

    "Save Your Tears" (left) and 'Eyes Wide Shut' (right)
    “Save Your Tears” (left) and ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ (right)

    In the most recent video, “Save Your Tears” again directed by Cliqua, The Character is now performing for a masked crowd straight out of Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Eyes Wide Shut.’ After appearing at the American Music Awards with a fully bandaged face like the models, his face has now clearly been marred by plastic surgery (looking quite a bit like Jocelyn Wildenstein aka the Tiger Woman of NYC).

    "Save Your Tears" (left) and 'Batman' (right)
    “Save Your Tears” (left) and ‘Batman’ (right)

    As the video ends, there is one last Joker reference – this time with Jack Nicholson’s iteration. In the climax of Tim Burton’s ‘Batman,’ he pulls a gun on himself after forcing Vicki Vale (Kim Basigner) to dance with him. Like Nicholson’s Joker, when he pulls the trigger there’s no bullet; The Character’s gun shoots confetti, just like the Joker’s gun pops out a flag.

    Since these are just a few of the many references found throughout the music videos for After Hours (and in fact most of his music videos going back a decade), it’s only a matter of time before The Weeknd makes a feature film himself, or at least drops a link to his Letterboxd profile.

  • 16 Things You (Probably) Never Knew About ‘The Abyss’

    16 Things You (Probably) Never Knew About ‘The Abyss’

    20th Century Fox

    By the standards of 2019 special effects, “The Abyss” feels like an absolutely unimaginable accomplishment. James Cameron conceived, built and directed a film that mostly takes place underwater, using groundbreaking, proprietary technology not just to complete its special effects but to showcase the actors’ performances and record their dialogue while fully submerged. At the time of its release, it was viewed as a curio and to a commercial misfire (it was the only film of Cameron’s to not open at #1 at the box office). But 30 years later, it remains one of his signature achievements, in terms of the boundary-pushing logistics that went into bringing it to life, and secondarily, in being a lynchpin in Industrial Light & Magic’s ascendance to the top of the industry as a purveyor and provider of special effects.

    Perhaps unsurprisingly, the film has cultivated its own legend over the years, collecting anecdotes and recollections from cast and crew members who struggled to fulfill James Cameron’s vision. But proof of “The Abyss”’ impact on film history (and the director’s own legacy) only continues to grow. On its 30th anniversary, Moviefone looks back at the complicated, often contentious production that led to one of cinema’s most ambitious and influential works.

    1. James Cameron first conceived the premise of “The Abyss” when he was 17, after attending a presentation by Francis J. Falejczyk, the first diver to breathe fluid through his lungs.

    2. Cameron went through many drafts of the script in the years after finishing “Aliens,” during which time he interpolated the idea of remote operated vehicles (inspired by a National Geographic film) and developed the character of Lindsey based on his then-partner Gale Anne Hurd. Hurd and Cameron separated during pre-production of the film and divorced in February 1989, two months after completing principal photography.

    20th Century Fox

    3. Cast and crew alike trained in underwater diving in the Cayman islands to prepare for the film, 40 percent of which would be shot underwater. Ever an innovator, Cameron and his company developed experimental technology that allowed the filmmaker to interact with the actors and record their dialogue live on tape.

    4. Cameron chose Gaffney, South Carolina as the location of the shoot after Duke Power officials abandoned a $700 million power plant that could house the volume of water and the production infrastructure needed for the filmmaker to execute his vision. Holding 7.5 million gallons of water, the 55-foot-deep vessel was the biggest fresh-water tank in the world. A second tank one third as big gave the production a second tank to use for pick-up shots and sequences.

    5. Principal photography was delayed after the tank sprang a leak on the first day of shooting, forcing the production to hire dam-repair experts to stop 150,000 gallons per minute from rushing out.

    6. Cinematographer Mikael Solomon shot scenes with three cameras protected by specially designed, watertight housings. Cameron wanted to see the actors’ faces in the underwater suits and be able to hear their dialogue, so he enlisted Western Space and Marine to design helmets that wouldn’t fog or otherwise obscure their faces, and then added microphones that would provide crystal-clear audio.

    7. The fluid breathing system that the rat is subjected to in the film does actually exist and has been tested thoroughly on animals. However, Ed Harris did not actually breathe the fluid, although there were sequences in which he had to hold his breath in a helmet full of fluid while being towed beneath the surface of the tank.

    20th Century Fox

    8. In order to expedite shooting and maintain the safety of the cast and crew, actors performed scenes at just 33 feet and rarely for more than an hour at a time, eliminating the need for them to decompress in between scenes or sequences. The production additionally hung actors from hoses where they could breathe pure oxygen to help avoid decompression sickness.

    9. Few stunt people were used during shooting. For example, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio actually held her breath in order for Harris to drag her underwater. The scene where Catfish (Leo Burmester) fires a machine gun into the water was accomplished using live rounds and extreme safety precautions.

    10. The production as a whole was grueling for the cast and crew, owing partially to Cameron’s dictatorial style but just as much to the logistical complexities of shooting a film that takes place primarily underwater. Even Cameron acknowledged, “I knew this was going to be a hard shoot, but even I had no idea just how hard. I don’t ever want to go through this again.” The shoot eventually went on for six months, subjecting everyone to six-day, 70-hour weeks.

    11. Production went $4 million over budget and took 140 days to shoot. Harris reportedly refused initially to help promote the film; he did participate in the press tour, but has generally declined to discuss its making in subsequent years. Mastrantonio echoed Harris’ sentiments, saying, “The Abyss was a lot of things. Fun to make is not one of them.”

    12. Industrial Light & Magic made its name creating the “water tentacle” after Phil Tippett referred Cameron to them to provide computer-generated visual effects. For what amounted to 75 seconds of computer graphics, ILM worked for six months, photographing the set comprehensively to recreate it in a computer and composite the animation into each frame. In fact, this was one of several sequences so demanding to complete that the film’s release was delayed by more than a month.

    20th Century Fox

    13. Miniatures were used extensively to complete sequences with the mini-submarines. Shots like the one where the subs explore the wreckage of the sunken nuclear sub were accomplished using miniature screens inside each model to project movies of the actors.

    14. The movie’s legendary Special Edition was a restoration of the original cut Cameron prepared for the film, but chopped down mercilessly (and without studio interference) to create the theatrical cut. Unsure of whether or not the visual effects would be done for his original ending, in which a tidal wave threatens the shores of countries across the globe, Cameron elected to remove the sequence and maximize the emotional impact of the rest of the story.

    15. For financial reasons, the “Deepcore” rig set was never dismantled after production wrapped. After the power plant was drained, it remained at the location until 2007, when it was demolished.

    16. Much to this reporter’s consternation, the film has never been released on Blu-ray or even in anamorphic widescreen on DVD. Cameron was reportedly working on a 4K version of the film, but thus far it has never, ahem, surfaced.

  • James Cameron Returning Underwater in ‘Mission OceanX’ for National Geographic

    20th Century Fox

    James Cameron is going back under the sea.

    The “Titanic” and “Avatar” director is teaming with National Geographic to produce “Mission OceanX,” a series that will follow a groundbreaking ocean exploration mission.

    “Mission OceanX” will chronicle the maiden voyage of the Alucia2, a next-generation exploration ship belonging to underwater exploration organization OceanX.

    Cameron, who directed the 1989 deep sea thriller “The Abyss,” has experienced several ocean adventures, including diving to the Mariana Trench in a submarine in 2012.

    Cameron told Variety that while he can’t be on the Alucia2 for the entire journey — due to his schedule filming the “Avatar” sequels — he will fly in at “key moments.”

    He and his filmmaking team also helped develop some of the filming tech that will be used, including cutting-edge remote cameras, low-light cameras, and critter cams. Footage will be able to be edited at sea, allowing Nat Geo to push teasers out on social media.

    “We want it to be character-driven,” Cameron said. “One of the things I have pushed everybody towards, maybe even a little bit to the extent [that] they are outside of their comfort zones, was to make it kind of reality TV, meaning I want to follow these people. I want to know how they think; I want to understand their passion as explorers and as ocean scientists…that burning curiosity.”

  • James Cameron Congratulates ‘Avengers: Endgame’ After it Beats ‘Avatar’ Box Office Record

    James Cameron Congratulates ‘Avengers: Endgame’ After it Beats ‘Avatar’ Box Office Record

    Marvel Studios

    After close to a decade of untouchable box office dominance, “Avatar” has finally given up its crown as the biggest box office earner of all time. And now, its director is heaping praise on the film’s successor.

    After a re-release that helped it squeak past “Avatar”‘s previous world record of $2.789 billion, “Avengers: Endgame” officially became the biggest movie ever over the weekend, earning a staggering $2.791 billion. As he did with other records of his that “Endgame” had previously broken, “Avatar” mastermind James Cameron acknowledged the feat in a social media post.

    Addressing the folks at Marvel Studios with a Na’vi greeting, Cameron shared an image of Iron Man covered in wood sprites from Pandora.

    “I see you Marvel,” the director wrote. “Congratulations to Avengers Endgame on becoming the new box-office king.”

    “Endgame” directors Joe Russo and Anthony Russo took to Instagram to praise Cameron right back, sharing several images of themselves in silhouette, marveling over Cameron’s previous films.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/B0ON0AOlD1b/?utm_source=ig_embed

    Addressing Cameron directly, the Russo brothers called him “a monumental reason why we fell in love with film in the first place,” and thanked the filmmaker for “inspiring us and opening the world’s eyes to what’s possible.” The duo closed out their message by saying, “We can’t wait to see where you take us next…”

    That would be back to Pandora, with Cameron currently working on four planned “Avatar” sequels, which have been in various stages of development — but finally seem to be moving along — for ages. If all goes according to plan, the first follow-up will hit theaters at the end of 2021.

    With so much additional content to come from both Marvel and Cameron, we have a feeling that the filmmakers may be trading records for the foreseeable future.

  • 13 Things You Never Knew About ‘True Lies’ on its 25th Anniversary

    13 Things You Never Knew About ‘True Lies’ on its 25th Anniversary

    20th Century Fox

    It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since director James Cameron and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger last got together to blow things up and make movie magic. They sure don’t make action movies like “True Lies” anymore. Celebrate this big movie milestone by learning more about the making of this beloved action movie.

    1. True Lies is a remake of a 1991 French comedy called “La Totale!”.

    2. Cameron hired a team of writers to help punch up the script’s comedy. He ultimately abandoned most of that material, but he did keep one soon-to-be-iconic one-liner, “You’re fired!”

    20th Century Fox

    3. While its budget may pale in comparison to current blockbusters, “True Lies” set a record by being the first movie with a production budget over $100 million.

    4. Schwarzenegger spent six months training for the tango dancing scene. Schwarzenegger said he used Al Pacino‘s performance in “Scent of a Woman” as inspiration/motivation.

    20th Century Fox

    5. Fortunately, Schwarzenegger didn’t need nearly as much practice for the horseback riding sequences. He was able to rely on his previous experience working on “Conan the Barbarian” and “Conan the Destroyer.”

    6. The moment where Jamie Lee Curtis‘ Helen falls during her striptease dance was an unplanned accident that Cameron kept in the final version.. That’s why Schwarzenegger briefly sits up in surprise when Curtis falls.

    20th Century Fox

    7. Gib’s rant about his ex-wife taking his ice cube trays was inspired by a similar incident from Tom Arnold and Roseanne Barr‘s divorce.

    8. The bad publicity surrounding that divorce made Fox execs reluctant to cast Arnold in the film. Fortunately, Cameron stood up for Arnold and threatened to walk if Arnold didn’t get the part. He ended up being one of the movie’s highlights.

    20th Century Fox

    9. Charlton Heston‘s character Director Trilby is heavily inspired by the Marvel Comics character Nick Fury, right down to the eye patch and job description.

    10. “True Lies” is the only Cameron film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects but not win.

    20th Century Fox

    11. As of July 2019, “True Lies” still isn’t available on Blu-ray. Cameron has indicated that a new HD transfer was completed, but he has yet to find time in his busy schedule to review and approve it.

    12. A sequel almost happened in the early 2000’s. A script was completed and Cameron and the original cast were slated to return, but Cameron’s enthusiasm waned following the 9/11 terror attacks.

    20th Century Fox

    13. Following years of rumors, a TV adaptation is being developed for the Disney+ streaming service.

  • The 9 Best Disaster Movies of the ’90s, Ranked

    The 9 Best Disaster Movies of the ’90s, Ranked

    Paramount Pictures

    How big were disaster movies in the ’90s? Not only did they rule the box office, but there were two volcano movies going head to head in 1997, followed by two “killer comet” movies in 1998. That’s huge.

    We rank the decade’s best disaster flicks — and realize just how many of these the much-missed Bill Paxton was in. Sigh.

    9. “Daylight” (1996)

    Universal Pictures

    It’s Sylvester Stallone to the rescue after a horrific explosion in the New Jersey Tunnel traps a handful of survivors in this underrated feature from “The Fast and the Furious” director Rob Cohen. Future “Lord of the Rings” star Viggo Mortensen is one of the first to go as a cocky mountaineer who thinks he can save the day. Sorry, it’s Sly’s movie. And it’s a darn good one.

    8. “Deep Impact” (1998)

    Paramount Pictures

    Emmy-winning “ER” director Mimi Leder made her feature film debut here as one of the first women to be hired to helm a a big-budget movie. It’s a solid film, but a much more somber one than the other movies on this list. Bonus points for scientific accuracy … and Morgan Freeman as one of our favorite movie Presidents, although the visual effects haven’t exactly aged well.

    7. “Volcano” (1997)

    20th Century Fox

    If you want extra cheese with your disaster movie, “Volcano” delivers it in spades. Let’s start with the premise that there’s a volcano under Los Angeles, add in the bubbling La Brea Tar pits as the place things first start heating up, and some truly ridiculous ways to combat lava. And don’t forget the many times it points out that if a natural disaster is big enough, it just might heal all of society’s problems. Done!

    6. “Twister” (1996) Warner Bros.

    Flying cows! Bill Paxton in a starring role! This heart-pumping film about tornado chasers might overdo it a bit: The angelic choir “awwwing” as the first twister is sighted? Okay, sure. And, it’s the rare disaster movie where the female lead (Helen Hunt) is the biggest risk taker. 5. “Dante’s Peak” (1997) Universal Pictures The other volcano movie from 1997 offers a satisfyingly scary eruption, panicky small-towners, and a side of romance. The disaster unfolds just as it should, with the first few signs of danger being foolishly dismissed by everyone but Pierce Brosnan, a volcanologist who’s seen “the big show” before. We learned a lot from this movie: The “frog in hot water” metaphor, don’t choose a chopper as your escape vehicle, and that if you’re James Bond, you can drive a car through flaming hot lava.

    Warner Bros.

    Flying cows! Bill Paxton in a starring role! This heart-pumping film about tornado chasers might overdo it a bit: The angelic choir “awwwing” as the first twister is sighted? Okay, sure. But, it’s the rare disaster movie where the female lead (Helen Hunt) is the biggest risk taker.

    5. “Dante’s Peak” (1997)

    Universal Pictures

    The other volcano movie from 1997 offers a satisfyingly scary eruption, panicky small-towners, and a side of romance. The disaster unfolds just as it should, with the first few signs of danger being foolishly dismissed by everyone but Pierce Brosnan, a volcanologist who’s seen “the big show” before. We learned a lot from this movie: The “frog in hot water” metaphor, don’t choose a chopper as your escape vehicle if fleeing plumes of deadly ash, and that if you’re James Bond, you can drive a car through flaming hot lava.

    4. “Armageddon” (1998)

    Touchstone Pictures

    Undoubtedly the cheesiest movie on this list (for the Animal Crackers scene alone), it also gives you some of the biggest bang for your buck. We love the oil rig crew who get to save the world, from Bruce Willis to Steve Buscemi and Michael Clarke Duncan, none of whom we want to see bite the big one. And yes, we readily admit to crying over a Michael Bay film.

    3. “Independence Day” (1996)

    20th Century Fox

    This eminently re-watchable blockbuster established Will Smith as a movie star, gave us another favorite movie prez (Bill Pullman), and, of course, the most iconic “landmark blowing up” scene with the destruction of the White House. Once again, a disaster brings out the best in humanity, and anyone can be a hero, even Randy Quaid’s crackpot aviator.

    2. “Apollo 13” (1995)

    Universal Pictures

    Proof that “disaster” and “prestige” movies can be one and the same: Tom Hanks, stars in the real-life drama of astronauts who were stranded in space after a major malfunction. Every single NASA employee works around the clock to get him and his shipmates (Kevin Bacon and Bill Paxton) home safely. One of its 9 Oscar nominations went to Ed Harris, who anchors the film as NASA’s Gene Kranz, and gets to deliver some of the other famous lines, including: “I believe this is gonna be our finest hour.”

    1. “Titanic” (1997)

    Paramount Pictures

    James Cameron‘s retelling of the fateful sinking of the most famous ship in history was the biggest box-office hit in history, until it was surpassed by Cameron himself with “Avatar.” And only 1959’s “Ben-Hur” has won as many Oscars. Whether you were in it for the doomed romance of Jack and Rose or the spectacular special effects, it was epic on all levels. If you saw it in the theater (and who didn’t?), the sound of the glass shattering on the bridge made you feel like you were right there with the poor Captain as the water came crashing in. Still gives us chills.

  • 11 Things You Never Knew About ‘The Hurt Locker’ on its 10th Anniversary

    11 Things You Never Knew About ‘The Hurt Locker’ on its 10th Anniversary

    Summit Entertainment

    Ten years ago, “The Hurt Locker” arrived in theaters and established itself as one of the definitive movies about the Iraq War. Amid the rave reviews, it propelled director Kathryn Bigelow to become the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director. Celebrate this major movie milestone by learning more about the origins and the making of “The Hurt Locker.”

    1. Screenwriter Mark Boal based the script on his own experiences as a freelance journalist embedded with an EOD Army unit in Iraq.

    2. Bigelow was convinced by ex-husband James Cameron to take on the project. Cameron may have come to regret that decision, as “Avatar” wound up losing the Academy Award for Best Picture to “The Hurt Locker” in 2010.

    20th Century Fox

    3. Even without accounting for inflation, “The Hurt Locker” became the lowest-grossing Best Picture winner in history. Its theatrical run had already completed by the time the Oscar nominations were revealed.

    4. Bigelow wanted to shoot the film as close to Iraq as possible for the sake of authenticity, so much of filming took place in Jordan mere miles from the border with Iraq. Experts had to consulted to make sure the sites chosen were safe from Iraqi snipers.

    Summit Entertainment

    5. Many of the extras in the film were Iraqi refugees seeking asylum in Jordan.

    6. The film was originally intended to star Charlize Theron, Colin Farrell and Willem Dafoe.  Bigelow opted instead for a cast of relative unknowns.

    7. To date, four cast members have gone on to have roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Anthony Mackie (Falcon), Evangeline Lilly (Wasp) and Guy Pearce (Aldrich Killian).

    Marvel Studios

    8. 100 hours of film was shot for every hour of footage in the final cut, a ratio higher than even that of the notoriously troubled “Apocalypse Now.”

    9. The film was the subject of a lawsuit from Master Sergeant Jeffrey Sarver, who claimed to be the creator of phrases like “the hurt locker” and “War is a drug,” and argued that Renner’s character was based on him. The lawsuit was eventually thrown out.

    Summit Entertainment

    10. Production company Voltage Pictures filed its own lawsuit, targeting thousands of BitTorrent users who downloaded pirated copies of the film.

    11. The 2014 Broadway version of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” features several references to “The Hurt Locker.” The show features a running joke about inheriting sets and props from a short-lived stage musical version of “The Hurt Locker.”

  • Go Behind the Scenes With James Cameron in ‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ Featurettes

    Go Behind the Scenes With James Cameron in ‘Terminator: Dark Fate’ Featurettes

    Paramount

    James Cameron wants everyone to know that “Terminator: Dark Fate” is “a white-knuckle ride.”

    The first teaser trailer for the movie dropped earlier today, and now producer/co-writer Cameron is hyping it up in a behind-the-scenes featurette.

    “It’s gritty, it’s fast, it’s intense,” he says of what is being described as a direct sequel to his 1991 film “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.”

    The featurette focuses heavily on the return of Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor. It also includes commentary from director Tim Miller and stars Arnold Schwarznegger and Natalia Reyes. And There’s some tantalizing footage of Mackenzie Davis filming action-heavy setpieces.

    Many questions remain — why does Davis’ cyborg think she’s human? What is the exact nature of the new terminator played by Gabriel Luna? Why is Reyes’ character so special? And where is John Connor in all of this?

    “Terminator: Dark Fate” opens in theaters November 1.

  • 13 Things You Never Knew About ‘Terminator Salvation’ on its 10th Anniversary

    13 Things You Never Knew About ‘Terminator Salvation’ on its 10th Anniversary

    Warner Bros.

    When it first hit theaters, “Terminator Salvation” provided a grim view of humanity’s future. Now that the movie has been out for ten years, it instead showcases a past that never came to be. That’s the funny thing about this time travel-obsessed franchise. Celebrate the tenth anniversary of this reboot with some interesting facts you might not know about the making of “Terminator Salvation.”

    1. While he wasn’t directly involved with the reboot, James Cameron consulted with director McG about “Salvation,” recommending both actor Sam Worthington  and art director Martin Laing.

    2. The plot was much different in earlier drafts of the screenplay, with John Connor himself not appearing until late in the film. Christian Bale was initially approached to play Marcus Wright, but after he expressed more interest in the John Connor role, the story was altered to focus more heavily on him.

    3. “Salvation” proved to be the final film legendary special effects artist Stan Winston worked on before his death in 2008.

    4. According to Bale, “The Dark Knight” co-writer Jonathan Nolan was called in to significantly rework the script. Unfortunately, because of the 2007 WGA strike, most of Nolan’s ideas never made it into the final version.

    Warner Bros.

    5. This is the only “Terminator” movie not to feature Arnold Schwarzenegger as the iconic T-800. Schwarzengger’s likeness was digitally recreated for the T-800’s debut scene, but Schwarzenegger himself (then serving as governor of California) declined to participate in the film.

    6. Salvation is also the first “Terminator” movie to not use time travel as a plot device and the first to feature John Connor and his father Kyle Reese in the same scene together.

    Warner Bros.

    7. There’s a reason Michael Ironside’s character General Ashdown never sits down in the movie. Ironside broke several vertebrae in an accident shortly before filming and was in intense pain.

    8. While the audio recordings of Sarah Connor feature the same dialogue from the original “The Terminator,” the recordings themselves were done specifically for “Salvation.” Linda Hamilton re-recorded the lines in an uncredited cameo role.

    9. “Salvation” was intended to serve as the start of a new trilogy of “Terminator” movies. However, those plans were cut short after The Halcyon Company filed for bankruptcy and the franchise rights were sold to Pacificor.

    Warner Bros.

    10. At the time of release, “Salvation” was the most expensive independently financed film ever released, with a budget of nearly $200 million.

    11. A leaked early draft of the screenplay featured a very different ending. Rather than Marcus sacrificing his life and giving John his cybernetic heart, that version ended with John dying and the Resistance transplanting his skin onto Marcus’ body, allowing Marcus to trick the world into believing the leader of the Resistance is still alive.

    Warner Bros.

    12. In response to that leak, McG revealed an even darker alternate ending that very nearly wound up in the final version. This version of the movie ended with John’s body being taken over by Skynet after his heart transplant, forcing him to murder his fellow Resistance members.

    13. Though “Salvation” never got any film sequels, its story was expanded upon in several comic books, novels and even an animated web series. Most notably, the comic book series “Terminator Salvation: The Final Battle” serves as a direct sequel to the movie.

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  • Every ‘Terminator’ Movie, Ranked

    Every ‘Terminator’ Movie, Ranked

    Universal/Warner Bros/TriStar

    The “Terminator” franchise, like some kind of robotic killing machine, will just not die. What began as a wonderful one-off in 1984 has blossomed into a franchise that fans and filmmakers keep returning to, with varying degrees of success, one that incorporates spin-offs, sequels, television series and theme park attractions. This year sees another new installment, “Terminator: Dark Fate,” which will be produced by James Cameron and sees the return of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton, together for the first time since 1991. Obviously, we are very excited. And we thought we’d look back on the entire franchise. Come with us if you want to live.

    6. ‘Terminator Salvation’ (2009)

    Warner Bros/Columbia

    Most notable for the screaming match star Christian Bale got into with director McG (“THINK for one f*cking second”), “Terminator Salvation” was an attempt, around the same time as “Batman Begins,” to reboot the franchise in a dark, aggressively gritty way. (Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan’s brother and a key collaborator on his Dark Knight Trilogy, overhauled the script during production.) Lacking any of the key technicians or performers from the original films (besides Industrial Light & Magic, who admittedly pulled off some impressive stuff, including a weird pseudo-cameo from 1984 Arnold), it was an attempt to make a “Terminator” film for modern audiences and the results were … unpleasant. This, they argued, was the movie we’d all been waiting for, one set during the brutal battle beween the humans and the machines. But in the other movies it was never this dusty. Bale (as John Connor) and Sam Worthington (as a robot that turns good) are charisma-vacuums, leaving Anton Yelchin as a young Kyle Reese to do most of the heavy lifting. Thankfully the subsequent sequels have ignored this movie completely, just like almost everyone else.

    5. ‘Terminator Genysis’ (2015)

    Paramount

    Again, this concept seemed cool: thanks to the time travel mechanics of the series, they were able to revisit key moments from both the original “Terminator” and “T2,” only this time replaced with (mostly) new actors. But whew boy was it awful. Beyond wrapping your mind around the time travel logistics (something that “Avengers: Endgame” both smartly avoided and did with much more gusto), the whole thing feels limp and unconvincing, and old man Arnold as the Terminator (refashioned as Sarah Connor’s guardian angel) was just odd, especially when he had to interact with the younger version of himself. Matt Smith was kind of fun as the embodiment of Skynet and it’s that fun, always hinted at but never fully engaged with, that keeps it from being the absolute lowest on this list. But beyond that … just say no to “Terminator Genysis.”

    4. ‘Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines’ (2003)

    Warner Bros.

    After much hand-wringing by Cameron over a third installment and the rights being sold off due to a bankruptcy, eventually “Terminator 3” was put into development, and while Schwarzenegger tried to get Cameron involved in some capacity, the filmmaker refused. Instead, the series was, for the first time, handed over to a different director, in this case “U-571” filmmaker Jonathan Mostow (the script was by “The Game” writers John Brancato and Michael Ferris). At the time the most expensive movie ever greenlit, the third installment is set on the brink of Judgment Day, with John Connor (now played by Nick Stahl), teaming up with yet another T-800 (Schwarzenegger) and his future wife Kate (Claire Danes) to stop a nearly indestructible female Terminator (Kristanna Loken). (Fun fact: in the original script, she could turn invisible! Take that liquid metal!) For the most part, “Terminator 3” delivers, whether it’s in the surprisingly robust action sequences (that chase with the crane is awesome) or its somber, “Twilight Zone”-y ending, with our main characters accepting the inevitability that, try as you might, you can’t change where things are headed.

    3. ‘T2-3D: Battle Across Time’ (1996)

    Universal Studios

    Sure, this is only a 12-minute theme park attraction, but it’s still the third-best entry in the franchise and one overseen and (mostly) directed by James Cameron. (Effects masters John Bruno and Stan Winston handled the rest.) The attraction opened in Universal Studios Orlando in 1996, just five years after “Terminator 2” had blown us all away. And it really was a cutting-edge attraction, just as revolutionary as the movie that it was based on, combining a 3D film with in-theater stunts, animatronics, and effects, for something that was unlike anything anyone had seen before (or, quite frankly, since). On a per-minute basis, it was also the most expensive movie ever produced (the film alone cost $24 million). Gently continuing the story of the film in ways that the subsequent sequels could never figure out, it saw the main cast return (including Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong and Robert Patrick), including the introduction of a giant, glistening, spider-like Terminator that menacingly threatens an audience full of tourists. It was such a blast and sadly closed at both Universal Studios Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood. But hey, it’s still going strong at Universal Studios Japan. Who’s ready to go to Osaka?

    2. ‘The Terminator’ (1984)

    Orion

    Re-watching “The Terminator,” what’s so startling about it is how raw it is. It’s more or less a low budget horror movie (which makes sense given Cameron’s background working for Roger Corman), dressed up with some time travel plotting and embroidered with philosophical questions about the nature of fate and destiny. That’s not to take away from what an accomplishment it is, though. Arnold Schwarzenegger, in the role that would make him a star, boldly embraced the role of a villainous robot, sent back in time to kill a woman (Linda Hamilton) who will one day give birth to the leader of the human resistance. Michael Biehn plays a future-human who returns to the past to help Hamilton and is an underrated element of the franchise. (His scenes were cut from “T2” but remain on the home video special features.) At 107 minutes this thing moves like few Cameron movies since (they are always propulsive but frequently fly by the 2-hour mark), kept aloft by its high concept and low budget.

    1. ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ (1991)

    TriStar Pictures

    “Terminator 2: Judgement Day” serves as the apex of not just the “Terminator” franchise but potentially action filmmaking as a whole. James Cameron’s sequel to his breakthrough “Terminator” was both a mea culpa (after his costly flop “The Abyss”) and an opportunity to use an established franchise to push things forward on both a narrative (this time around, Arnold is the good guy!) and technological level (with Industrial Light & Magic’s genuinely mind-blowing “morph” effects and pretty much anything associated with the T-1000). On the James Cameron scale of grandiosity, it seems somewhat quaint by today’s standards, but at the time it was nothing short of breathtaking and still handily blows you away by the intricate simplicity of its plotting and the bulletproof craftsmanship of everyone involved (even at a time when mainstream action movies were pretty slick, this is the slickest). This is, of course, not to diminish the power of the performances, mostly the transformative roles of both Linda Hamilton (then Cameron’s wife), who turned from a hunted waitress into an aspirational, systematically marginalized freedom fighter, and Schwarzenegger, who brought genuine warmth and dimension to former role as a (literal) killing machine. A marvel on almost every level, it still kick as much ass today as much as it did back in 1991.