5 things to remember from James Cameron's exceptional masterclass at the Cinémathèque
In front of a fervent audience, the filmmaker spoke about imagination, artificial intelligence and Arnold Schwarzenegger. We were there.
The temporary exhibition “The Art of James Cameron” opened its doors on April 4, 2024 at the Cinémathèque française, in Paris, where it will be held until January 5, 2025. At the same time, a complete retrospective offers to rediscover the filmmaker's works on the big screen until May 26.
It started this Thursday with Terminator, the “first” feature film recognized by Cameron (don't talk to him about Piranha 2), which celebrates its fortyth birthday this year. The film may have been released in 1984, but it hasn't aged a bit – or almost. Terminator allowed Cameron to enter the big leagues and impose his style in the industry – that of a visionary filmmaker passionate about technology, imagination and the abyss, constantly pushing the limits of the unknown.
“I'll be back”, “I'm the king of the world”… so many pop culture references are born through the mind and camera of James Cameron. Known and awarded for Alien: The Return, Titanic, Avatar and many others, the Canadian director shared his anecdotes with the privileged spectators who fought to obtain a precious entry ticket
Welcomed like a rock star with thunderous applause, Cameron greeted his audience (“It’s the longest standing ovation I’ve ever had!”) He settled in and the sequence began. Here are 5 things to remember from this masterclass.
“Arnold was no longer Conan the Barbarian, he was the Terminator.”
The truth has been restored. When James Cameron was asked to reflect on his meeting with Arnold Schwarzenegger, the director first explained that this story had been poorly told by the actor, who claims that it was he who had the idea of playing the Terminator. Schwarzy was actually supposed to play the other male character, Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn). But it was Cameron who changed his mind, failing to see Arnold in such a verbal role. The Austrian-American actor, on the contrary, exuded a physical presence so impressive that he could only be the Terminator.
“Arnold didn't strike me as a character with so much text. He had more of a physical presence. At lunch, while he was talking, I watched him eat and thought he had such a face. especially that he could play the Terminator.”
Arnold, interested in the script, signed and seven months later he joined the filming of Terminator. The first scene he filmed was the chase in the underground parking lot. James Cameron gives him some instructions (“I want you to be like a shark”) and realizes that he made the right choice:
“That's when we knew we had our film because we had our character. Arnold was no longer Conan the Barbarian, he was the Terminator.”
When he wrote the sequel, 7 years later, James Cameron had in mind to surprise the spectators by making the Terminator a hero: “Let the public cry for a Terminator.” Happy with his script, he presented it to Arnold Schwarzenegger who did not seem to be quite as delighted with it.
“He told me 'Jim, I'm not sure what to think of the script. I'm the Terminator and I don't kill anyone.'So I answered'The spectators will not see anything coming. That's the surprise.' He said 'But I'm the guy who breaks down the door and shoots everyone. That's my character.' I continued 'Yes, but we will go beyond that.' Arnold insists'John tells me that I can't kill anyone until page 36, but before then I can kill people?' I concluded 'Yes but there you don't kill anyone, you're the hero'. Arnold finally said 'Okay'.”
“She’s the one who made the queen in Alien alive.”
Cameron has also collaborated extensively with Sigourney Weaver, whom he has admired since Alien by Ridley Scott released in 1979. He paid tribute to her performance in the sequel he directed, and once again proclaimed his admiration for her in conversation with director Alice Winocour (Proxima), guest of this masterclass.
“It was she who made the queen come alive in Alien. It was thanks to her conviction and her impression that she really saw her when there was often nothing in front of her or just a puppet .”
Nominated for this performance at the Oscars, a rare case for a horror film, she represents for him a strong female character whose archetype is found in Sarah Connor, reluctant heroine of Terminator.
“We live in a world where science fiction is real”
We find in Cameron's cinema this questioning about our relationship to technology and in particular artificial intelligence. The director explains that while he is not reinventing the wheel and is inspired by the science fiction works that marked his youth (notably 2001 A Space Odyssey), his childhood in the Cold War also has something to do with it. “At the time I made Terminator, we had 30,000 nuclear warheads. It was a very dangerous time in human history.”
His concerns and pessimism about the human species have not changed over time:
“I think what worries me the most is that every technology created by Man has been used as a weapon against Man. And today the problem with science fiction writing is that we live in a world where science fiction is real. AI is no longer a more or less distant future, it's happening right now.”
A dreamer illustrator before being a director
Where does James Cameron's inspiration come from? Simply from his dreams. What we see on the screen comes from his imagination – he dreamed it. “The Terminator came to me from a dream. The beauty ofAvatar comes from a dream – a very special dream when I was younger.” Is James Cameron afraid of his own dreams? No, his greatest fear is no longer dreaming. Don't panic, this has never happened to him!
“Dreams are always double-edged. I'm afraid I won't dream anymore, which has never happened to me. But when it comes to nightmares, I'm always up for it! But I also love sweet dreams. I once had a dream that had such an impact on me that I had to draw it when I woke up. I was 19. It inspired me to Avatar which I did 30 years later. So I only wait for one thing each time, which is to fall asleep so I can dream.”
Avatarit happens
Cameron wanted to reassure the public by reminding thatAvatar 3 would be released next year and there was still a year and a half of preparation. He also added that the scripts for the fourth and fifth films were already written. The preliminary drawings are almost complete and the modeling can begin. The machine is therefore well underway.
Finally, as a thank you for his loyal services to cinema, Cameron was offered at the end of this masterclass a plaque in his name, a copy of which will be attached behind one of the seats in the projection room – alongside big names like Martin Scorsese. James Cameron joins a privileged circle of filmmakers now part of the heritage of the Cinémathèque française.
