There is a name in Hollywood that even big actors fear – James Cameron. People fondly call him “Iron Jim”. For Cameron, ‘perfection’ is everything, even if it means risking his life or that of his crew. Let us know those 9 stories related to the sets of his films which are no less than an adventure film.
The Terminator (1984)
Today we cannot even imagine ‘Terminator’ without Arnold Schwarzenegger. But initially Arnold was being given the role of hero (Kyle Reese) and O.J. Simpson’s name was floating. The twist came when Arnold explained to Cameron what the machine should look like—just a cold machine, with no emotions. Cameron immediately realizes that the villain must actually be Arnold!
Aliens (1986)
Sigourney Weaver was not ready for the film ‘Aliens’. Cameron made a move; He called Arnold’s agent and lied that he had changed the story of the film and Weaver was no longer in it. He knew this news would reach Weaver. Fearing that she might lose the role, Weaver immediately agreed to sign the film.
The Abyss (1989)
This film was shot in a huge water tank. The actors had to stay underwater for hours. Actor Ed Harris once almost drowned and was so angry that he even talked about punching Cameron. The crew said that Cameron was not using them as humans, but as experiment rats.
Not only the actors, but also Cameron himself were in danger on the set of The Abyss. He ran out of oxygen at the bottom of the tank. When he tried to come up, a safety diver gave him the wrong amount of air, causing his lungs to fill with water.
True Lies (1994)
Remember that scene in the movie ‘True Lies’ where Jamie Lee Curtis is hanging from a helicopter? She was no stunt double, but Jamie herself! They were tied to wires and flown over the sea for about 20 minutes. And the funniest thing? James Cameron himself was leaning on the edge of the helicopter with the camera so that he could get the perfect shot.
There was a dangerous scene on the set of this film where a gun had to be fired. Arnold explains that when Cameron doubted whether it was safe or not, instead of arguing, he himself stood in front of the barrel of the gun. He asked the expert to shoot from right next to his face, so that he could be assured that nothing would happen to the actor.
Titanic (1997)
There has been debate for years that Jack could also have climbed that wooden door at the end of ‘Titanic’. Cameron did a proper lab test to answer this! He tested by staying in water for two days at what weight the wood would sink. They proved that if Jack had climbed up, Rose would also have drowned. They made that door only for one person!
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
Cameron did not use any small pool for ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’. He built a huge tank in which real waves and sea currents could be created. He pushed the technology forward until machines responded. This is the reason why the water scenes of the film look so real and captivating.
James Cameron’s films are great because he is not afraid to take risks. Be it drowning himself or hanging actors from a helicopter, ‘cinema’ is everything for him.