Bit more news on Cameron's Avatar...

[Neil]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/08/mo...iQ&oref=slogin

[MinionZombie]

That's sounding rather-ruddy-rockin' I must say, I've been looking forward to it, a proper return to quality Cameron (rather than Titanic, which ended being a bit too chick flicky for my tastes - although the action was great). But I guess Titanic wasn't pushing technology anywhere near as far as T2 did or now what Avatar seems to be doing. I certainly can't wait to see it, it sounds like it's going to be an astonishing flick.

[Neil]

But I guess Titanic wasn't pushing technology anywhere near as far as T2 did or now what Avatar seems to be doing. I certainly can't wait to see it, it sounds like it's going to be an astonishing flick. WTF!? I'd say Titanic pushed technology far more than T2 did... Dude he went two miles under the water to film on location!! Also the CGI was cutting edge for its day...

[capncnut]

I'm with you all the way on that one Neil. Not only that but Titanic was one hell of a worthy movie, you don't need to be a chick to appreciate it either.

[MinionZombie]

But T2 was mind blowing, while there was a smidge of CGI in The Abyss, CGI was really properly employed to astonishing (and still astonishing) degrees in T2, which was a completely epic piece of filmmaking. Yes Cameron spent a lot of money and the CGI was good, but as CGI wasn't new anymore then and while good ... it just wasn't anywhere near as special. It was with the Rings trilogy that CGI once again became astonishing, and by the sounds of things, Avatar is going to take CGI to it's logical and next astonishing step, which seems to happen every few years. Also - he built a big replica of Titanic ... building big sets has been done before. Yes it's a big feat and it's quite impressive, but D.W. Griffith was quite literally making vast epics with vast, constructed-from-scratch, sets back when cinema didn't even have sound. The story of Titanic is what let it down to me, it was too schmaltzy and too Hollywood to properly pay tribute to the situation, so by the time you're sat there saying "finally! it's sinking!" (which you knew was coming anyway!) you suddenly realise you've been sucked in to rooting for the ship to sink, and you feel kinda dirty and guilty afterwards. Yes, the sinking was done very well indeed ... but Titanic just doesn't feel special beyond the amount of money that was involved in it's making and exhibition. That's what I make of Titanic...not a total right off, but beyond it's large figures (on both ends of the money spectrum - spending and making) I really don't think it was that awe inspiring. And yeah Cameron did all these dives which were showing the world more of Titanic than ever, but his main bulk of work in that area has existed outside of the film and has been over the past several years in his quest to conserve artefacts and gather as much information as possible. His exploration of the real Titanic - a completely separate project essentially - carries a decent dose of awe.

[Neil]

But T2 was mind blowing, while there was a smidge of CGI in The Abyss, CGI was really properly employed to astonishing (and still astonishing) degrees in T2, which was a completely epic piece of filmmaking. Yes Cameron spent a lot of money and the CGI was good, but as CGI wasn't new anymore then and while good ... it just wasn't anywhere near as special. It was with the Rings trilogy that CGI once again became astonishing, and by the sounds of things, Avatar is going to take CGI to it's logical and next astonishing step, which seems to happen every few years. Also - he built a big replica of Titanic ... building big sets has been done before. Yes it's a big feat and it's quite impressive, but D.W. Griffith was quite literally making vast epics with vast, constructed-from-scratch, sets back when cinema didn't even have sound. The story of Titanic is what let it down to me, it was too schmaltzy and too Hollywood to properly pay tribute to the situation, so by the time you're sat there saying "finally! it's sinking!" (which you knew was coming anyway!) you suddenly realise you've been sucked in to rooting for the ship to sink, and you feel kinda dirty and guilty afterwards. Yes, the sinking was done very well indeed ... but Titanic just doesn't feel special beyond the amount of money that was involved in it's making and exhibition. That's what I make of Titanic...not a total right off, but beyond it's large figures (on both ends of the money spectrum - spending and making) I really don't think it was that awe inspiring. And yeah Cameron did all these dives which were showing the world more of Titanic than ever, but his main bulk of work in that area has existed outside of the film and has been over the past several years in his quest to conserve artefacts and gather as much information as possible. His exploration of the real Titanic - a completely separate project essentially - carries a decent dose of awe. You were refering to "pushing technology"... The CGI effect in T2 was waiting to happen. He trialed it in The Abyss and used it further in T2. The technology in Titanic was two fold:- 1) Underwater filming. He actually had to build the mini subs and camera technology I believe to film on the Titanic. 2) The CGI work was obviously far far more complex than T2 for example, and required a good leap in effects. I'm not arguing which was the more effective or impressive. But IMHO Titanic pushed technology more...

[bassman]

I would have to say "Titanic" as well. "T2" was astounding when first released, but "Titanic" has definitely carried on the torch. Just watch some of the Special Features on the new Special Edition dvd and you'll get a good idea of most of the stuff they did. Things that I would have never realized were CGI...

[MinionZombie]

Yeah but still ... T2 was essentially birthing CGI ... that's pretty freakin' boundary-bashing, don't ya think? A whole new wave of technology jizzed across the entire filmmaking world, something which has become such a huge technique?!

[bassman]

Yeah but still ... T2 was essentially birthing CGI ... that's pretty freakin' boundary-bashing, don't ya think? A whole new wave of technology jizzed across the entire filmmaking world, something which has become such a huge technique?! Oh no....I agree. He(well....ILM) started it with "The Abyss" and then basically perfected it with "T2". It was the beginning.....the infant. What i'm saying is that "Titanic" just took the infant and grew with it. In many different ways. "The Abyss" was the seed. "Titanic" was the stem. And now it's growing into a plant and you f*ck the plant!

[Neil]

Bit more... Release date is 2009... http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31191 Harry – Why so long? Why is this going to take till 2009? Jim – Well – it’s the photorealism. You know, in terms of my ‘gung ho’ directing, I’ll be done in terms of a cut of the picture by… um… probably November of this year.

[capncnut]

Then I guess come 2009, he'll have another blockbuster on his hands. I'm glad he survived his fascination with the water, I was beginning to wonder if it would totally consume his career. Avatar will be good (no doubt about it) but I would much prefer it if he'd just get on with Battle Angel, it's been in the pipeline for waaay too long!

[Neil]

Then I guess come 2009, he'll have another blockbuster on his hands. I'm glad he survived his fascination with the water, I was beginning to wonder if it would totally consume his career. Avatar will be good (no doubt about it) but I would much prefer it if he'd just get on with Battle Angel, it's been in the pipeline for waaay too long! Well, he is trying to move Battle Angel along as well!

[_liam_]

i agree that t2 was a huge achievement and is the better movie, but on titanic cameron & his brother helped develop a type of camera that could film outside of a sub 2 and a half miles down (& obtain footage of a good enough quality to use in the most expensive motion picture ever made), something that scientists who do that kinda thing for a living hadnt managed by that point. also there was that mexican tank they constructed which i think was unparalelled in its size. plus the amount of cash spent, the attention to detail (i'm a big titanic buff and as chicky mcflicky as that movie got, i had the biggest blackest boner ever during most of it) etc etc. it was a groundbreaking movie technologically speaking, end of... night to remember was better though...arf

[Neil]

i agree that t2 was a huge achievement and is the better movie, but on titanic cameron & his brother helped develop a type of camera that could film outside of a sub 2 and a half miles down (& obtain footage of a good enough quality to use in the most expensive motion picture ever made), something that scientists who do that kinda thing for a living hadnt managed by that point. also there was that mexican tank they constructed which i think was unparalelled in its size. plus the amount of cash spent, the attention to detail (i'm a big titanic buff and as chicky mcflicky as that movie got, i had the biggest blackest boner ever during most of it) etc etc. it was a groundbreaking movie technologically speaking, end of... night to remember was better though...arf By the way - slightly off thread topic - there is a documentary on UK TV this comming week about how what we believe about some of the details regarding the Titanic sinking aren't correct....

[Neil]

TITANIC --- For those UK folks interested, the documentary I mentioned earlier in this thread about the new information about the Titanic's sinking is on CH5 tomorrow (Tue) night...