Why all the hate for James Cameron?

[Jet Beetle]

Well, I've had the honor of meeting Cameron and one of my best friends serves as his right hand man when it comes to special effects and let me tell you - he has worked his ass off for everything he has - while others less deserving have been given big budget movies, Cameron had to make his own and then fight to keep them at a level he was satisfied with. I love the encounter at Fox where they called a meeting because Titanic went up another 10 mil during production and James's line back to them was "So you'll only get to make 1 Steven Segal movie this summer instead of 2 -- believe me, one is plenty!" This was also the now famous meeting where the studio made James commit to another Terminator in order to get the money - Cameron agreed then someone in legal forgot to send him the paperwork - when Titanic was all said and done and it came time for him to start terminator - he replied with "I never signed anything".

If you boil him down - he does what we'd like to do - Make movies the way we want to - no compromises - no notes. Just a storyteller and his audience- which is the way it was meant to be.

 

[micdavis]

Yeah? Based on my life experiences, I can tell you that I think crafting a piece of entertainment that I hope an audience will get some kind of gratification from is pretty different from me getting paid to cut granite, for example. The latter is a simple business transaction, to me: I was fairly compensated for my time and labor. The former... producing commercial art for consumption and enjoyment... may at the end be considered a simple business transaction, but it is not ike any other.

A small distinction perhaps but one I felt needed made late on a Sunday while I get ready to bring joy to the people again in the morning. :lol

What if you're a guy that cuts granite for a living and feels there's an art to it, and feels everyone that works for Hollywood is a *****.

Betcha he thinks it's more than a simple transaction too.

 

[DarkKnight]

Well, I've had the honor of meeting Cameron and one of my best friends serves as his right hand man when it comes to special effects and let me tell you - he has worked his ass off for everything he has --

hes got my respect for earning what he has, but is it true has he become some kind of socialist/enviro/whacko/kook or is that a misconception that has been created by other, as for another Terminator film, why wont he do another? someones gotta fixed the totally screwed botched time line movie situation

 

[BrotherWilliam]

No hate from me. While I doubt I'll ever be in a position to work with him professionally, he's made some brilliant films over the years and for the most part, refuses to buckle to studio pressure to bow to a committee.

If there's one thing I do blame him for though it's the current spate of celluloid drivel being shoved into the 3D wringer. 90% the time the added 3D makes no improvement to the movie whatsoever.

 

[KenKenobi2]

I am not a huge fan of Cameron's work since Aliens, but this whole affair is silly.

I think Jet is on right on point with his observations about what he (and so many other creative people) need to do to survive and overcome the Hollywood Machine. As I say to anyone who armchair quarterbacks, tears apart a movie or says that they could do it better : Go. Do. It. Then let us know how you did.

That said, no one in this life owes anyone anything but respect, and many fans (and certainly professional dealers of autographs) lack respect for their subjects or themselves. I have a friend who has a habit of cornering celebs coming out of performances, at parties, etc. hitting them up for photo ops etc. To date, they have all been polite to him, but you can see in the photos the "look" on many of the celebs faces of "Urgh, who is this leech...." Someday he will get tossed for what he does. And he will have earned it for being pushy and lacking respect.

Yes, JC is a "star." But he is first a man, who wants to eat lunch, get home and do his job like you or I. I do not accept that every personal moment of his life should be forfeit so people can bask in his aura. Yes, being personable and connecting is part of the business, but for some its a labor of love and for others its simply labor, i.e. part of the job. You don't need to like him or have him be your "pal" (icky fan nonsense that...) to love or hate his movies, but you are obliged to respect him as a human like you, neither a God nor a slave to your "idea" of him.

Bottom line: If anyone came at me with such pushiness as this person with that story, I'd have shut him down too. And I am no star. I'm just me.

As to the dealer, I could never understand the value of buying another person's autograph from someone else. It doesn't give you their life, their loyalty or their respect or any real connection. Once again people want to steal what they have to truly earn.

 

[Wes R]

I love the technical side of how he does thing and him being hands on and he always seemed pretty cool in interviews, and who wouldn't be demanding if you're working on a project you created, but he's just turned into something weird between True Lies and now.

 

[Qui-Gonzalez]

I enjoy his body of work. Can't lie. I tune out when he, or any entertainergets preachy. I simply DON'T hear. If I met any of these guys, it would just be a simple "Hey man, thanks for the many hours of enjoyment your work has given me." and move on. No handshake, no sense of obligation.

Just thank these people for what they do for us. Do we pay them? Yes we do! They more than provide service for that money so that is where their obligation to me ends. I'm not saying to kiss their rears, just treat them how you would like to be treated. The End.

 

[IndyFanChuck]

Why should someone who is talented be excused for being HOSTILE in the work environment?

I guess I find it strange that someone is allowed to be a complete D-Bag just because they are a good actor or director. I'm talking about while they are at work, not signing autographs. I think they should be left alone in that regard.

I will NEVER understand why people think it's okay to be a complete jerk just because you are talented.

Kindness produces far better results than negativity. :unsure

 

[Wes R]

I don't blame him for being hostile to the guy after the autograph but being a total jerk to your employees and crew is inexcusable. Either they really need the jobs or they're really in love with making movies to deal with it.

 

[AdamNightmare]

 

[metrosonus]

Dunno on that one... The guy badgering Cameron was the bigger ass in this one.

that guy seemed primed and ready for a fight with all the cliches.. ironic TMZ was filming?

I was in my buddies truck years back when we got pulled over for a burnt out tail light by the state troopers. they were filming for "real stories of the highway patrol" on that run. my buddy who had no record got back in the truck shaking because the cop tried everything he could to provoke him into running, fighting... anything. I heard it all from inside the truck.

that guy was a plant.. plain and simple. don't believe what you see..

 

[CessnaDriver]

Because he puts an addictive chemical in his films that makes ya crave them fortnightly, smart ass!

 

[Jet Beetle]

Most of the people you work with in Hollywood are complete and total buttholes - if they have room to be abusive, they are abusive. Swimming with Sharks has the business nailed when it comes to snobbery and God-like complexes. Actually, most people with money are total jackasses, it's just that Hollywood elite are worshiped by almost all the people they come in contact with. I've heard negative stories about Cameron but, I'm willing to bet most of the people here on the board, if he knew of your talent, would find a man who recognizes talent and (I found) offers support and words of wisdom if you ever say down with the man one on one - remember, he started off in models and effects. If he were to see some of the busts, or replicas, or displays put together by those here - he would turn into a fanboy and say "Wow! This guy (or girl) is damn good!" I've seen it happen. Throwing yourself in with some dip who was trying to get under his skin after he climbed off a plane is the wrong way to look at this. TMZ probably planted this dude and was looking for a reaction they could put on there Monday morning preview.