While “Avatar : the way of the water” is currently a hit at the global box office, director James Cameron returned to another of his successes: Titanic. He spoke about his speech at the Oscars after his victory, and on a sentence in particular which had cringed some teeth in Hollywood…
Titanic : 11 Oscars for eternity
At the end of 1997 (and beginning of 1998 in France), the film Titanic by James Cameron creates a real tidal wave in the world. It became the biggest cinematic success of all time (before being overtaken twelve years later by Avatar). In France, it is still, at present, the film having attracted the most spectators in theaters (21.8 million). Above all, he was successful at the 1998 Oscars and left with eleven statuettes, including that of best film and best director. It is a record only matched by Ben Hur (1960) and The king’s return (2003).
During his victory at the ceremony, James Cameron declared in his speech that he was “the king of the world”, in reference to the famous line from the film uttered by Leonardo DiCaprio. A cry from the heart which had not failed to cringe in Hollywood. Indeed, some had taken it for boasting.
James Cameron explains
Recently invited to speak by the journalist of CNN Chris Wallace in his podcast Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?, the director returned to his speech. And more particularly on his famous phrase.
I took it to my head with this sentence (…) What passed for arrogance was in fact a need for me to express joy and excitement, as for the character of Leonardo DiCaprio when he says that. I learned that you shouldn’t quote your own film when you win at the Academy. Because it is misunderstood. It was taken as a huge “f¨¨k”. Although that was not my intention at all.
It must be said that the path of Titanic was no walk in the park for James Cameron. Due to budget overruns, the latter was forced to give up a large part of his salary. And several Fox executives have resigned, fearing an industrial accident. The studio had to team up with Paramount to share production costs. We can then understand the joy of James Cameron when he received his Oscar, he who never gave up when everyone predicted a shipwreck at the box office.
