He quit his job as a truck driver to fulfil his dream in Hollywood with single-minded purpose.
James Cameron started small, experimented and then got a job as art director in the special effects department. When the original director of Pirhana II: The Spawning left the production, Cameron was handed the job.
That began an illustrious career which got him fame, fortune and many awards. It is claimed he is difficult to work with but his aim to achieve perfection reflects in his films. Titanic and Avatar have made history and etched his name among the greats.
Here are five of his earlier works which display his skills:
The Terminator (1984)
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Michael Biehn, Paul Winfield
Director: James Cameron
A cyborg assassin known as the Terminator (Schwarzenegger) goes back in time to 1984 from 2029 to kill a woman named Sarah O’Connor (Linda Hamilton) whose unborn son will become a world saviour post-apocalypse.
However, a soldier Kyle Reese (Biehn) is sent back in time to protect Sarah. He hides her as the Terminator closes in. The Terminator kills all women named Sarah and is now ready for his final target.
The Terminator kills Sarah’s mother and impersonates her to find out about her. Sarah tries to escape in a truck, chased by the Terminator. A battle of survival ensues.
Aliens (1986)
Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser
Director: James Cameron
Elien Ripley (Weaver) is recued and debriefed by her employers after she encountered an alien creature during a space mission. Now she has been asked to go back with some space marines and a robot to probe the matter.
They investigate the old ship for clues but a company executive believes if they can get hold of the eggs they can use it as biological weapons.
Ripley assumes command after the captain of the ship dies despite fears of her earlier experiences haunting her. But she is determined to fulfil her mission.
True Lies (1994)
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tom Arnold, Art Malik, Bill Paxton, Tia Carrere
Director: James Cameron
The story revolves around the double life a secret agent-computer salesman Harry Tasker (Schwarzenegger). Tasker is actually a member of an anti-terrorism task force group which is chasing a Palestinian outfit called Crimson Jihad.
His wife Helen (Curtis) and daughter Diana are bored by his constant absence and this makes Helen seek new adventures. Harry suspects that his wife is having an affair and tries to find out. However, things go awry leading to his wife and daughter getting involved in his espionage activities.
This includes nuclear warheads, a crafty bad guy and loads of action. Curtis steals the show in this thriller.
The Abyss (1989)
Cast: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn
Director: James Cameron
A diving platform engineer Bud Brigman (Harris) and his crew are requested to join the US Navy SEAL team to search for a sunken nuclear submarine which contains a nuclear warhead.
Bud’s estranged wife Lindsey (Mastrantonio), who designed the platform, also decides to join the mission. As the joint operation starts the combined team face lots of difficulties but remain determined.
They realise that that they are not alone down there. This complicates things as they deal with the abyss.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick
Director: James Cameron
In this sequel to the Terminator, Sarah O’Connor’s (Hamilton) son Jason, the future leader of human resistance, is now 10 years old after being rescued from the Terminator.
Now another liquid metal shape-shifting Terminator called T-1000 (Patrick) is sent back to complete the mission of killing Jason. However, another simpler Terminator T-800 (Schwarzenegger) is also sent back to protect John. T-1000 is advanced and can take any shape.
Since nobody believes in robots, John and T-800 are left to battle T-1000 on their own.
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