The Futurist:The Life And Films Of James Cameron
Author: Rebecca Keegan
As far as biographies go, this one is fine. Keegan keeps the pace brisk, which is nice, but never gives a sense of a full human being. She was given access to the friends and family of Cameron, yet never seems to get any deeper than a few basic bullet points.
1. Cameron is a smart dude who loves real science as much as he loves film.
2. He has a drive that can cause a lot of friction but even when he seems like a jerk, he's a good guy.
3. He continues to push himself.
There is some discussion about the themes of his films and the tensions that it takes to continue to push the envelope, but never any deeper analysis than a few paragraphs that continually reference his other films to show how they link together.
The best part in the book is delivered by Cameron's friend and fellow genius director Guillermo del Toro. He discusses the kidnapping of his father and how important Cameron was at helping Del Toro not only help get his father back, but the real compassion and deep rooted support that Cameron delivered. It's a great story and is the one real glimpse into a man who is a lot more complex than the book wishes to explore.
This biggest shame is that Keegan was given access to Cameron's latest film Avatar, but we learn little more than what has been discussed on the internet or through making of videos. Even his other films are mainly discussed using information that can be found in the special features of DVDs.
There is also no discussion of the film Solaris (2003) which was produced by Cameron and directed by Stephen Soderbergh. These are two men who are the exact opposite when it comes to making movies. If you take the time to listen to the commentary on the DVD which features Cameron and Soderbergh, you get a real sens of how Cameron sees himself and how he respects and honors the way other filmmakers. It's a very solid commentary and feels like a better peek into the way the man operates than most of the book does.
That being said, it's a fast read and it is very enjoyable for what it is. It may not be the definitive biography of one of the worlds most powerful filmmakers, but it's an interestig peek that leaves the reader wanting to know more.
Posts
