Is there another case of a director not just being embarrassed of a huge hit but actively limiting its availability? THE ABYSS appears pretty regularly at retro houses, but I can't recall ever having a chance to see this in the last 15 years or so!
is any current director as uninterested in preserving their legacy as Cameron seems to be? Why aren't the Abyss and the T2 extras from the laserdiscs available? heck, is the Abyss even available? (to answer my own question: possibly Peter Greenaway, but it's likely the funding for his films makes rerelease far more complicated)
Making a Bond/80s action film mashup is a good instinct and Cameron does that extremely well. but the whole sequence after he finds out about Simon.....sheesh. not only is it really offensive, it derails the plot for no good reason.
I have this on DVD, but don't think I've ever watched it in disc form - some films should only ever be watched on VHS, and here fast-forwarding through the middle section feels an essential part of the viewing experience. Chapter skipping would just feel like cheating.
I’ve long been of the minority opinion that Cameron is a hack at best and I remember after watching “True Lies” my reaction was: “That was his true masterpiece.” What I meant was that it’s the most accurate representation of who he is: an essentially rudderless director when not hiding behind incredibly expensive smokescreens of technological “innovation.” “True Lies” is monumentally stupid, but then so are all of his movies; “Lies” just happens to be the most up front, honest and unevasive about Cameron’s clunky impulses.
P.S. The usage (and coinage?) of the term “Flintstonian” here is just perfection. Chef’s kiss, as they say.
Is there another case of a director not just being embarrassed of a huge hit but actively limiting its availability? THE ABYSS appears pretty regularly at retro houses, but I can't recall ever having a chance to see this in the last 15 years or so!
is any current director as uninterested in preserving their legacy as Cameron seems to be? Why aren't the Abyss and the T2 extras from the laserdiscs available? heck, is the Abyss even available? (to answer my own question: possibly Peter Greenaway, but it's likely the funding for his films makes rerelease far more complicated)
Making a Bond/80s action film mashup is a good instinct and Cameron does that extremely well. but the whole sequence after he finds out about Simon.....sheesh. not only is it really offensive, it derails the plot for no good reason.
I have this on DVD, but don't think I've ever watched it in disc form - some films should only ever be watched on VHS, and here fast-forwarding through the middle section feels an essential part of the viewing experience. Chapter skipping would just feel like cheating.
Is it wrong to say that I loved Tom Arnold in this movie?
I’ve long been of the minority opinion that Cameron is a hack at best and I remember after watching “True Lies” my reaction was: “That was his true masterpiece.” What I meant was that it’s the most accurate representation of who he is: an essentially rudderless director when not hiding behind incredibly expensive smokescreens of technological “innovation.” “True Lies” is monumentally stupid, but then so are all of his movies; “Lies” just happens to be the most up front, honest and unevasive about Cameron’s clunky impulses.
P.S. The usage (and coinage?) of the term “Flintstonian” here is just perfection. Chef’s kiss, as they say.
"His name is Jaaames Cameron,
The bravest pioneer,
No budget to steep, no sea too deep,
Who's that? It's him! James Cam-er-on!"