James Cameron ranks his own films and the one where he was ‘not the same’

James Cameron is one of cinema’s most decorated and revered filmmakers, with historic works such as The Terminator and Titanic under his belt.

However, while his films have grossed over $11billion (£8.1bn) worldwide, making him the highest-grossing director of all time, and with the likes of Avatar spanning merchandise from action figures to postage stamps, commerciality is never his focus.

The 71-year-old Canadian mastermind veers into a whole different territory with his latest project, having directed Billie Eilish’s concert film for her Hit Me Hard and Soft tour.

Starring the 24-year-old Grammy-winning superstar, the 3D doc features performances from her seventh headline tour, recorded at Manchester’s Co-op Arena last year.

It treats fans to an innovative, immersive live concert experience, boasting a set list of all Eilish’s hits and newer tracks from her 2024 chart-topping album of the same name.

Sitting down exclusively with Metro to discuss the film, Cameron reflected on his own filmography and how, despite the inevitability of Eilish’s tour film raking in big bucks thanks to her die-hard fanbase, he’d rather make an impact in other ways.

‘I like them all, but I see them through the lens of who I was and when they were made, and all that, so it’s a fluid situation,’ Cameron began when asked for his top three movies he’s made. ‘I’m not the same person I was when I made The Terminator. I was an angry, young, poor guy!’

He added that he would ‘probably go with Titanic and Avatar, for sure’, because ‘those are the ones that move the needle the most in the zeitgeist’.

‘In terms of people connecting around love and loss, Titanic. In terms of people connecting with their sense of nature and connection to nature and each other, Avatar.

‘I think they both had a big impact.’

‘You don’t know when you’re writing something that it’s gonna have that kind of [impact]. You don’t even know when you’re directing it that it’s gonna have that kind of impact,’ he admitted.

‘That’s what we all hope for as artists: to reach a large number of people without compromising to commerciality.’

‘My goal, and probably yours to an extent, as well,’ he said to Eilish, ‘is how many people can I reach? How many people can I impact without just completely becoming a commercial whore?’

Cameron then declared: ‘I think this (the Hit Me Hard and Soft film) is gonna have an impact.’

On working with the Bad Guy hitmaker specifically, Cameron, who is a close friend of her mother, Maggie Baird, sweetly insisted that she surpassed his expectations ‘by miles’.

‘When I met you (Eilish), I found you to just be very natural, very comfortable in your skin, very authentic, and as we got into it (the film), I started to realise what a really, really particular and specific artist and visionary you are.’

Now considering her his ‘pal’, Cameron bestowed an almighty compliment on Eilish, branding her a ‘demigoddess to so many people on this planet’, yet with admiration for how she’s still ‘so grounded’ and ‘not a diva at all’.

‘I think, for somebody who’s been in the public eye, with the kind of scrutiny that you have, both celebrated and trolled so much over the last decade, you are surprisingly sane!’, he praised.

‘It’s hard to stay sane out here,’ Eilish countered, having had a hit with her tune Ocean Eyes at the tender age of 13 and growing to become one of the most successful artists of the 2010s. ‘I try!’

The songwriting icon, whose brother and co-writer/producer, Finneas O’Connell, also features in the live film, then expressed that she ‘misses the tour’ already, having wrapped up her mammoth run of 106 dates in November.

Her Hit Me Hard and Soft gigs were hugely lucrative, spanning over a year with over 1.5million ticket sales and grossing over $220m (£162m).

@metroentertainment

♬ original sound – Metro Entertainment

As for what fans can expect next, if you’re hoping that promoting her concert film marks the start of a new album campaign, alas, you’re going to be disappointed.

Eilish, who recently revealed to Complex that she’s been in the studio, is still oblivious to what her next record (which will be her fourth) will sound like. Still, she’s teased that it’s in the works…

Will you be watching Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft tour doc?Comment Now

‘I’m just excited because it’s coming along, but it is nowhere near finished,’ she laughed. ‘Just so everyone knows.’

Quizzed on what the secret is to keeping a ‘secret album’ under wraps, she added: ‘I don’t even know yet. Like, I’m keeping a secret from myself.

‘People are like, “So, what’s the name?” No clue. “What’s the vibe?” No clue. We’re gonna find out! And that’s a really exciting place to be.’

‘It’s gonna be a while still, because I got a lot to do before then, but don’t worry – it will come.’

We have no doubt it’ll be worth the wait.

Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) is showing in cinemas from May 8.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

Comments


Add as preferred source