So the news is out: Avatar has officially surpassed Titanic as the highest grossing movie (worldwide) of all time and will soon surpass it in the United States as well. If my predictions are correct, it will be the first film to break $2 billion in worldwide box office revenue. To celebrate, I thought it might be time to take a look at some striking similarities between the newest biggest thing and its Titanic predecessor. Enjoy.

Big shit breaks apart

Both films feature enormous structures breaking and falling. In Titanic the biggest ocean liner the world has ever seen hits an iceberg, begins to sink, and breaks in half before our eyes. In Avatar, we see the largest tree ever put on film get blown to hell, break, and fall down and crush everything beneath it. Both of these are defining moments in each film and one of the major reasons audiences keep/kept flocking to see them.

No money, no problems

In Titanic, Rose, a rich young woman in 1st class, learns that the poor in 3rd class are happier than anyone she knows. She begins to resent her wealthy, predetermined life and prearranged marriage. Quickly, she longs to be with Jack, who embodies the free life she doesn’t have. In Avatar, this theme is even more literal. Jake is a paraplegic marine who, with the help of technology, enters the body of an alien/human hybrid with full motor functions. He’s stronger and faster than he ever was as a human. Through Neytiri, he learns about the Na’vi people and that their technology-less way of life isn’t primitive, it’s a more free way to live. He literally goes through the Na’vi right of passage and is accepted as one of them.

Tied up and bound

In both movies, at least one of the main characters is tied up and bound in the midst of a huge disaster. In both cases, neither really deserves to be there. In Titanic, Billy Zane (who isn’t up to much lately) falsely accuses Jack of stealing. Rose then descends the decks of the sinking ship and gets all wet to save him. In Avatar, Jake (sounds like Jack, no?) and Dr. Grace Augustine are tied up on wooden sticks/crosses after the Na’vi learn that the army is going to attack Hometree. They are freed as Hometree is destroyed.

“I see you” and “I trust you”

Anyone who knows Titanic knows of its key lines “I’m the king of the world” and “I’ll never let go.” However, the main thematic lines throughout were variations on Jack and Rose saying and asking if they trust one another. “Do you trust me?” Jack asks Rose when they’re at the bow of the ship. And when she’s about to swing at his cuffs with an axe Jack says back “I trust you.” Careful observers will find many more examples of this. In Avatar, Neytiri tells Jake “I see you” and explains that it means to see someone completely, beyond the skin. The two repeat this line many times throughout the film. Both of these lines basically mean “I love you.”

(“Do you trust me?” is actually kind of taken from Aladdin, but Cameron likes borrowing things from cartoon adventures. Avatar is basically Ferngully: The Last Rainforest.)

James Horner

I’m a fan of James Horner, but even casual listeners will notice the similarities between his scores for Cameron’s two films. The love themes in both films even begin with the same few notes. The first time I heard it, I thought Horner and Cameron were actually going to reuse the Titanic love them. Check out samples of Avatar‘s soundtrack here. And to listen to Titanic‘s soundtrack, click here.

Two act plot structure

While Avatar is a science fiction fantasy and Titanic is rooted in historical fact, the two films share a remarkably similar overall plot structure. Here’s the chain of events, as I see them.

First Cameron shows his huge epic new location, unlike anything ever seen before. Then the films have two main acts: first the main characters explore and learn this new world together whilst falling in love. Then big shit goes down and their world is threatened, and their love is tested in climactic fashion.

In Titanic, Jack and Rose’s love takes them throughout the entire ship, showing audiences the beauty of the vessel that sank and the growing bond between them. In Avatar, Jake and Neytiri immerse us deep in the jungles of Pandora. Neytiri teaches Jake about her peoples’ way of life and the world they live in harmony with.

The situation surrounding its release

There are plenty of connections within the films, but even the situations surrounding the box office release of Cameron’s epics are similar, as AC points out.

Both Avatar and Titanic have followed the exact same pattern heading into their release dates. They were both highly anticipated films that promised an epic love story, mixed with state-of-the-art effects. But in both cases, they had epic costs and backlash before they ever even came out. In the case of Titanic, the budget ballooned, the release date was pushed back, and Cameron was accused of going overboard. In the case of Avatar, the budget also ballooned to record heights, and Cameron faced tons of criticism before the film was finished. In both cases, pundits and critics were ready to tear apart these movies before they saw it.

…

With both movies, Titanic and Avatar overcome months of bad buzz to get rapturous reviews. Both films were described as a new leap forward for movie spectacle, and proclaimed Cameron a genius after all.

Even odder, both films have almost the exact same Rotten Tomatoes score. Avatar has an 82%. Titanic has an 83%. Coincidence?

The ending song

The ending credits song in Titanic was Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.” The song was a last minute addition, but ended up being one of the biggest pop singles ever and a huge boost to the movie. Not to miss another opportunity to sell soundtracks, Cameron included a song “I See You,” sung by Leona Lewis, who does her best Celine Dion impersonation. At first, I actually thought it was Dion. Lewis’s single isn’t yet tearing up the charts like Dion’s, but the intent is there. I’ve linked to them both below.

Celine Dion, “My Heart Will Go On”

Leona Lewis, “I See You”

Conclusion

James Cameron knows what he’s doing. I’m not sure if he wants the money or really wants to make something that appeals to almost everyone. Probably both. In any case, he’s succeeded. He’s handcrafted both of these films to appeal to the widest audience possible by cutting to the core of what a big movie is all about. Both films are criticized for their simple dialogue and story, but they are both films almost everyone wants to see at least once.

With Avatar, Cameron built on the Titanic formula by adding science fiction, fantasy, and giant battles to the mix, while retaining enough love and exploration to intrigue the rest of the country. Add in the visuals and 3D novelty and it’s a recipe for, well, $2+ billion dollars.

Before its release, I was openly bothered by Cameron’s attitude and the way he was hyping the film. He knew something I didn’t. Avatar is a visceral experience that hits all its notes right and then plays a few more, just like Titanic. I can’t wait to list the ways his next film is similar to this one, or Pocahontas.

Read similar posts to 8 Ways Cameron’s Avatar is eerily similar to Titanic at Filmonic

There’s around 3 weeks to go until Avatar hits the big screen, which means 20th Century Fox are in marketing mode and the internet is alive with all things Avatar.

The first item we have is a new interactive trailer that debuted on the official Avatar site. You can downloaded it here, and as you watch the trailer it pauses and allows you to watch featurettes on the characters and monsters of Pandora. If you don’t want to download it I’ve embedded them below, however there is a LOT of new footage and some spoilers so beware!

We also have some samples of the Avatar score by James Horner, including a preview of the theme song ‘I See You’ be Leona Lewis.

Removed due to request of Atlantic Records Group

And finally, CBS conducted an interview with James Cameron and we see Cameron working in the editing room, and some other behind the scenes stuff we haven’t seen before. The video also gives us a run down of Cameron past work.

Read similar posts to Lots of new Avatar stuff: Interactive trailer, score samples, Cameron interview at Filmonic

Back in 1997 a song called ‘My Heart Will Go On’ by Celine Dion played during the credits of Titanic and went on to become one of the biggest selling singles in history. It won the 1997 Academy Award for Best Original Song and dominated the Grammy Awards in 1999. It was huge. Now, over a decade on James Horner and Simon Franglen are re-teaming to work on the theme song for Avatar, and they’ve got British singer Leona Lewis to provide the vocals.

Lewis is probably best known for ‘Bleeding Love’ which reached No. 1 in over 20 countries worldwide, including the US, and she also represented the UK with her vocals during the closing ceremony at the Beijing Olympics. Being British I’m familiar with Leona and I think she has the voice of an angel, although I’m not sure hardcore movie fanboys/geeks will be that interested in her song. It’ll be one for the females.

I’ve embedded a video of Leona performing below:

Read similar posts to Leona Lewis to sing Avatar theme song “I See You” at Filmonic

It wasn’t all that surprising to hear that James Horner would be composing the score for Avatar, as he had worked with James Cameron before on Aliens and Titanic. What was a bit surprising, however, was that Horner started working on the score in March last year. Usually scores are whipped up during post-production, but in this case they starting working on it nearly 2 years in advance. Does this mean our ears will be in for a treat in December?

Executive vice president of Fox Music Mike Knobloch recently spoke to Movie Score Magazine about Horner’s work, and it seems as epic as the movie itself.

“The recording of the score has been an ongoing process for months and it’s still in process. Electronic elements of the score are being recorded at a studio assembled specifically for this project. The orchestral component of the score is being recorded in groups of dates that started in June,” Mike Knobloch explained, adding that the orchestral sessions are being held at the Newman Stage at 20th Century Fox.

Talking about the stats and numbers of the score, Knobloch said that they “are still changing and evolving as James Horner is keeping up with James Cameron and the cutting room, who are still busy fine-tuning the film. The film will run the better part of three hours and there will likely be nearly as much score.” The main orchestra used for the score features over 100 musicians, including eight horns, four trumpets and five trombones. The string section is huge, comprising of 70 players. The music also features vocalists singing in the film’s Na’vi language, as well as a few other acoustic and electronic instrumentalists.

Mike Knobloch explained that there “is a great deal of acoustic and electronic rhythmic elements driving the score and vocalists singing and chanting in the fictional Na’vi dialect. Horner is doing a brilliant job of creating music that transports us to another world, but supports the film using the traditional orchestral conventions to make a sound that’s hugely cinematic.”

Read similar posts to Mike Knobloch on the music of Avatar at Filmonic