When you think of James Cameron what comes to mind? T-800s? Impressive technology? An unjust war between the RDA and the native Na'vi? Though some of you die-hard Titanic fans may immediately shout "Irish penny whistles," but Cameron has made a career out of not only using incredibly advanced technology as material for his films but using incredibly advanced technology to capture them.

In this video, Fandor lists some of the directors' favorite films, ones that seem to have not only inspired his love of special effects but influenced his earlier practical work. Check it out below:

In case you couldn't watch the video, here are Cameron's top five favorite films.

  • The Wizard of Oz
  • Doctor Strangelove
  • 2001: A Space Odyssey
  • The Godfather
  • Taxi Driver

If you're looking at this list and then looking at Cameron's filmography...and then looking back at the list and then looking once again at his filmography, I get it. I did that, too. Though Cameron is an absolute wizard when it comes to the technological advancement of cinematic tools and techniques, his work doesn't really scream Wizard of Oz in terms of style and substance, but maybe that's because Wizard of Oz isn't his favorite film because of its style and substance. For Cameron, who is one of the biggest proponents of visual effects and the 3D film movement, maybe it's all about the grandeur and spectacle.

This certainly explains his affection toward Kubrick's work. He once remarked about the late director:

I remember going with a great sense of anticipation to each new Stanley Kubrick film and thinking, "Can he pull it off and amaze me again?" And he always did. The lesson I learned from Kubrick was, never do the same thing twice.

Taking a look at Cameron's work, I'd say that's a lesson he has stuck to throughout his career.

What do you make of James Cameron's list? Let us know down in the comments.

Source: Fandor

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