For nearly three decades, a question has beennagging Titanic fans: when Rose finds Jack on the ship, is she dead or is it a dream? On the occasion of the opening of his exhibition at the Cinémathèque de Paris, James Cameron agreed to revisit this mystery in the columns of Le Parisien.
This Thursday, April 4, the Cinémathèque de Paris opens its doors to an exhibition dedicated to one of the most famous directors in the world: James Cameron. Entitled The Art of James Cameron, it will run until January 5, 2025. On this occasion, the filmmaker was in Paris and kindly agreed to answer a few questions posed by our colleagues at Le Parisien. Imagined by the 69-year-old artist himself, this exhibition immerses visitors in his cinematic universe. From Alien to Avatar to Titanic, discover how James Cameron conceived, wrote, drew and directed these films that have become, since their release, cult works of the seventh art. A room is specially dedicated to Titanic, inevitably raising questions about this iconic film.
James Cameron thus returned to Jack’s death, stating that it was a necessity: “In my opinion, a happy ending would have been disrespectful to the tragedy of the event,” he confided, then evoking Rose’s fate. As a reminder, at the end of the film, Rose, now an old lady, falls asleep peacefully. The following sequence shows her young, back on the Titanic, reunited with Jack, the love of her life. Since its release in 1997, the doubt still persists as to whether the character dreams or dies… A question to which James Cameron does not seem to want to answer categorically: “As for the end, Rose dreams or dies, they are reunited,” began the filmmaker, adding: “When we were filming the final sequence, Gloria Stuart, who played the elderly Rose, says to me: ‘So, Mr. Director, should I play her dead or alive?’ I replied: ‘Hold your breath!’” An answer that is always so enigmatic… It’s up to us to form our own opinion!
James Cameron: rediscover all his films at the Cinémathèque de Paris
In addition to the exhibition, the Cinémathèque de Paris is also offering a retrospective of all of James Cameron’s films, until May 26. The perfect opportunity to delve into the filmmaker’s universe before exploring the different rooms of his exhibition. Although James Cameron has already left France to return to work on the production of Avatar 3, he told Le Parisien of his satisfaction that his exhibition is being held in Paris, emphasizing that the French have a very keen critical eye: “The French worship cinema. Your critiques are of a very high standard. What we, filmmakers, try to slip into a film goes over the heads of the majority of spectators, but not the French.” A glowing compliment that we welcome with pleasure!
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