The Terminator was one of James Cameron's early blockbuster major motion picture successes. It was the movie that put James Cameron in the spotlight before theatre goers and Hollywood executives. Simply put, The Terminator got James Cameron noticed.
Terminator Gets James Cameron Noticed
Even more, The Terminator elevated California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger's major motion picture acting career. Terminator memorabilia lined store shelves. Fan favorites included:
- Lunch boxes
- Cups
- Mugs
- T-shirts
- Bobble head dolls
- Ttoys, statutes
- Posters bearing Arnold Schwarzenegger's image
Over 10 years since its release, major motion picture enthusiasts and Terminator fans continue to purchase and collect memorabilia associated with the hit movie.
Other major motion pictures that James Cameron worked on, like Rambo and Aliens, also helped to solidify the careers of actors and actresses (i.e. Sylvester Stallone, Sigourney Weaver) who appeared in the films. Sigourney Weaver would go on to work with James Cameron again years after she appeared in Aliens. This time she would be featured in James Cameron's highest grossing movie to date, Avatar.
Not All Glam and Glitter for James Cameron
Yet, it wasn't all glitter for James Cameron. His plans to work on another popular major motion picture, Spider Man, fell through. Rather than to belabor the perceived loss, James Cameron started working on a series of documentaries including Aliens of the Deep and Ghosts of the Abyss. Then came the filmmaker's next huge major motion picture, the movie that would become the highest grossing film of all time, Avatar.
Less than two months after it was released:
- Avatar racked in a cool $1 billion at theatres worldwide
- Throughout the history of major motion pictures, only a few films have reached $1 billion in gross receipts
- Other billion dollar grossing films include Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Dark Knight and Titanic.
Avatar Memorabilia and Collectibles
Avatar collectibles and memorabilia make it easy for fans and motion picture enthusiasts to own a piece of Avatar history long after the movie is no longer showing on theatre screens. Avatar is so popular that, even with Avatar memorabilia (i.e. posters, t-shirts, cups, mugs, action figures) being available at large retail, toy and collector stores and centers, it can be difficult to find Avatar memorabilia in stock. For example, on February 17, 2010 the Avatar Na'vi Leonopteryx collectible figure was sold out at Target's online store.
Ebay list Avatar posters starting at $50 that fans can bid on. As of February 17, 2010, the original Avatar 3D Lenticular theatrical poster had earned a bid of $163.50 on Ebay. As if to prove its incredible popularity, thousands of Avatar posters have been made and the movie has only been in theatres for two months.
Avatar game figures, soundtracks, costumes and fashion wear are other fan favorites. Although it doesn't have as much collector and theatrical memorabilia as other stores and websites, The Avatar official website is the place where theatre goers experience interactive trailers from the movie. Fans also learn more about the movie's characters including the mountain banshee, former marine Jack Sully and Neytiri at the official website.
About Avatar Video Games
Avatar video games are available on:
- Play Station 3
- X-Box 360
- Wii
- Mac
- Other personal computer (PC) systems
Online game systems let fans and video game enthusiasts download and play Avatar for about $50. As it happens when books are made into movies, some Avatar fans step away less than satisfied after they sit down to play the game. CNET gives the PC version of the game three out of five stars. Game Spot also gives the Play Station 3 version of the game three out of five stars.
Twitter, Facebook and blogging sites that spotlight Avatar movie scenes, musical soundtracks and characters abound. Unlike other major motion pictures (i.e. Lord of the Rings, Titanic, Pirates of the Caribbean) that have the prestigious honor of grossing $1 billion or more, Avatar has grossed over $1 billion after being open at theatres for only two months.
Rhonda Campbell - Reading gave me entrance into the world of writing. As a kid, I loved to read. I still do. I was in the fifth grade when I started ...
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