Before Creating The Terminator, James Cameron Was Involved In A Kurt Russell Sci-Fi Film
James Cameron possesses a talent for styling a scene. It’s that artistic vision that has led to three of the most high-grossing films in history and instilled enough confidence in his cast to criticize MCU films for being lackluster by comparison. However, long before he directed some of the most acclaimed movies ever, the Oscar-winning filmmaker was under the guidance of John Carpenter. Together, they infused a brilliant touch into what became an adored cult classic. In 1981, Cameron joined the crew as the special effects visual photographer for John Carpenter’s dark rescue mission film, “Escape from New York.” The movie featured Kurt Russell in the now-iconic role of Snake Plissken, the former soldier-turned-felon, tasked with a mission to rescue the U.S. President from New York City, transformed into an island for criminals.
It didn’t take long for Cameron to become an essential part of the team, with Carpenter himself recalling in the 2018 4k Ultra HD documentary for the film (via Yahoo!) that he was the “resident genius” on set. “Everyone was raving about how outstanding he was,” Carpenter reminisced. It was thanks to this so-called genius that the film succeeded in executing two of its most memorable scenes, thanks to clever camera techniques and meticulously applied brush strokes.
James Cameron utilized his expertise in Escape From New York
One remarkable achievement by Cameron that highlighted his skills as a special effects artist was crafting a New York City skyline to trick the audience. In one scene set in New York, where prisoners awaited food deliveries, the inmates weren’t actually in the Big Apple but were filmed in the San Fernando Valley. To create the illusion of being in New York City, Cameron painted a glass skyline that could be placed in front of the camera, appearing so lifelike that it could easily be mistaken for the real deal. This extraordinary display of creativity hinted at the phenomenal filmmaking Cameron would create in the years that followed. Another astounding example was simulating a flight over New York City, portrayed in night vision. No biggie, right? Well, the reality is, it wasn’t even dark.
Instead, Cameron created a matte painting of the skyline using black, adding white reflective tape around the edges of each building to replicate what was then an advanced computer image. Then, all that remained was for the camera crew to shoot through the skyline, utilizing a blacklight to simulate a nighttime flight. As these industry secrets accumulated, Cameron became a notable name to follow, especially when, three years later, he directed his own sci-fi film — “The Terminator.” Well, everyone has a beginning, and it seems that for Cameron, spending some time in New York in one of Carpenter’s masterpieces turned out to be a tremendous advantage.
