Summary
As surprising as it may sound, James Cameron’sAvatarmovies borrowed a bizarre element from his earlier blockbusterTitanic. James Cameron’s movies differ wildly in terms of themes, tone, and subject, but there are a few recurring motifs that crop up throughout his filmography.The TerminatorandTitanicmay seem very different, but both movies ask viewers to interrogate whether the consequences of humanity’s scientific innovations should have ethical boundaries. Similarly, despite their differences,Avatar: The Way of Water’s endingandTitanic’s third act both feature lengthy, tense action sequences where the heroes attempt to escape a sinking vessel.
As such, it shouldn’t be too surprising to discover that theAvatarmovies also borrow elements from earlier Cameron projects. While this comparison may come up again in theupcomingAvatarmovies, the original movie’s ending already flipped Ripely’sAliensshowdown on its head with Quaritch and Neytiri’s final fight, with the human in the mech suit as the villain and the alien mother acting as the heroine. Similarly, much ofThe Way of Water’sTulkun hunt subplot mirroredAliens, albeit with the aliens portrayed as heroes this time around. One detail in Cameron’s 1997 movie, however, made a jump into theAvatarfranchise.
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James Horner’s Avatar Theme Is Eerily Similar To Titanic’s “My Heart Will Go On”
Cameron’s Biggest Movies Feature Strikingly Similar Scores
One of the most unexpected similarities between Cameron’s movies comes in the scores of bothAvatarmovies andTitanic. James Horner’s epicTitanicscore is famous for good reason, andCeline Dion’s recording of its signature theme song, “My Heart Will Go On,” remains an all-time great piece of pop music. As such, it isn’t all that surprising that bothAvatarscores, which were also composed by Horner, borrow from “My Heart Will Go On.” Part ofAvatar’s score features the notes of the song’s “near… far…” section, utilizing the same interval and similar timing.
SinceAvatar’s sound effects were borrowed fromJurassic Park, it makes sense that Cameron’s blockbuster also featured an homage to Horner’s earlier work. After the near-perfect mimicking of “near… far,“Avatar’s score broadly followsTitanic’s theme song with a similar descending phrase, making the comparison between the two pieces of music unavoidable. This could be because Horner had a hand in both pieces of music, but the similarities also make sense in thematic terms. As noted above, Cameron’s movies are more similar than they may appear at first glance, and bothAvatarmovies feature love stories that echo elements ofTitanic’s iconic doomed affair.
Avatar’s Titanic-Esque Score Works For Both Movies
Avatar And Titanic Are Thematically Similar Enough To Justify This Choice
Titanic’s plot follows Jack and Rose’s love story as the pair fall for each other on the eponymous vessel despite their differences in social class. Similarly,Avatarsees Jake fall for Neytiri even though she is a Na’vi and he is a human, whileAvatar: The Way of Water’s Tsireya falls in love with Jake’s son Lo’ak in the sequel despite their different clans. Since both theAvatarmovie’s themes and “My Heart With Go On” share a very emotional, romantic, ethereal progression, the piece of music works for both love stories, and theTitanicscore’s motif is perfectly fitting.
