Genius who sold the Titanic - twice

And he got away with it

HOW do you sell ice to an Eskimo? Pose this question to James Cameron and I have no doubt that he'll have a response handy. And you'll be content with his reply for he's a genius.

His answer is likely to be something like: "Oh, just give them ice cream . that should do." For the record, that line of thought is original to yours truly but I don't mind sharing it with Cameron. That's not to say I'm brilliant. Oh, no. Not at all (hint, hint).

But Cameron is. I mean, how many directors out there that have the audacity to sell flick fans (like you and I) the same film twice a decade and a bit after its release? James Cameron. Scream his name. Louder. I can't hear you. Again. That's the spirit.

Besides thrilling us with blockbusters like Terminator (1 and 2), Judgment Day, Aliens and Avatar - to name just a few - Cameron has just become my role model filmmaker for regurgitating his 1997 moneymaker Titanic. All he did was add 3D and voilà! Oh, James. You're too good.

Sans the 3D extra, the 1997 Titanic has, to date, cleaned close to $2-billion and that's no chump change.

But because he's a cunning (and greedy, perhaps) businessman (how impressive), he decided to take advantage of the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Titanic tragedy - April 15, next week - to be concise.

And we all know there will be more cash in his overflowing bank account; we'll queue up at cinemas, wallow in it and cry until we run out of tears.

And you'll love the big screen 3D moment - where you'll put on those silly 3D glasses that make you look like an academic - that you'll go as far as even hiring the DVD. Did I hear you say no? I didn't think so.

But for those who've never seen the 1997 leg this will be an awesome in-your-face encounter. And yep, there will be torrents of tears and pain when the tale unfolds of the more than 1500 who died when the "unsinkable" Titanic hit a giant iceberg on that fateful night in 1912.

The immediate romance between Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose DeWitt (Kate Winslet) is a heart-rending backdrop. Surely a throng of female flick fans will have their hands on their chests when Jack persuades Rose not to jump from the luxury ship.

Meanwhile perverts will drool when Dawson paints a naked Rose and wish they had half his skill and were in his at position.

Cameron's Titanic is an eternal classic and has authentic cinematography, flowing yet melancholic script by Cameron himself, engulfing score (music, you dummy) and dedicated actors who master the art of etiquette immaculately.

The story of Titanic is simply a narrative of how a select few individuals, armed with the most advanced ship technology of the time, pursue self-aggrandisement at the expense of thousands of human lives.

Of course, it's not all gloom on the humongous cruise - there's partying, romance and tension galore. Your heart will break in many places when the ship breaks in the third and fourth funnels (around the middle).

Well done James for your clever strategy and bringing tears to our cheeks.

Enjoy the box-office collections.