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Were the former to win, it would mean a victory for historys highest-grossing blockbuster.
Cameron and Bigelow had been divorced since 1991 and by many accounts remained amicable.
But the media and Hollywood insiders alike seized on the intrigue behind the pairs public face-off.
How could anyone not?
Its such a damn good story, says Jeffrey Godsick, the studios former executive vice-president of marketing.
Neither movie began as a Best Picture shoo-in.
Oscar strategies are myths, says Tom Rothman, then-chairman of Fox Filmed Entertainment.
Thats a thing created by no offense the media and the press.
The Academy sees the movies, and they vote for what they vote for.
I dont know that it takes some genius strategy.
But call it what you will,Avatardid have a strategy, however late-breaking it may have been.
That tactic cost money in its own way because Fox couldnt rent out its theater to other companies.
It also resulted in angry calls from older Academy members who wantedAvatarDVDs mailed out sooner, the source says.
I think there was almost a defensiveness behind it, which Im not saying is the right thing.
That was one of the tactics used against us.
If youre an Oscar voter, youre probably like, Well, they already got the box office.
Why do they need awards?
The Hurt Lockeralso benefited froma motif that didnt require any featurettes to explain.
The idea was intoxicating and I can attest to the speed with which it coursed through Hollywoods bloodstream.
Within a day of the nominations on February 2, there was barely talk of anything else.
I did feel a little backlash on him.
Throughout the season, anyone expecting bloodthirst instead saw Cameron and Bigelow profess mutual support.
She sawAvatarfive times at different stages and gave notes, so were actually helping each other.
Still,Avatars overall brand saturation left Fox optimistic.
What was the last movie to win Best Picture without a Screenplay nod?Titanic.
Cameron was gracious about the outcome, one of the Fox sources says.
I remember him going to seek her out afterward, he recalls of Cameron and Bigelow.
I think he was probably disappointed.
I think they all are.
Case in point:Avatars recent rerelease earned an impressive$75.5 millionworldwide.
This month, Camerons interspecies epic begins itsambitious, long-awaited franchise treatment, unleashing the first of multiple sequels.
David managed to beat Goliath, but its Goliath who gets the final shot.
A lot of the narrative was about this well-done, well-reviewed war movie by a woman.
How could you not support that?
