“Avatar” Director James Cameron Always Takes Home a Piece of His Films

Owning a prop that was actually used in a film is the pièce de résistance for any movie memorabilia collector. Writer/director James Cameron (the man behind two of the highest-grossing films of all time, “Titanic” and “Avatar”) agrees. That’s why he never fails to leave any of his movie sets without grabbing a memento to add to his personal movie memorabilia collection. After 30 years in the business, the 55-year-old is sure to have an exceptional one.

Don’t just take our word for it. Cameron himself has admitted that his Santa Monica office houses the cyborg arm from “Terminator 2,” a helmet from “The Abyss” and the wheel that was unable to steer the “Titanic” away from the fateful iceberg, just to name a few. “I keep [the wheel] in my office because I know what it feels like to be at the helm of a sinking ship,” Cameron once told “60 Minutes.”

For “Avatar,” Cameron took one of the AMP (Amplified Mobility Platform) Suits used in the film’s climatic battles and plans to put the 14-foot-tall prop on his front lawn in Malibu. “It’ll send a message to the neighbors: ‘Don’t !@#$ with us,’” Cameron told Entertainment Weekly. Whether he’s being serious or not is up for debate. But Cameron is obviously serious about collecting things that commemorate his great cinematic accomplishments.

Do you share Cameron’s passion?

If you collect movie memorabilia, or you would like to start, check out the Prop Store. The London-based film prop shop carries authentic memorabilia from a wide variety of films, including “Superman” (starring Christopher Reeve), “Back to the Future,” “Indiana Jones” and “Aliens.” However, if authentic props are too expensive, prop replicas are also a popular collectible alternative. They are more widely available from stores such as Noble Collection, Factory Entertainment, and Neca Online.