[IronJack]

This is too much of a stretch for me. There is no cinematic similarity whatsoever between Titanic and Triumph of the Will. Zero. I wouldn't waste my money on Avatar so I can't comment, but stylistically, thematically, and artistically, Cameron is not Riefenstahl.

[WOBBLY BOB]

Avatar without 3-D is a really so-so average movie with a Disney-like simplistic plot.

[driftless2]

"Avatar"

They'eve been showing the film endlessly on HBO. Every time I'm flipping through the channels and Avatar appears on the screen, I think I'm looking at overgrown Smurfs. Really, the movie is too absurd to be taken seriously.

[Polybius]

This is too much of a stretch for me. There is no cinematic similarity whatsoever between Titanic and Triumph of the Will.

That is not what is claimed. It is claimed that it is based on the "German mountain films" (Bergfilme) which is a totally different genre than "Triumph of the Will" or "Olympiad".

".... acutely noticed back in 2001 that James Cameron's epic movie Titanic is based on the German mountain films that Riefenstahl starred in."

A mountain film is a film genre that focuses on mountaineering and especially the battle of man against nature.

The Bergfilme was as popular in the German cinema in the 1930's as the Western was popular in the American cinema in the 1950's.