CAMERON CARRIES WEIGHT OF MASSIVE `TITANIC'.

Byline: Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith

As reports swirl that James Cameron's ``Titanic'' probably will have to be postponed from its July 2 release, the filmmaker continues his frantic post-production pace.

``I don't think he even comes up for air,'' says Frances Fisher, who plays Kate Winslet's mother in the big-screen epic co-produced by 20th Century Fox and Paramount. ``They bring lunch right to him at the editing bay.''

The ``Titanic'' shoot reportedly was plagued with cost overruns - swelling the budget to $200 million plus - and dissension among crew and cast members because of Cameron's alleged abrasive manner on the set. Winslet recently was reported as saying, ``You'd have to pay me a lot of money to work with Jim again.''

But Fisher, who also stars in ``Female Perversions,'' which opens Friday in New York and Los Angeles, comes to Cameron's defense.

``He's carrying the `Titanic' on his back, with all the pressure from the studios and the money and all that stuff. ... It's very clear why it cost so much. It was a huge, huge production. He is tough on his crew and he is a perfectionist, but he expects the same from himself, and he's one of the best major directors I've ever worked with.''

She adds, ``He's there to make a movie, not do a therapy course in human relations. He probably will learn how to communicate better as he goes on ... that you can get more with honey than vinegar. But in terms of working with me, he was a perfect gentleman. I'd work with him in a second again.''

Meanwhile

Bill Paxton (``Apollo 13,'' ``Twister''), who also stars in the troubled ``Titanic,'' has a lot of stories to tell about the production. One thing he will never forget is the time ``many of us got horribly ill when we ate the lobster chowder someone laced with PCP.'' Paxton says, ``It's like you've taken an elephant tranquilizer. The person who did the lacing was never caught, but I don't buy the stories that it was just a joke. It was no joke. It was a terribly malicious thing to do. We had children on that set, and an 86-year-old actress. Fortunately none of them ate the chowder, but if they had, it could have been tragic.''

The best laid plans

Remember all those plans to make a big-screen drama out of the exploits of Scott O'Grady, the F-16 pilot who was shot down over Bosnia and survived by living on insects and leaves for seven days? Well, the project's still in development by Davis Entertainment, but at this point there's no telling when - or if - it will come to screen. Or even go into pre-production. No casting yet, and although John Netter was attached as director at one point, his involvement now seems iffy, and, according to a Davis source, ``Anything can change.''

Producer David Kirkpatrick is still waiting to find a leading man for ``Homemade Sin.'' He expected to have the feature rolling this month, but John Travolta passed on the project - and he's been waiting for Matthew McConaughey to give him a nay or a yea on the film for about eight weeks.

Extra added attractions

Aretha Franklin and Jim Brown are now set to appear in ``Blues Brothers 2000,'' the Jim Belushi/Dan Aykroyd/John Goodman starrer that's set for a June 1 start.

Angel news

``Touched by an Angel'' co-star John Dye predicts ``we'll get about 45 minutes for our hiatus this year.'' The hit series has become a real workhorse for CBS, with the leads having done 31 shows this season - counting four crossover episodes of ``Promised Land.'' That's as opposed to other dramas with around a 22-episode season order.

But the show does have its uplifting rewards. This Sunday's episode is inspired by a real-life program in which juvenile delinquents are brought in as helpers in a center for special-needs kids. ``It worked out so well, there was a zero recidivism rate among the youth offenders involved,'' says Dye. ``And, of course, the question was, who was helping whom?'' The ``Touched by an Angel'' team filmed the episode in a Salt Lake City facility for handicapped children, and left all the equipment used as props, plus a computer. ``It was the best week of work I ever spent,'' says Dye.

Gold medal gymnast Kerri Strug joins ``Touched by an Angel'' late his month, to guest star as the rival of a girl who puts her athletic career before her family.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos

Photo: (1) Frances Fisher

Defends ``Titanic'' director

(2) Aretha Franklin

Back for more ``Blues''

(3) John Dye

``Angel'' keeps him busy