The Titanic (DVD)

INTRODUCTION

The “Titanic” is one of the best films that I have ever seen, it is also in my opinion one of the best films that has ever been made. It is a classic and as the song says, “near far wherever you are” the “Titanic” will live in our hearts forever. If film making had been made for the 1990’s it would have been made for this film.

I am not going to sit here and give the film Titanic a bad name even though it ...
...so we might not get the whole story, but at least it sums up the horrors, the loss of lives, the terror, the fear, the passion and it is jam packed with emotion. It might have errors in the film, it might warrant criticising, but in my opinion it brought home truths that we might not have otherwise known from not watching the film. Before Titanic was made yes, there were other films of Titanic, but interest in Titanic had died down and it is something ... more

INTRODUCTION

The “Titanic” is one of the best films that I have ever seen, it is also in my opinion one of the best films that has ever been made. It is a classic and as the song says, “near far wherever you are” the “Titanic” will live in our hearts forever. If film making had been made for the 1990’s it would have been made for this film.

I am not going to sit here and give the film Titanic a bad name even though it was obvious that it contained some historical errors. I thought this film was very well acted and portrayed. O.k. so we might not get the whole story, but at least it sums up the horrors, the loss of lives, the terror, the fear, the passion and it is jam packed with emotion. It might have errors in the film, it might warrant criticising, but in my opinion it brought home truths that we might not have otherwise known from not watching the film. Before Titanic was made yes, there were other films of Titanic, but interest in Titanic had died down and it is something as the song says, “my heart will go on”. Who’d have thought about it? watched it? Remembered the lives lost in it? If it hadn’t been for this modern remake of the film. Not to mention some of the worlds and teeny boppers favourite actors and actresses. Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet amongst the many. Besides which this film seemed to spark the interest of so many to go away and find out if this film was correct. People who otherwise wouldn’t have known the truth. Also many people who were on board the actual ship had their names mentioned which to me only goes to prove how valuable this film was in remembrance. So I know I’m going to get the odd few of you saying things like how can you credit this film, but those are a few of my reasons as well as the one’s below.

Titanic was brought out at cinema’s in 1997 and on home video in 1998 for twentieth century fox home entertainment, inc. It plays for around 189 minutes so that’s 3 hours, 9 minutes to be exact and in my opinion it is not too long or too short. It is rated 12 as there is a general theme of disaster, romance. There is one strong use of language and some mild. There is infrequent, moderate sex/nudity. There is sustained moderate horror. Rough edits that were made for this film ran over 5 hours.

This film has won Oscar awards.

Titanic is a disaster that should never have occurred especially if the ship had been going the speed it should have been. Not being pushed to make headline news, which is unfortunately what it did make though not for the right reasons. This was a maiden voyage that took place in 1912.

CAMERA

The film starts with pictures from the ship wreck, “the ship of dreams“. This film gets emotions going right from the very start. We are taken right into the heart of the ocean, it is very emotional and powerful camera play. Showing camera angles on the ships damage that can only be done by professionals. Later on in the film we even see the sea splashing against the ship, dolphins jumping and to make it even more realistic the Captain having a cup of tea. Some of the pictures were produced by Kodak with DTS working the sound. I liked the way the camera was able to go right in on the close ups showing fantastic detail. So detailed in fact, that it even show the chandelier moving as the ship hit the iceberg.

“Seeing her coming out of the dark as a ghost ship, still gets me every time.” This was a very powerful line spoke by one of the men finding the ship and it had a profound effect on me turning my emotions inside out. On a whole I felt this was the way the film made me feel, highly emotional.

The windows were 9 inches thick on the submarine that they were exploring the ship wreck with and the camera managed to focus on this amount of detail. This amount of detail along with special effects makes you feel that you are actually there experiencing it all. I have watched this film 3 times my first time being with my mum at the cinema. I must admit it is better on a lager screen you feel like you are there more, but still on a smaller screen it is fantastic.

ACTING

Exploring the wreckage we are even shown detail such as, crabs. The producer James Cameron who also wrote and directed the film has not forgotten to leave out any detail. “We’re in baby, we’re there.” was spoken in such a believable manner and made you see what truly great acting there was. Speaking was clear with realistic language used though maybe not all characteristic of the early 20th century I did detect a bit of Hollywood creeping in at times. The acting was not only believable, but also helped you to feel the emotion that was there. Ensemble (group) work was fantastic, but was so was solo work too. The cast really seemed to gel together very well. Timing was perfect.

“It’s pay day boys” this was a disgusting part spoken by the person who’d discovered a treasure chest on board the Titanic. The excitement showed on his face, his eyes lit up and the camera captured every detail. Whereas I was thinking, pay day? What about all the lives that had been lost it wasn’t pay day for them was it? 1,500 people went out on the boat, 20 boats went out and only 1 boat came back. Six were saved out of fifteen hundred and all these men were looking for was a safe.

They did find a beautiful picture of a young lady locked in the safe which gave rise to the main character in this film, Rose Calvert played by Kate Winslet. Rose has her own story to tell of what occurred on The Titanic that night.

An old lady at home is making pottery when a picture of a young lady is shown on the television her face turns to shock. This is the old Rose Calvert played by, Gloria Stuart. When she sees her picture memories start flooding back.

Rose has grown old and is now in a wheel chair at 100 years old which is sad when we remember how young she was at 17. Looking at the painting takes the old Rose back to her younger days. The days when she travelled on board the maiden journey of the Titanic. Gloria Stuart is a fantastic actress capturing every emotion wonderfully. We can see facial expressions and eye movements that really have the life of the character in them. Gloria Stuart has really characterised the old Rose remarkably well.

When the men explain how the ship sunk you can see the old Rose’s face change into utter sadness. Capturing this detail is a work of art and one that Gloria Stuart does so well.

Old Rose is obviously a woman of experience coming up against a man who is merely trying to analyse the ship to find out what happened. Memories start flooding back. Acting so fine, detailed and realistic. I think this draws you into the story even more because the actors and actresses are all so believable in the parts that they play.

Jack played by Leonardo Di Caprio wins a game of cards that will end his life and win him a trip to America on the maiden voyage of Titanic.

“I’m the king of the world” says Jack at the front of the ship.

Fantastic acting, facial expression, eye contact and body language.

MAIN CHARACTER’S

Old Rose: A lady now taken to a wheel chair with unforgettable memories of her time on the Titanic. 100 years old.

Young Rose: A lady who was American, upper class though not snooty and only 17 years old. Rose is not your average lady. A clip of this film shows Rose holding a cigarette in a long holder, smoking which her mother hated. Then again her mother really hated everything Rose did and didn’t make poor Rose’s life easy. With a strict mother Rose rebelled. Rose a strong lady of determination with a mind of her own and good for her! a lady of distinction. Probably not really a lady compared to the standards in those days, well… not by personality anyway.

Jack Dawson: An artist falls in love with Rose the first time he sees her. Jack is on the opposite end of class to Rose being poor. Rich and poor class were never meant to mix in those days. Thank the Lord it has all changed now.

Cal Hockley: A cold hearted man who saw Rose as his possession something that would have been the norm in those days. Cal was Rose’s fiancé.

MUSIC

The music was both inspirational, thought provoking and emotional.

COSTUMES

Costumes were of early 2oth century, 1912 to be exact. The clothing was beautiful and well thought out by the costume designers.

Costumes in the rich side were completely different to the poor side if not accurate of the time period then we can certainly see the differentiation.

To describe the costume briefly in one part of the film we see Rose wearing a beautiful, crimson, sequined dress. One costume that stands in my memory is of a beautiful long, beige coat that Rose wore with black embroidered design. I want to try and get a coat like that if I can! The rich persons clothing was really beautiful, long dresses and for the men black and whites or suits.

On the other hand Jacks clothes were beige braces, brown shirt, black waist coat, white vest, beige trousers and boots. Jack doesn’t change his clothes for quite some time whereas Rose seems to change frequently.

The heart of the ocean was a really fantastic piece of costume a necklace of blue diamond, huge in size and one of the rarest diamonds in the world.

SET

A really fantastic set which was totally diverse and really made you feel like you were there. The ship is massive. Although the film makers may not have got exact details right we can clearly see the distinction between the poor end of the ship and the rich end. The rich end furnished beautifully to every detail. 20th century scenery from gold chairs to gold lamps. Even down to the food on the posh side, caviar, bread rolls, Champagne, strawberries, oranges and pineapples.

Violin playing bands by I Salonisti, violin players Lorenz Hasler and Thomas Furi. Dinner parties and silver wear that had never been used until now.

When Rose is taken to the poor side of the ship we see the difference. It’s completely the opposite, dancing, drinking and frolics. Pints of Guinness, beer and lager compared to Champagne, wine and brandy. Though people may say that a rich person would never have found their way over to the poor side of the ship for the purposes of this love story it had to happen. Besides which we would never have been able to see how different things were if Rose hadn’t been shown the poor side. So though there were so inaccuracies they had to be there for the purpose of this film.

AWARDS

Best Picture
Best Director
James Cameron
Best Actress
Kate Winslet
Best Supporting Actress
Gloria Stuart
BEST
Cinematography * Film Editing
Art Direction * Costume Design
Original Dramatic Score * Original Song
Make-up * Visual Effects
Sound * Sound Effects Editing

ACTION

The film is set around the two main characters who were not real people, but fictional. Jack and Rose. A relationship develops instantly, if not denied on Roses behalf at first. This is probably due to the fact that Rose is engaged to be married to Cal Hockley played by, Billy Zane. The first signs of love can be seen when Jack shows Rose his paintings she falls in love with his gift as an artist.

All through the film comments are made by certain men running the ship and not the captain about how they want to make headlines. The exact words, “This maiden voyage of honour must make headlines” “We get into New York with a bang”. If this wasn’t what was truly said then it is a poor rip take at a pun and in my eyes doesn’t work. It just infuriated me to hear that these people were more interested in making a bob or two and getting famous instead of thinking of the safety of their passengers. The captains face when he was told this knew something would go wrong though why he went ahead with it I don’t know. Looking back this was a disaster that could have been avoided.

When the ship hit’s the iceberg it shows loads of water coming into the ship. A time of sheer panic. You could see all the rats taking over the poor part of the ship. It was then a race against time when the waters rushed through with the upper class standing a far better chance of survival. Of course, in those days lower class were treated as second class citizens. I found myself feeling very frustrated at times not only at how the classes were treated, but that this whole disaster could have been avoided if only they were going slower. O.k. so there were faults on the ship as you will see in the factual information below, but don’t tell me that if they hadn’t been going at a slower speed this could have been avoided.

Not to mention the fact that there were cluttered up decks which should have had more boats on them. “Women and children first” of the upper class, of course, the lower class didn’t get a look in. I mean my husband pointed out that the boats could have held 3 times as many.

FAVOURITE PARTS

It’s funny when Jack tries to teach Rose to spit and the countess and family turn up to catch them. The countess is not impressed with Jack and takes an instant dislike to the boy. The spitting did come in handy as you will see towards the end of the film Kate Winslet acted that scene so well and young Rose got some revenge on Cal Hockley her fiancé.

The look in Roses eye when she first saw Jack in a suit.

Jack, “Give me your hand, close your eyes”. Titanic theme tune playing in the background. Captured is the breeze against Rose’s face at the front of the ship. Rose, “I’m flying”. This was a completely romantic, moving, dreamy and elegant part of the film.

A clip of the fireplace wreckage, then as it was originally. Captures how sad the whole disaster was.

The part where the camera goes from Rose’s young eye into her old eye portraying memories, emotions captured in a very well thought out camera change.

A child crying on her own shows reality.

A woman putting her kids to bed knowing that they wouldn’t wake up. An old couple falling asleep next to each other for the last time. These were amongst the most memorable scenes amidst the screaming, eyes portraying fear. The Captain trying to save the boat when water gushes in through the window killing him. Then right in the middle of tragedy a Priest tells of the Gospel. This was such an important part of the film for me being a believer.

Other people watching the horror of their friends faces as they die knowing they’ll be next.

MORALS OF THE FILM

Money stops you from being happy on the inside. Can money buy a life? Yeah, but only for a short while. So many lives lost and only a few survivors. , the human spirits will to survive. A story of true love one that persists and never gives up.

FACTS

The discovery was a true adventure which took over 15 years. results show that the impact of the iceberg did not cause indentations in the starboard side of the ship as it was long thought, but probably caused the breakage of structurally weak rivets. This allowed the disassembly of the hull plates, and, consequently, the entry of water.

On the part where Rose and Jack make love for the first time in the car would have been the place where an Egyptian Princess known to have caused the deaths of everyone who handled her Sarcophagus been placed. There was supposed to be a curse for anyone who moved her Sarcophagus and it was on the cargo hold of the Titanic. Ironic how it sank with the Titanic.

My husband studying to become a plasterer said the plaster work on the fireplace was excellent, Paul Taggart (supervising plasterer) and David Coldham (head plasterer) would have made a fortune on it.

CONCLUSION

This is a story to watch with your partner and also with your handkerchiefs. This is a story to watch with an ending that has you clinging onto your seat. And the band played on. I could carry on with so much more to tell you, but I am afraid that I will have already bored you to sleep.

If you got this far thank - you and I hope that it has helped you making a choice of whether to see this film this Christmas or not. If I was you I’d jump at the chance as you can see it’s one of my favourite films of all time.
 

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