Titanic

*“It’s been 84 years and I can still smell the fresh paint, the china had never been used… the Titanic was called the ship of dreams, and it was. It really was.”* ** Holy shit. Why did I put off watching this for so long. I hoped James Cameron would blow me away, and my god did he. Titanic is many kinds of film all wrapped into one big picture. It’s got a great love story, great action sequences, and the second half is one hell of a disaster flick. And on top of it, it’s so visually pleasing to look at (for the most part). I’m just gonna wipe away the one nitpick I have: I don’t like the lighting in the scene where Jack and Rose are struggling to get the door open and the lights just flicker and flicker - it almost looks like they’re in a rave! Now, I get what James Cameron was going for - the ship is sinking and the electrical work is on the fritz as a result. I’m not gonna penalize him on it because it’s intentional and it conveys the sequence pretty well, it was just hard to look at. On a side note, I’d like to mention the CGI not aging well at spots, but it was 1997 and it generally holds up. Lots of props to Mr. Cameron for his practical work, including a small model of the Titanic for the sinking. As for the film overall: it’s really good! Leo and Kate are fantastic as Jack and Rose, and Billy Zane does a great job at playing an awful guy in Cal, Rose’s fiancé. There were so many times where I wished something bad would happen to his character, but alas that never truly came. Like yeah, he loses Rose and the Heart of the Ocean, but that’s about it. He deserved worse! I watched this and realized that - while the love story is the prominent point - Titanic is also a film about the class divide. Jack, as a third class passenger and a man not restricted to one place in his travels, is deemed a stain when he attempts to be near Rose, a first class passenger and the daughter of a once-wealthy family who has lost it all and is banking on the arranged marriage between her and Cal. The class struggle is further seen during the ship’s sinking, where first class passengers are given access to the lifeboats as third class passengers struggle to even get to the top deck - sadly one of the true parts of the film. The only rich people I ever felt genuine concern for were, in order of appearance: Rose, Molly Brown, and the older couple who hold each other in their cabin as it floods (they are based on the Strausses, also a true story somewhat changed for the film). The rest of them should have gone down with the ship, especially this film’s portrayal of J. Bruce Ismay, who in real life was more distraught over the night and suffered for it for the rest of his life. I also want to praise how gorgeous what I call the “Nearer My God to Thee” sequence is - between the band continuing to play their final tune as the ship starts flooding, Captain Smith and Thomas Andrews both preparing to go down with the ship they helmed, the elderly couple holding each other one last time, and the mother telling her children one last story, it is an incredible and emotional sequence and perhaps one of the best I’ve ever seen in film. Something else I want to praise James Cameron for is handling the length of the movie. Going in, my primary worry was that the film would feel too long and I’d lose my patience or get restless (as I did when I saw The Batman, more on that in that review), and that’s why I avoided it for so long. However, unlike The Batman, James Cameron masterfully made a three hour movie that doesn’t feel like two movies stitched together - it feels like one long coherent movie. Once I was in, I was in. It flew by, too! Another point of praise is the actress for Old Rose, Gloria Stuart. A veteran of Hollywood who had been in retirement until she was asked by Cameron to star in the film, she gave her narration and expressions like she had been actually there. It’s a trait I find a lot of older actors pull off really well; for a comparison (and I hate to make it), it reminds me of Alec Guinness talking about the Clone Wars in A New Hope. Honestly? I think she was robbed of the Academy Award. I love everything here - the costume design, the set design, the music choices (like when the band cues a classical piece known for running scenes right as Jack and Rose and friends run by), and the effect work. I was shocked to see all the extras floating in the water, lifeless and frozen-looking thanks to excellent makeup work. A few minor points that don’t deserve full paragraphs: • I didn’t watch this on two VHS tapes sadly (despite being curious to see the film partially because of that thanks to a certain tiktok account) • This is one of my dad’s favorite movies. After seeing a certain scene, I could guess why. • Likewise, my mom doesn’t like this movie. Her favorite part is the ship sinking. • I don’t think Jack could have fit on the door. • I cried a little. Yeah I’ll admit it. In conclusion, I finally understand why Titanic is one of the most beloved films of all time. It really earned it, and I am glad to have finally crossed it off my list but also grateful that I can. It’s a masterpiece through and through. “Gentlemen, it has been a privilege playing with you tonight.”