The epic that will never sink to the bottom of the sea.
I can only assume the rerelease of James Cameron’s 1997 epic “Titanic” came out this weekend, instead of last December, because it probably wouldn’t storm a chance against his new epic “Avatar: The Way of Water” at the box office. But Cameron also states in an Entertainment Weekly article: “Then the question was, ‘Okay, what’s the date?’ Well, the date that made sense to me was Valentine’s Day, because in the original release, which was 1997 into 1998, we came out a few days before Christmas. I think it was Dec. 16. But the highest-grossing single day of the release was Valentine’s Day.”
But whatever the reason, if a whole new generation of movie goers haven’t seen it, then you have to go this weekend, or watch it on your own TV or whatever device you use to watch movies nowadays, because it is a classic ranking with Cameron’s giants. If you loved the “Avatar” movies, then you’ll love “Titanic.” It’s also about a romance between two people from different worlds. Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) being a poor boy and Rose (Kate WInslett) being wealthy. And it also features state-of-the-art special effects, like how it shows us the sinking ship. And its time length really gives us the depth and humanity of the characters and the dangers they’re about to face.
I’ve had this on a double VHS tape when I was 6-years-old, and before I became smarter, I was entertained by the sinking sequence. I thought it was cool when the rooms and hallways were flooding, especially the sinking dining room, and how Captain Smith (Bernard Hill) went down with the ship. I never knew this was a real event and people died at the time, although my mother did tell me they did die. Again, I was 6-years-old, so I didn’t know better.
And it’s funny, if you thought I learned the word “Sh*t” from “South Park: Bigger Longer and Uncut,” then think again. I learned it from the scene when Jack is handcuffed to the bars, and the water comes in, and he’s all: “Oh sh*t. Oh Sh*t!” and he’s climbing as high as he can.
Now, that I’m an adult, I acknowledge the humanity and beauty of this tragic love story, which reminds us of the epics from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Jack and Rose aren’t those generic love birds, who have to win teenagers over. They’re people with vulnerabilities and passion, and DiCaprio and WInslett are phenomenal in those roles.They also have a strong adversary in the mix-Billy Zane as Rose’s ex-fiancee Cal Hockley. And emotional work also comes from the late Gloria Stuart as the elderly Rose, who reminisces on her romance.
You know the story of how the voyage ended when it an iceberg, and took less than 3 hours to sink. But the movie isn’t just about the sinking, it wants to balance the character development and journey when Jack holds Rose at the edge of the boat, giving her the illusion that she’s flying.
“Titanic” has one of the saddest endings with some of the most dazzling action sequences, and iconic performances that all deserve to be inside Cameron’s filmography. It won 11 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. I’m sure many people have seen this classic, but if you like to remind yourself of why you loved it, then you have to see it again.
It’s “the king of the world!”
Rereleasing in 3D This Friday
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