wusmmik
11-28-2005, 05:52 AM
Titanic wr.and dir. James Cameron, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet
My video pick is a blast from the past. Apparently, the movie channels are regenerating interest in this one because of a three-disc DVD that is scheduled to hit stores soon. So, before you gorge yourself on that..catch an unadorned viewing of one of film's modern masterworks.
I sat down to watch Titanic skeptically, thinking that ten years ago its backstory and hype combined to make it the highest grossing film of all time.
I remember the torrent of stories about its megabudget ($200 million) and how the filming was tortuous for all parties. But then, I remembered how entrancing it was to see it in the theatre.
So, skeptics rise up and watch this review.
Titanic is the masterwork of modern filmmaking. No film in recent history has successfully combined story and special effects into such a cohesive whole.
The only films that come close are The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Titanic trumps the false epic sweep of "The English Patient", by resorting to old-time escapist moviemaking.
Cameron's script is the real star of this one. His inspiration to tell a story around this major tragedy, could have easily turned into pathetic muck (or worse straight Oscar bait). Instead, he frames the story around the retelling of one of Titanic's survivors, Rose. This eloquence is extended through the entire exposition of the film. We see the opulence and beauty of the Titanic, the class system, we meet characters and encounter situations that evolve into a love story that is heartbreaking. Like Romeo and Juliet, Titanic is a classic tragedy and no matter how Shakespearian you think it may not be..
Titanic is..and it is a story that begs to be told again and again.
The exposition is near-perfect. We gawk at the detail of the sets, the amazing digital rendering and regale in the passengers Cameron sketches in for us. Kate Winslet, as young Rose, is the heart of the film..we see everything through her eyes. She is a pillar of strength, but also vulnerable and disenchanted. One night, after a tumultous meal with her nefarious fiancee (played with classic mustache-twisting evil by Billy Zane), she considers shuffling off this mortal coil by leaping off of Titanic into the waters below. She is saved from this the cavalier Jack Dawson, Leonardo DiCaprio offering the perfect balance for Kate. What follows is a love story that can be told again and again, with no exhaustion.
Cameron, as the director (and co-editor), leads us through their love story dropping in scenes of foreshadowing here and there. This last viewing, left me amazed that Cameron, at the time not an Oscar-level director, could get such great performances out of a supporting cast that on paper is far from Oscar-worthy. He hits all the right notes with actors like Suzy Amis and David Warner, moving them and so many around like chess pieces. In the first hour of Titanic, Cameron proves his worth as a storyteller.
Once the exposition ends perfectly with Jack and Rose's consummation, the real disaster begins. I will keep this part brief, because honestly it deserves repeated viewing. The technical work that goes into the sinking of the ship is amazing. No matter how much money they spent ($30 million on the tank and special studio alone in Mexico), it was worth it. As you watch the ship turn up into the North Atlantic sky, observe the level of accuracy the hundreds of digital wizards put into effect here. What you see is made absolutely heartbreaking because of the characterizations and the smallest details.
The film's conclusion is unbelievable..in a good way. The myriad of shots of passengers floating in the water to their icy death is unreal. The magnitude of this disaster and the brief love between Rose and Jack left me speechless.
Cameron's eye for detail returns here as we watch Molly Brown try to rally her new self-absorbed rich friends...and they do nothing. Jack and Rose float in the water as people freeze to death all around them. No matter how much you may know about the digital rendering of their cold breath you may know about, watching this last act of the tragedy unfold will likely weaken the heart of the biggest skeptic.
In the end, Titanic stands as a great example of filmmaking at its finest. In this cycle, you will probably see a whole new generation of viewers enjoy it for the first time..but more importantly, those of us who saw it originally return to amazement.
My video pick is a blast from the past. Apparently, the movie channels are regenerating interest in this one because of a three-disc DVD that is scheduled to hit stores soon. So, before you gorge yourself on that..catch an unadorned viewing of one of film's modern masterworks.
I sat down to watch Titanic skeptically, thinking that ten years ago its backstory and hype combined to make it the highest grossing film of all time.
I remember the torrent of stories about its megabudget ($200 million) and how the filming was tortuous for all parties. But then, I remembered how entrancing it was to see it in the theatre.
So, skeptics rise up and watch this review.
Titanic is the masterwork of modern filmmaking. No film in recent history has successfully combined story and special effects into such a cohesive whole.
The only films that come close are The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Titanic trumps the false epic sweep of "The English Patient", by resorting to old-time escapist moviemaking.
Cameron's script is the real star of this one. His inspiration to tell a story around this major tragedy, could have easily turned into pathetic muck (or worse straight Oscar bait). Instead, he frames the story around the retelling of one of Titanic's survivors, Rose. This eloquence is extended through the entire exposition of the film. We see the opulence and beauty of the Titanic, the class system, we meet characters and encounter situations that evolve into a love story that is heartbreaking. Like Romeo and Juliet, Titanic is a classic tragedy and no matter how Shakespearian you think it may not be..
Titanic is..and it is a story that begs to be told again and again.
The exposition is near-perfect. We gawk at the detail of the sets, the amazing digital rendering and regale in the passengers Cameron sketches in for us. Kate Winslet, as young Rose, is the heart of the film..we see everything through her eyes. She is a pillar of strength, but also vulnerable and disenchanted. One night, after a tumultous meal with her nefarious fiancee (played with classic mustache-twisting evil by Billy Zane), she considers shuffling off this mortal coil by leaping off of Titanic into the waters below. She is saved from this the cavalier Jack Dawson, Leonardo DiCaprio offering the perfect balance for Kate. What follows is a love story that can be told again and again, with no exhaustion.
Cameron, as the director (and co-editor), leads us through their love story dropping in scenes of foreshadowing here and there. This last viewing, left me amazed that Cameron, at the time not an Oscar-level director, could get such great performances out of a supporting cast that on paper is far from Oscar-worthy. He hits all the right notes with actors like Suzy Amis and David Warner, moving them and so many around like chess pieces. In the first hour of Titanic, Cameron proves his worth as a storyteller.
Once the exposition ends perfectly with Jack and Rose's consummation, the real disaster begins. I will keep this part brief, because honestly it deserves repeated viewing. The technical work that goes into the sinking of the ship is amazing. No matter how much money they spent ($30 million on the tank and special studio alone in Mexico), it was worth it. As you watch the ship turn up into the North Atlantic sky, observe the level of accuracy the hundreds of digital wizards put into effect here. What you see is made absolutely heartbreaking because of the characterizations and the smallest details.
The film's conclusion is unbelievable..in a good way. The myriad of shots of passengers floating in the water to their icy death is unreal. The magnitude of this disaster and the brief love between Rose and Jack left me speechless.
Cameron's eye for detail returns here as we watch Molly Brown try to rally her new self-absorbed rich friends...and they do nothing. Jack and Rose float in the water as people freeze to death all around them. No matter how much you may know about the digital rendering of their cold breath you may know about, watching this last act of the tragedy unfold will likely weaken the heart of the biggest skeptic.
In the end, Titanic stands as a great example of filmmaking at its finest. In this cycle, you will probably see a whole new generation of viewers enjoy it for the first time..but more importantly, those of us who saw it originally return to amazement.