November 1, 2018

1,001 LaserDiscs 8: Titanic

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Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film directed, written, co-produced and co-edited by James Cameron. A fictionalized account of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, it stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the ship during its maiden voyage.


Titanic ~ LaserDisc front cover 
photo of LaserDisc cover by Styrous®


The film premiered on November 1, 1997, at the Tokyo International Film Festival, where reaction was described as "tepid" by The New York Times but positive reviews started to appear back in the United States. The official Hollywood premiere occurred on December 14, 1997. Upon its release, Titanic achieved critical and commercial success but the film has been derided by some as fluff, which it may be. However, I did not think of the film as fluff in any way. True, it is highly fictionalized, but that is part and parcel of what film makers do to make a film more interesting; one must have a suspension of disbelief if one is going to enjoy a movie. I can watch PBS if I want a documentary.       


Titanic ~ LaserDisc back cover 
photo of LaserDisc back cover by Styrous®


I loved it for many reasons. The facts of the cause of the sinking are true; the score composed by James Horner is brilliant and the love theme, My Heart Will Go On, sung by Celine Dion, is excruciatingly dramatic and beautiful. To say noting of the Special Effects which are astounding!   


Titanic ~ LaserDisc back cover detail
detail photo of LaserDisc back cover by Styrous®


Since I was a kid, I have been enamored with the story, legend, mystery or whatever you want to call it, of the event that happened on April 14, 1912, the day the RMS Titanic struck an iceberg, sank the next day and took more than 1,500 people with it.       

Also, my "niece", Lex, took us to see it when it opened. She was 13 or so at the time and had used money she had saved up from her weekly allowance to treat us. It is one of the sweet things I have experienced in my life and it is for this, if nothing else, that I love the film.    

Titanic ~ LaserDisc back cover detail
detail photo of LaserDisc back cover by Styrous®


The Titanic ~ LaserDisc album cover is a gatefold format which I love because more information and photos are available . . .        


photo of LaserDisc cover by Styrous®



photo of LaserDisc gatefold interior by Styrous®


The cast is excellent but for me the standout was Kathy Bates, whom I have loved for decades. She was perfectly cast as Margaret "Molly" Brown, a real-life person on board the Titanic when it sank and who was nicknamed The Unsinkable Molly Brown by the media after the sinking. A Broadway musical, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, was written about her; Tammy Grimes portrayed Brown.          
    

Titanic ~ LaserDisc gatefold interior details
detail photos of LaserDisc gatefold interior by Styrous®


I have always loved ships, however, I have only had one experience with one; It was a voyage from Cyprus to Israel in 2000 and it was stunning.    

I have an article I've written on the Viewfiner about the World War I and II Dazzle Ships as well as the vinyl LP album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark which was based on them (links below).       


Titanic ~ LaserDisc 1









Titanic ~ LaserDisc 2












  
Viewfinder links:        
    
Gavin Bryars ~ The Sinkinig of the Titanic     
RMS Titanic images         
        
        
           
      
Net links:        
    
Plot               
Cast         
Special Effects      
NY Times ~ A Spectacle As Sweeping As the Sea review       
Hollywood Reprter ~ Titanic: THR's 1997 Review        
Rotten Tomatoes ~ Titanic review 
RollingStone ~ Titanic review     
      
YouTube links:        
    
Titanic (1997) | Full Movie Trailer          
Titanic Iceberg Collision Scene            
Titanic (1997) Sinking Scenes (8 min., 49 sec.)      
Titanic Sinking Scene - Part 1 (9 min., 50 sec.)       
Titanic Behind the scenes Part 1 (31 min., 16 sec.)          
Titanic: Behind the Scenes Part 2 of 2 (4 min., 19 sec.)     
Celine Dion ~ My Heart Will Go On       
          
        
      
        
         
         
     

The Titanic LaserDisc is for sale on eBay  
       
       
      
         
 This is dedicated to Lex!
      
      
        
       
Styrous® ~ Thursday, November 1, 2018       

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