A decade after seeing James Cameron's Titanic, I still don't like it. My consistent dislike is hardly an epiphany, but when I watch the biggest blockbuster to come out of Hollywood since the Golden Age, I don't let the film itself get me down; what depresses me is this thought: They don't make epics like they used to.
The "making of" is the biggest thrill of the highest grossing film in movie history. While much of Titanic rings hollow, the 10th anniversary special edition DVD released on Nov. 20 does what any good Titanic disc should do: it highlights the technical marvels.
The 10th anniversary DVD is the third issue of Titanic on disc. It doesn't offer everything that the 3-disc Collector's Edition DVD gave those hungry for Titanic trivia, but it does offer something new, as any good DVD should. This time around, while we steer towards the iceberg, a behind-the-scenes branching feature gives viewers the option to access one-minute featurettes as the film is running. The brief interruptions are optional and make the already long film even longer, but are probably the most direct way to appreciate the spectacle that is the making of Titanic.
Jack still dies. Rose still throws a 56 karat diamond necklace into the deep. Rose's fiancé is still a prick. But whether you considered James Cameron's boat movie to be a large scale vanity project or a masterpiece, you have to, I mean have to, admire the production. The Pop-Up Video-esque feature makes that even more possible. And if you're like me and don't love the movie, you only have to take it in five or ten minute segments before branching off to the good stuff.
Other Features:
- Commentaries by James Cameron, Kate Winslet, Gloria Stuart, Lewis Abernathy, producer John Landau and executive producer Rae Sanchini, along with historians Don Lynch and Ken Marschall.
- An alternative ending, “Brock's Epiphany,” which was also featured on the 3-disc Collector's Edition DVD.
- Celine Dion's “My Heart Will Go On” music video.
Article comments
1 - Luke
You need to see more movies. This is far from the terrible movie you make it out to be. And I'd like to know where you think Titanic is a "vanity" piece... huh?
2 - Andy Cooper
Daniel, I wholeheartedly agree with you - despite the hype this movie sucks. The cheesy Rose/Jack romance almost sinks it and it isn't until the last half hour of the movie that the technically very impressive depiction of Titanic sinking saves the day. The performances are horribly uneven, bordering on amateur theatre and the script just doesn't sound authentic. The best Titanic movie is the British production A Night To Remember, made in 1958. It's based on the highly regarded book by Walter Lord and features fantastic special effects for its day.