movie thoughts: Titanic (1997)

[orangerful]

So...we watched 'Titanic' last night. I hadn't seen it probably since it's initial release on VHS (2 VHS tapes long! UGH!) and I was probably 15-16. Even then, I gagged at the "love story" and shunned DiCaprio the way people shun RPatz today. But it wasn't until last night that I realized how BAD that movie really is.

I mean, the script is SO juvenile. The writing downright simple (I swear, if they made a word cloud of the script the words "JACK" and "ROSE" would be the biggest things because they are yelling each other's names all the TIME!). SO MUCH COULD HAVE BEEN EDITED!!

The direction was TERRIBLE! Why the frak did they give Cameron a BEST PICTURE award for this movie???? I've seen both Winslet and DiCaprio in movies since and realized that they are not bad actors, it was Cameron's directing that turned them into two of the flattest characters ever. Though I guess I should be thankful they made up two characters rather than besmirching some actual person's story.

The entire movie is special effects and the sinking of the ship still gives me the feels, but OMG the rest of the 2 hours is just painful in how crappy and cliche it is. The whole point of the movie was to show off the ship, show off the special effects they used to recreate the majesty and the tragedy. But 3 hours was not necessary.

I am so happy Cameron did not win another award for 'Avatar' (which I refuse to see) and even happier it was his ex-wife that took it home for 'Hurt Locker', a movie that stands up to repeat viewings!

OH - RANDOM MEMORY! When I was flying to Australia during the summer of 1998, the inflight movie was 'Titanic'. I refused to watch it, I was more interested in sleep, but I remember waking up when I heard this high pitched sound and I realized it was the scene at the end of the movie when Rose blows the whistle - the pitch was so high I could hear it coming from everyone else's headphones!

In short: Titanic is over-rated even more than I remembered. If you have fond childhood memories of this film, I would recommend not going back and watching it as an adult.

Comments

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

! So hilarious you posted about the awesome of The Hurt Locker the same day I did.

I remember Titanic coming out when I was in college, and they actually built THEATERS with sound systems just to show this thing (this was in RI, but I get the sense that this happened across the country at other places as well). I think I ended up seeing it in the movies, and not retaining very much about the movie besides it revived the "can I show you my etchings?" line. Cameron won that year because of the bombast and the special effects of his movie. Honestly, I do think if Titanic hadn't made so much cash and hadn't redefined SFX L.A. Confidential would have walked with the statue.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

I feel like all the stadium seating was starting up around this time...I dunno, my actual theater memory for this movie is vague, compared to the memory of 'Jurassic Park' and 'Matrix'...(I'm already prepping a JP blog in my head since they announced the big 3D release in April!). I'm pretty sure I saw it in the theater though LOL

[fredericks.livejournal.com]

Yes, stadium seating. That's what really started (and thank god for that, I say as an average-height person). I'm going to see Jurassic Park in theaters as well. It has held up surprisingly well, considering.

[femme-slash-fan.livejournal.com]

This is exactly how I feel... even if I own Avatar (I blame Sigourney Weaver being such a damn badass in the film).

Titanic was cute but I so don't need it on DVD. Did the daughter like it or was she just as not happy?

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

I think she was bored for the first half (she actually started doing HOMEWORK LOL) but once the ship started to sink, she was glued to the screen. So at least the part I wanted her to see was engaging for her. :)

[moon-river.livejournal.com]

Oh man, I so do not share your feelings on this movie! I watched it when I was 16, I think, and loved it! Still do. Went to watch it when it was re-released earlier this year.

But! I'm glad Cameron didn't win the Oscar for Avatar. I think how you feel about Titanic is how I felt about Avatar--so overrated.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Two of my best buds love it too, but I think they are more forgiving of romances than I am LOL. My tolerance for Romeo/Juliet stories is VERY low...though I do love Disney Princess stories, which don't have much more depth...I dunno, it's a mystery! :)

I just can't bring myself to watch 'Avatar'...I've actively avoided it for this long so I think I'm safe now!

[moon-river.livejournal.com]

Heh, I understand!

You're not missing out on much. I think I feel asleep during. -_-

[impalalove]

I haven't watched it (but I do know how it goes, from beginning to end), but I do remember a friend going, "ALL YOU HAD TO DO WAS SCOOT OVER, ROSE. SCOOT OVER."

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

LOL yes! There are all those great images online of how Jack could have easily survived because there was plenty of space. But, of course, it's his martyrdom that makes him so much more "interesting" since we know her fiancee would have shoved himself on there no problem. (Of course, if the movie was made today, he would be a vampire and the whole dying thing would be an issue...and the being cold would be a weird turn-on LOL)

[impalalove]

I remember those images -- they're pretty good in demonstrating how much space there was. But no, it was all about chivalry and the "great sacrifice". It was particularly interesting to see. Vampire!Jack would probably continue mourning "Rose", because he can't be near her, because he's now a vampire. ;)

I didn't like "Avatar" mostly because it reminded me too much of "Pocahontas", I had seen the script thing/plot controversy beforehand; and I found that it was overrated with the parts I had seen.

[angelamermaid.livejournal.com]

I find the story of the Titanic fascinating, but I resisted seeing the movie for quite a while. I was broke and unemployed when it first came out, and just not in the mood to watch a bunch of people drown.

I watched it when it came on the movie channel. So totally immune to the Jack/Rose romance, and I'd already been spoiled that he died.

The parts about the actual ship and what led to the sinking were interesting, and the special effects were well done. But the writing wasn't good. The fiance was so black & white evil, for example.

ETA I went to the Titanic artifacts exhibit when it was in Calgary, and it was really well-done, better than the movie.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the exhibit at the National Geographic museum, which was funded by Cameron, was really interested and the CGI of the ship sinking was almost better than the movie version.

[bittertwee.livejournal.com]

haha when I saw "Titanic Review" I was worried for a second that you liked it. I haaaated that movie so bad! For all the reasons you list, plus I thought the cgi was awful. Granted, it was in the early days of cgi, and granted cgi bores me now, but it so obviously was computer generated, it took you right out of the action and killed any suspense beyond "when will this awful movie end??" I never once felt like I was watching a ship sinking in the middle of the ocean.

Has Tim's daughter seen A Night to Remember? I saw that on tv as a kid and was really moved by it. Black & white, and special effects from the 1950s, and it still did a better job of conveying the terror and hopelessness of the event.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

I didn't remember how MUCH of that movie was "LOOK AT THE PRETTY I MADE!" - probably because I only saw it once and it was interesting...ONCE. And even though I had maybe only seen it 2-3 times total back in the day (I figure once in the theater and a rental with my parents) I swear I had most of the dialogue memorized...because it was so terribly trite. Though I will admit I didn't get most of the sexual threats made to Rose back then...

I doubt Syl has seen 'Night to Remember'...I know I haven't seen it!

::has fun ranting with you::

[ekaterin24.livejournal.com]

Husband says he liked how they did the ship (and that it sank in "real time;" he is such a nerd!). I guess Cameron couldn't ruin the ship's role, at least.

I liked some of Rose's dresses. That's about it.

And yeah, Avatar. How many plot cliches were in that? It's one of those movies made fun of in that "Every Oscar-Nominated Film Ever Made" video on YouTube--'nuff said.

Re: ::has fun ranting with you::

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

Yeah, once the ship starts to sink it's a lot more...well not fun, but interesting LOL.

Trailer for 'Life of Pi' just said it would be 'This year's Avatar' - worst. marketing. ever.

[maybedeadcat.livejournal.com]

I'm noticing a trend... You hate characters named Rose.

[orangerful.livejournal.com]

I didn't just hate Rose in 'Titanic'...I hated the WHOLE MOVIE LOL. She is but a small part, and really, less painful than most of the people (But Kate Winslet is gorgeous so that might be it)

[maybedeadcat.livejournal.com]

And you hated Billy Piper's Rose. Anything with a character named Rose in it seems to be a bad omen with you. ;)

[girlwhowaited.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with you about Titanic. I saw this when I was about 13 or 14 in the cinema and I thought the story was good but the love between these two was kind of meh and I laughed at some parts. So many people were crying and that stupid song was #1 for like a good year.

I did see Avatar and I must tell you it is amazing. Give it a go and see for yourself. I'm kind of weary that there is a sequel but only time can tell!