Monday, October 24, 2011

Take Me To the Movies!!: Titanic


      The last movie that I paid money to see more than once, and subsequently bought the video as soon as it reached the stores was James Cameron’s epic romance and disaster flick “The Titanic”.  I have always been a little fascinated with the disastrous sinking of the Titanic and I was excited to see how well Hollywood would reenact the event.  The movie was well worth the wait and didn’t disappoint!


      Titanic was released to critical acclaim and rave reviews December 19, 1997.  Not surprising,  it was the first motion picture to reach one billion dollars in sales, and held the esteem of being the highest grossing film for twelve years.  Kind of makes the $200 million they invested in production well worth it!!  The fictional love story of Rose and Jack written by James Cameron is what drew me in.  I love how the movie connects the past with the present, involves treasure hunting, romance, history, and terror!!  In the movie Rose and Jack come from completely different worlds.  Jack is the classic starving artist who won his passage with a lucky hand of cards, and Rose is a rich first class debutante desperate to escape the loveless prearranged nuptials that awaits her on her arrival in America.  




         Jack and Rose first meet aboard Titanic when Rose is determined to escape her obligations by jumping overboard.  Jack convinces her to give life another chance and their friendship evolves to lust and love.  Rose realizes that life with Jack is a heck of a lot more fun whether spitting for distance to dancing below decks.  One of my favorite scenes is where Rose says to the gathered men at the below decks party “So, you think your big tough men?  Try this!“ and proceeds to stand on her tiptoes!  A lady watching exclaims “Je$u$, Mary, and Joseph!!“  mirrors my sentiments exactly!!!  To prove that she isn’t just another stuck up princess, Rose pays Jack to draw her in the nude wearing only a huge heart shaped diamond.  The whole posing in the nude scene gets the stars of the movie hot and bothered and they run below decks and do the wild thing in a car being stored for the voyage.


         The excitement is dialed up to full steam ahead as soon as Titanic hits the iceberg.  The passengers go from oblivious merrymaking to unequivocal terror as the realization hits that the ship is sinking and there are not enough lifeboats to go around.  Jack and Rose race for the top decks to board a life boat only to discover the lifeboats are almost all gone.  Rose finds that she can’t leave Jack behind and chooses to stay on board.  In the end they go down with the ship together and cling to the wreckage until Rose is finally rescued by one of the life boats that chose to come back.  Unfortunately, it was to late for Jack.


       Even though “Titanic” recounts one of the most terrible disasters in maritime history, it also brings authenticity  and life to the people who sailed on her and lost their lives so long ago stoking my love of romance, drama, and extraordinary special effects.    The story is engaging and effectively links the event from long ago with the present.    Instead of relinquishing the valuable diamond to treasure hunter Brock Lovett, Rose returns it to the sea.  The movie ends with Rose  presumably dying and  returning to Jack who awaits her on the Titanic where their love was born.
    
     When it comes to “Titanic”, my heart will go on and it will continue to be a favorite for its captivating story and it‘s edge of the seat excitement!! Makes you want to scream “I’m the king of the world!!”   Until next time when I give you another glimpse into the life of a trucker’s wife.

16 comments:

  1. I just watched this movie a few weeks ago for the 5th or 6th time. I love it! That ending in the water when Jack slip's beneath the surface of the ocean is so moving and sad! Nice movie review!

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  2. Beachlover, OMG I know!!! I feel the old tears begging to come out in that scene! Thank you for stopping by to read and comment. I had such a hard time trying to figure out which movie to write about. I love movies and I have so MANY favorites! :D I am so pleased you enjoyed it!

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  3. One of my fav movies ever. As a longtime Titanic buff, I love how they got it right, AND took one on a tour of the ship, several times, conveying how very hard it was to figure out what was going on, whether to get off the ship...

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  4. Writing Goddess, they certainly portrayed the mass confusion, chaos, and terror well. Thank you for stopping by to read and comment. Happy to find another Titanic buff! I had the pleasure of seeing the Titanic exhibit when it visited the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Very cool!

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  5. This is a great movie--I loved it--wasn't real thrilled with the length of it--but for this movie the length works. I love the story of Rose and Jack--but I love how they reenacted the sinking as well.

    As for the Titanic-the Titanic exhibit visited COSI last year and we took the kids. It displayed many of the artifacts recovered from the bottom of the ocean and they rebuilt the stair case--and that was something to see!

    Thanks for sharing, Jenn

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  6. Jenn, that is what we seen in Chicago!! I was really impressed with it!! I really didn't mind the length because it kept my attention throughout. Plenty of romance and excitement! I love it!! Thanks for stopping by to read and comment!!

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  7. I love this movie too, for all the reasons you mentioned. :)

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  8. Titanic is one of those movies I've watched many times over, but I've never grown tired of it.

    Joyce
    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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  9. I've not seen the movie, but I saw the Titanic exhibit when it (and I) was in Las Vegas at the Luxor Hotel. It was incredibly powerful. I found myself crying at the stories of the passengers whose lives were lost. Just a terrible tragedy of epic proportions. I'm concerned that the movie may have romanticized the real voyage and for that reason, I don't think I can see it.

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  10. Angie, thank you for stopping by to read and put in your 2 cents!! It is a great movie!

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  11. Daphne, seeing the artifacts recovered from the wreckage when the exhibit was in Chicago brought home to me that this wasn't just a tale or myth. This was real.. real families forever altered and lives lost. A tragedy of epic proportions with a huge loss of life. The movie added a fictional love story to the facts. Thank you for stopping in to read and comment!

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  12. Joyce, it is a movie one never tires of. Every time I watch it I am still entranced with the horror of the disaster and amazed by the cinematic effects that were employed to recreate it. Thanks for stopping by to read and comment!

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  13. Oh, Kathy, you did a great review of the movie!!! And, I liked the movie very much. They really did a magnificent job in producing it. Even though it is a lengthy film, every bit of it is quite authentic and keeps your interest throughout. Believe I've also watched it five or six times. And, I've watched documentaries on the filming. Don't think I'm actually a Titanic buff but I find it quite interesting. Thanks for your review, Kathy.

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  14. Betty, thank you for stopping in to read and for your kind comments. I find it very intriguing as well! I have honestly lost track of how many times I have watched this movie. For a while I was into collecting dolls and my husband got me a "Rose" doll for Christmas. She is dressed in the red evening dress she was wearing in the movie when she was attempting to jump ship. I am so pleased you enjoyed my review.

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  15. *ducking and whispering*...this is one i do not like....actually the only part i enjoy is melanie griffith as the old rose.. *shhh,okay slinking away now*

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  16. Sylvia, LOL!! Thanks for stopping in to read and comment as you slink away!! Too funny!

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