Titanic (1997)

[laconicchick]

I think if the movie had come out a year later, I'd have hated it, but it got me right before I became all disdainful of things that are ridiculously popular (the original reason I never read Harry Potter -- I'm still not reading it because I know it's the exact sort of thing I could easily become obsessed with and I just don't need that).

[starskin]

The only character I really cared about, to the point where I cried when he died, was Mr. Andrews. The part where he adjusted a clock that was off right before the water crashed in on him really got me. Such a perfect little moment from Victor Garber.

[Shanmac]

I don't know what Rose was doing with Leo when that cutie Irish due (Tony?) was running around below-decks.

I know[/Monica Gellar]! I had such a crush on him! I remember telling my sister, "Hey! It's the guy from 'Circle of Friends!'" and she gave me a total WTF face and said, "I cannot believe you recognize him." Hell yeah I recognized him -- he's hot! Leo was cute enough, but I would have been all about the Irish hottie. Gosh, Rose, what were you thinking?!

ETA: I just checked out his IMDb page, and while he's changed a lot (I suppose a decade will do that to you) -- yep, still hot.

[Deleted]

The love story I could take or leave but I am always enthralled from the minute the iceberg materializes until the ship goes down. Favorite scene: The very last moment of the sinking, when the name "Titanic" slides down out of sight. *chills!*

Also, parts of the sinking are practically a shot by shot re-make of "A Night to Remember." Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[niddlemiddle]

I don't know if any of you have seen the Titanic Sequel on Youtube? It's funny!

[Deleted]

poorfrances said:

I know that the transparent screenplay want us to think of Rose's mother as eeeevil for not immediately embracing the girly manboy her daughter wanted to die for after knowing for two whole days, but I looked at in an historical context. From what little background we were given, Rose's father had died and her mother was left to deal with the shocking realization that her dead husband had squandered all their money and left them in poverty and with huge debts. It was 1912 and Rose was an East Coast society girl - it was hardly evil for her to be expected to marry well. Indeed, that was her only purpose in life as far as the time was concerned. As far as Rose's mother was concerned, Cal seemed charming and to treat her daughter well - plus their marriage would insure that she and her daughter didn't, you know, starve. It was their only option - it's not like Rose and her mom could just go out and get jobs and be all ho-hum. So I'm not surprised that her mother didn't clap her hands and say, "Oh, goody, dear! Please please leave your fiancee and our only hope of a decent future for a poverty stricken teenage boy you just meant two days ago! By all means, I think it's wonderful that you want to DIE for him! Let me help you into the water, dear."

Yeah, in the corset scene, where she kisses Rose's cheek, I think she really does love her daughter. I think if she really saw Cal for what he was, she'd be pissed.

I think it would have been better if Cameron had made Cal someone older, not evil, but just very distant and unattractive. Because Billy Zane is way too hot (and by all accounts, a total sweetie. And possibly gay, but that's neither here nor there).

Oh, and the Italian friend's name was Fabrizio.

[Deleted]

Also when Rose runs away from the lifeboat, her mother is genuinely panicked, to the point where she's screaming and almost gets out of the boat herself. And when they're watching the ship sink she looks genuinely heartbroken and in shock.

I can't believe I watched this movie four times on TNT this weekend. Damn stupid weekend TV with nothing but sports on.

BTW, I can't stand when the narration says that "we all called her Molly." Margaret Brown was never called Molly during her lifetime. She was also a real bitchin' lady - a longtime women's and labor/human rights advocate and politician even before the sinking.

I have such a girl crush on Kate Winslet in this movie. Her body is, IMO, the absolute ideal. Perfect. And her lovely skin and that long red hair and those eyes...damn. And it annoys the hell out of me that our own Fairy Rose probably worships this movie for those same reasons and because she's delusional enough to think Titanic Rose is her twin.

ETA: and Rose's mom doesn't even show up in the ending scene where everyone is reunited! Also, I always found it weird: don't all the other spirits of Titanic Heaven have something better to do than wait around for the reunion of two teenagers most of them never even met? And why would any of them choose to stick around in Titanic Heaven? I would think if you died a horrible death on the ship the last thing you'd want is to spend eternity there.

[Deleted]

poorfrances -- I know! I've read in a couple places that Margaret Brown was never called "Molly." I wonder why history insists on calling her "Molly"?

To me the creepiest part was when the ship first grazed the iceberg. Those guys in evening attire kicking the chunks of ice around and laughing... It may have been the book A Night to Remember that had a survivor recalling that precise scene. I mean, these people had no idea what was about to happen to them and for some reason, their naivte and complete trust that they were invulnerable makes it even sadder to think about.

Poorfrances (again!) -- I can't believe it never dawned on me that Rose's mother wasn't there at the end. But I suppose it's because she survived the sinking, as did Cal, so perhaps they weren't eligible to be at the reunion. But I did love how the first class and steerage passengers were all together at the end, with no class distinctions.

[Gracie]

poorfrances said:

ETA: and Rose's mom doesn't even show up in the ending scene where everyone is reunited! Also, I always found it weird: don't all the other spirits of Titanic Heaven have something better to do than wait around for the reunion of two teenagers most of them never even met? And why would any of them choose to stick around in Titanic Heaven? I would think if you died a horrible death on the ship the last thing you'd want is to spend eternity there.

As my daughter and I were watching this and sniffing (and then laughing at each other because we got sucked into the emotional manipulation), she brought this up. As she said, "Can you imagine being the first one to show up in Titanic Heaven? You die a horrible death, open your eyes, see where you are and yell "Damn it!"

[lallybroch]

Titanic Heaven was only for people who died at the site, so Rose's mother wouldn't be there. After the ship sank, no one else was dying there in the 85 years that followed, and it was probably a big deal to the Titanic Spirits to welcome the new arrival. For a while, I wondered if Rose's husband was in some other heaven waiting for her, worried that she was in hell (yes, I take these things too seriously). On one of the commentaries, it was said that several Titanic survivors had their ashes scattered over the place where the ship sank, so I guess James Cameron was inspired from there and took some dramatic license.