For some, watching Titanic is something akin to a religious experience. For others, it’s three hours and fourteen minutes of their lives that went right down with the ship. Now, fourteen years after its record-breaking release, James Cameron’s Titanic is back to wreak havoc on our lives and tear ducts. Of course, we all know the ship sinks, so why is it being rereleased in 3-D? Many would say that this is just one more big-budget Hollywood franchise being put through the Michael Bay, ‘Hey, how about a sequel to Clash of the Titans?’ ringer. However, I believe this 3-D rerelease is much more than a simple marketing ploy. It’s a way for an entirely new generation of fans to see Titanic in the way it was meant to be seen in theaters. As someone who has seen it more than her fair share of times on DVD, I can say that watching Titanic on the big screen was nothing less than extraordinary.
To convince people to go see Titanic, we need to de-stigmatize the fact that it’s in 3-D. The other hurdle, of course, is the movie itself. Titanic, while being one of the highest-grossing and universally-acclaimed films of all time, is often also one of the most ridiculed. Sure, it jumpstarted the illustrious careers of Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. The documentary format of Titanic adds depth to the tale of the doomed star-crossed lovers. It grounds the narrative in real life, making it more believable and watchable for audiences. Another reason why Titanic has proved to be such a pop culture mainstay is its genuine mass appeal. Even today, the film still has something for everyone — historical underpinning, special effects, romance, a haunting soundtrack and a surprisingly sharp and quotable script. With this big-screen rerelease, it’s clear that Cameron set out to make a disaster film. The love story works as a sort of mechanism for his technical ambition. This is what separates it from the romance films that studios favor today, like those of Nicholas Sparks. The difference with Titanic, however, is how multifaceted the story is, as well as how it was technically executed. The thing I always say about Titanic is that all the parts of the movie came together perfectly, the result being a film that is astounding in heart, mind and ambition. After all, there’s a reason why it won eleven Academy Awards in 1998.
Released within twelve days of the one hundredth anniversary of the real Titanic’s sinking, the film may be more recognizable today than ever. With so much economic uncertainty, there is a widening gap between classes in today’s social structure. There are those who have to worry about it, and those who don’t. This makes Titanic’s theme of class differences seem all the more poignant, especially considering the choices Rose, Winslet’s character, made.
Another aspect of Titanic that can be appreciated with this rerelease is how different the two halves of the film are, and how each benefits from this new treatment. The first half is calm, humorous and beautiful. The light reflecting across every surface of the ship, the hope and optimism of what lies ahead all set behind the magnificent backdrop of the Titanic. Seeing the movie on the big screen gives it a renewed focus; we see how important these early scenes truly are. They make what is yet to come that much more daunting. With the second half, the film takes on an entirely different tone (and soundtrack), with the impending sinking of the “unsinkable” Titanic. It’s this half that is transformed by being seen in this format. Seeing the water rushing towards you, the ship splitting in half and the china crashing to the floor, the end result is truly terrifying. That is the true effect of the rerelease: you can feel the magnitude of the tragedy, and it’s unbelievable. You find it hard to imagine how horrifying it must have been for those who were actually on the Titanic.
For fans, seeing Titanic in 3-D is a must. You’ll leave the theater knowing that what you just witnessed is not merely a movie, but rather an experience in a league all its own. It truly is one of the greatest films ever made. And for the cynics, this time around they might just change their minds. Titanic is nothing short of a cinematic gift.
