Written And Directed by James Cameron
Rose: "It's been eighty four years."
Apologies in advance, I meant to review this one last month for it's 25th anniversary but things got in the way. However with a certain sequel from director James Cameron currently eating up the box office and this movie in question getting a cinematic re-release next month, it was time to give this one another watch.
You all know the story of the real life tragedy surrounding the Titanic and with James Cameron, there's his take on the events, coupled with a compelling fictional love story with our main protagonists - upper class society debutante Rose Dewitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) and handsome steerage rogue/artist, Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio), and boy, is it one hell of a love story.
Told through the eyes of a much older Rose (Gloria Stuart), the story sees her younger self trapped in an engagement with tycoon Cal Hockley (Billy Zane) at the behest of her meddlesome mother, Ruth (Frances Fisher), Rose found herself in so much despair that she attempted to take her own life, until a chance intervention from Jack changed everything. From there on in, this movie depicts the connection between Rose and Jack and it's hard not to root for the pair.
Both Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet give some of their most career defining performances and while the pair would reunite for another project many years later, they're undeniably at their best here. Rose and Jack have one of the most iconic of love stories as they go through their differences and similarities and find themselves drawn to one another. Not even Cal, Ruth or the former's lackey Lovejoy (David Warner) can get in their way.
However for the second half of the movie, the events of Titanic itself take precedent with both Jack and Rose fighting to survive and reunite with one another. Of course when the ship does eventually sink, the love story itself came to a rather tragic end with only Rose surviving to tell the tale to both her granddaughter, Lizzy (Suzy Amis) as well as explorers, Brock (Bill Paxton) and Lewis (Lewis Abernathy), the latter providing a little comic relief.
The moving between the present day Rose telling the story and the story worked as a device as well as the subplot of Brock's quest for a certain blue diamond that Cal had given Rose as an engagement gift and that the latter had worn while posing nude for a drawing with Jack. The diamond in question was the thing that Brock wouldn't get answers for but some secrets probably are best left in the ocean.
As for the final scene where the older Rose got all the closure she needed, it's one of those scenes that never failed to bring a tear. It's a beautiful way to end this incredible film. Seriously, you'd have to be entirely devoid of any romantic bone not to be gripped by the central love story in this whole movie.
- One of my favourite performances in this movie also came from Kathy Bates as Molly Brown. I especially loved her scenes with Jack.
- The party down in steerage with Jack and Rose was another highlight in this movie. I also loved both Fabrizio (Danny Nucci) and Tommy (Jason Barry) as characters.
- Standout music: Of course it's My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion as well as the score music by James Horner for the movie.
- Chronology: April 1912 during the events of this movie along with 1996 during the present day.
Without a doubt, Titanic is one of the best movies of all time. While there might be some creative liberties taken with certain historical moments, it's a gorgeously produced film with a compelling love story, fantastic lead performances, beautiful music, impressive action sequences and so. There's a reason why this movie has become a classic.
Rating: 10 out of 10
No comments:
Post a Comment