My chart reign will go on and on and on
An old classic re-released
Director James Cameron Screenwriter James Cameron Cast Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet
It’s been fifteen long years since James Cameron’s Titanic first graced our screens and, love it or hate it, you’ve got to admit – it’s become a totally iconic film. Even now, in the midst of a dramatic effects era, it’s still an epic film to watch. But when Cameron – forefather of 3D films with his front runner Avatar – announced he was rereleasing Titanic in 3D, there was a lot of consternation from fans who believed the masterpiece should not be tampered with. As anyone who has seen the film knows, while the characters and storylines are moving, Titanic relies greatly on the spectacle itself for its brilliance – so is that spectacle improved by 3D as much as Cameron promised?
Well…yes. Cameron and his team of genius film technicians spent long hours retrofitting the film for 3D visuals, as well as redoing the footage pre-conversion – resulting in a crystal clear picture in the new version almost all the way through (a few moments of dated CGI slightly let the side down but other than that, it’s cracking).
It’s probably been a while since we all watched the film, and what seemed to many a magical performance by all actors now seems a little tiny bit forced, but this can be put down to a different style of acting. The characters are still engaging and the plotline still moving, and the film presents an all-round beautiful experience for viewers. In this new 3D version, you might initially be underwhelmed by the effects – Brock Lovett’s diamond search is still rather dull in three dimensions, and the wreck viewing is also not much more spectacular than in the old 2D version. Quite frankly, the aged Rose was better off with 2D. However, when the second Rose (Winslet) takes us back to the Titanic in Southampton, the 3D really kicks in with spectacular visuals of the buzzing crowd, constantly building the excitement and momentousness of the occasion. The effect is not overdramatic, and doesn’t give you a banging headache like some of the distinctly average 3D attempts of late (ahem, Alice in Wonderland) – like Avatar, Cameron has kept the effect subtle and very natural. Even for us old fans of Titanic, well-known dinner scenes become fresh and new with the 3D magic.
Unsurprisingly, however, the effects really come into their own in the second half of the film when everything starts going (badly) wrong. As the light character drama shifts into a disaster of epic proportions, almost every scene is improved by the 3D technology. Again, even those who have seen the film many times will find the tension increased and the panic contagious, and the water rushing all over the place is much more horrific when you feel it’s really going to reach your feet any minute. The lifting and subsequent sinking of the stern (along with Jack, Rose and the drunk man) is magnificently done, and the viewer finds themself pulling back in their seat to avoid the onslaught of freezing water coming right at them. The frozen oceanic graveyard is hauntingly real and much more harrowing, and your fury at Rose for not budging up and letting Jack on her piece of wood is probably doubled.
Overall the conversion of Titanic to 3D has been a success, most of which is clearly down to Cameron’s 3D skills. His painstaking attention to detail (every hairpin, shoe, knife and fork is retouched) and his use of the full field makes the film convincingly real, and well worth watching – even if you weren’t all that convinced first time round; it’s crisp, new and feels like a whole new Titanic. Although, unfortunately, everyone still drowns.
