Love, bravery, action, drama, thrills…it has all of it. To this day, I haven’t seen a film quite like it. This is an enthralling experience brought to us by the king of cinema James Cameron. We discuss why Titanic is still the ultimate blockbuster movie.
Some audiences may call this a romantic drama, but with a budget this big, it must be considered a blockbuster.
It was 1997 that changed cinema forever and April 12th 1912 that shook the world. It can be said that both dates shook the world by the core, causing both excitement and tragedy. I’m talking about James Cameron’s mighty Titanic.
The film is over 20 years old and it is still one of the greatest films ever made.
It’s the perfect example of the tragic blockbuster, which is a genre we don’t come across often in 2021.
For a film this cinematic, the depth behind the spectacle is just as important. Perhaps, Titanic belongs in the same vein as other thought-provoking blockbusters such as Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar and Inception. Although, this film carries a different level of tragedy to it.
Blockbusters have more weight when you know it’s based on a true story. The film is more or less pretty accurate. If anything, the film asks questions about the real tragedy because some details are still left unanswered.
This adds to the fun of researching more about the exact details of 1912. Not many blockbusters carry that same level of engagement.
Speaking of authenticity, we also have an impressive cast that more or less resembles the real crew. Other than Leo and Kate, We have Bill Paxton, Kathy Bates, Billy Zane, Victor Garber and more.
I recommend looking up the real crew from each character, each one has an interesting role and story to the ship.
What sets this ultimate blockbuster movie apart from other blockbusters is its sense of tragedy. There are particular scenes that are just haunting. The violin scene is hard to get through as it actually happened.
The tragedy works well because the first half of the film has a heroic and ambitious quality and the 2nd half is completely different in tone. James Cameron captures the excitement of getting on board the ship and travelling, with the goal of a new opportunity, a feeling that most would have shared in 1912.
Its adventure is also shown in the opening scene, where James Cameron puts the audience right at the bottom of the ocean. We see the real shipwreck before it sinks, creating a haunting effect. It takes you back to the night of April 12th.
Not only will audiences be enthralled by the scope of the disaster, but they might learn something new about the tragedy.
The opening scene is a homage to the real shipwreck, lying right at the bottom of the ocean.
We get to see a close up of the wreck, around 85 years after the disaster.
When the ship starts going down, James Cameron holds no punches. We see people screaming from every corner. The Grand staircase scene is the standout sequence, showing tragedy at its most grand.
We usually see explosions and spectacle, but not much else. Michael Bay wishes he could have the same level of authenticity in his films, as shown in his bombastic Transformers series.
Titanic is based on real source material, which gives you a reason to care about what’s happening on screen. After watching, It may get you to research like a mad scientist.
I highly recommend the documentary Ghosts of the Abyss (2003), which explores exactly what goes into exploring the deep sea.
It takes a lot of bravery and level of technical understanding of the equipment, for everything to go safely. When they visit the Titanic, it’s very compelling.
Other components that go into making a memorable blockbuster is the reliance on CGI. CGI can look great but there is something very authentic to real practical effects. The attention to detail, when re-creating the ship is impeccable.
Titanic was concerned with really taking the audience on board the ship and you can’t do that with a fake ship. Once the ship hits the iceberg, the use of real sets come into play. A lot of the credit goes to the extras, they did a lot of running and screaming and were very convincing.
For a blockbuster to work, we need reasons to care. This is the ultimate tragic love story and it still is. Some audiences weren’t that keen on some parts of the dialogue, but it was a really intelligent move for James Cameron to approach the disaster with a romantic focus. This allows us to identify and connect with at least two characters.
For an ultimate blockbuster movie this intense, the love story works more for me than most romantic comedies. They are put in by far the most stressful situation in history and for that, I cared.
Of course, I had to mention the soundtrack, how could I not. The songs range from emotional to thrilling. James Horner would later work on the Perfect Storm, but this may be his best work.
The music provides the scenery with a perfect template. Iconic tracks include Hymn to the sea and my heart will go on.
Every good blockbuster has a powerful ending, whether it’s the last duel from Revenge of the Sith, car chases in Mad Max Fury Road or a clash between a superhero and the villain in Man of Steel.
The ending needs to pay off. Titanic shows the audience the last action set-piece but in Romeo and Juliet style.
Over 20 years later, and the sign of the ultimate blockbuster movie, audiences and critics are still discussing why Leo didn’t survive. People still care about these characters or are at least invested. No ending in cinematic history will ever be as significant. Other than Christopher Nolan’s Inception.
What I took away was that James Cameron wanted Leo to die because it emphasizes how much these two were in love and the best way to show that theme is to have one of them die.
It’s the ending that never leaves you. How much more of a powerful and memorable ending do you want from cinema?
On that note, would you survive Titanic or stay and be a hero?
Article by Sam Edwards
