TITANIC

US, 1997, 186 minutes Colour.
Leonardo di Caprio, Kate Winslett, Bill Paxton, Gloria Stuart, Kathy Bates, Billy Zane, Frances Farmer, David Warner.
Directed by James Cameron.

James Cameron is best known for such action shows as The Terminator movies, Aliens, The Abyss and True Lies. Here he reinforces his reputation for putting extraordinary cinematic effects on the screen. He also shows some sensitivity in his writing of a popular love story central to this re-creation of the historic disaster. (Many critics dismissed this plotline and its dialogue as trite.) Titanic is epic, running at just over three hours. Its enormous budget included enough money to build a new to-scale ship.

Titanic was a movie event that more than satisfied most audiences. Its entertainment value and its message transcended all cultures drawing in crowds from Beijing to Suva to video-watching villagers in Algeria. It won eleven Oscars, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Score, Best Song.

The framework is a present-day high-tech search for passengers' jewellery. This plot device rouses the interest of younger audiences. Cameron takes the opportunity to give a computergraph explanation of what happened to the invincible liner. Once the plotline goes back to Titanic itself, audiences are overwhelmed by the re-creation of the ship. The extraordinary re-enactment of the sinking is a powerfully emotional experience. We feel we have really been there.

The human story is conventional enough (as were the passengers), especially the contrast between the wealthy elite
and the steerage migrants. Billy Zane, David Warner and Frances Fisher do what is expected - although Kathy Bates is a vigorous Molly Brown. At the centre are the two young actors who take over the screen and make their variation on the Romeo and Juliet theme come alive. Leonardo di Caprio proves he is versatile and talented and Kate Winslett complements him effectively.

Not a profound meditation on the meaning of life and death, Titanic is a mighty cinematic experience.

1. The enormous popularity of the film? Its universal appeal? Awards? Why?

2. The mammoth enterprise of filming the story, recreating the ship and its size, the interiors and exteriors, the range of decks, the poor and the affluent, costumes, décor? The atmosphere of 1912?

3. The iceberg looming, the crash, the immediate impact, the water and the men below deck, the reaction of the staff, the lifeboats, the difficulties, empty? The band playing? The list, the vertical height, the breaking apart, the capsizing? People and their falling - the stunts and special effects and the cumulative effect of experiencing the sinking of the Titanic?

4. The musical score, Celine Dion's song and its popularity afterwards?

5. Audience attitudes towards the Titanic, knowledge of the events, the attempts to raise the Titanic? An emotional response?

6. The prologue, the search for the Titanic, the technology, the computer information given to the audience about the structure of the ship? The characters of the searchers, their mission? Their meeting with old Rose, her reminiscences, the drawings, the diamond? The aftermath of the story, their listening to her story, the searcher and his sense of futility, but his emotional response to the Titanic? Rose, her dreams, her dropping the diamond into the ocean? Keeping her secret?

7. The port, Jack, his playing, winning the ticket, his friends, their getting on board, on lower decks, the migrants, the language groups, the range of people, families? Their being crowded together? Their enjoying the voyage, gathering together, songs? Their being looked down on by those in the upper class?

8. The affluent, the families, Ruth, her relationship with Rose, Cal Hockley and his assistant? His ambitions? Their friendship with Molly Brown and her exuberance? Rose, alienation, meeting the wealthy guests, their behaviour? The irony of Jack being invited to dinner, dressing up, conversation, his holding his own, dancing? The hostility of Hockley?

9. Rose and her rebellion, attitudes, her contemplating suicide, being rescued by Jack? Their discussions, interaction? Standing on the deck - king of the world? The bet, Jack at dinner, his manner, the hostility? Ruth and her snobbishness? Jack and his drawing Rose with the diamond? Hockley's reaction, the sexual encounter between Jack and Rose? Hockley and the drawing, his antagonism, planting the diamond in the coat? (And the irony of later giving the coat to Rose?) His assistant, the cuffing of Jack, his being held by the master of arms, his being handcuffed - Rose finding him and getting the axe to set him free?

10. The character of Cal Hockley, snob, ambitious, wanting to marry wealth, external good manners, his associate and his doing his dirty work for him? Rose and her turning against him?

11. The captain, his pride in being the captain of the Titanic, his relationship with his crew, the officers on deck, the range of staff, the competence? The officer on deck, his watching the iceberg, trying to avoid it? The captain and his being given the information, his shock, making the decisions?

12. The designer and his presence on the ship, studying the charts, the friendship with Rose, his trying to get her onto the boat, his comment to the officer about the half-empty boats, his going down with the Titanic?

13. Jack freed by Rose, their running through the decks, the stewards, the locked gates, the steerage class and their being locked in, the guns, the threats, ramming the gate to open it?
14. The lifeboats, the people getting on in an orderly fashion, the growing panic, the rush, the firing of the guns, the steerage class trying to get on, the officers trying to keep order? The man trying to get on when he was forbidden? The playing of the music, the captain and his decision to stay, "Nearer My God To Thee"?

15. Hockley and his bribing the officer, getting off the lifeboat to find Rose, getting on the boat, his sneering at Jack, saying that he always won? Rose getting off, Hockley getting the gun, the pursuit and the shooting, the chase? The refusal of the deal, the officer giving him back his money and shooting himself? Hockley using the child to get onto the lifeboat? His later searching for Rose and her refusal to acknowledge him? Old Rose telling the story of his wealth, Wall Street collapse, killing himself?

16. Rose and Jack, trying to get to the top of the boat, the boy and the father in the corridor, the overwhelming wave? Hanging on to the top of the boat, going underwater, trying to hold hands? Rose floating, Jack in the water? Their final talk, his freezing?

17. The overwhelming water on the boat, smashing the sides, the funnel collapsing, people falling, the priest saying the Rosary, the boat breaking in half, collapsing, going vertical and going straight down?

18. Molly Brown and her stance on the boat, the lack of response of the women, the officer reprimanding her? The young officer and his going in the rowing boat to search, Rose and her blowing the whistle?

19. The final images where the present blended with the past? Rose's final words about people waiting to live or die, needing absolution, her final secret?