AFI Top 100: #83
I truly believe that only a handful of films really deserve the title of "blockbuster" and it's a status that must be earned by not just box office gross but also by cultural significance over time. James Cameron's masterpiece Titanic is a blockbuster through and through (one of the best and actually bearable ones!) and even after twenty-four years, this film is still one of the most impactful stories ever told. Combining the real-life tragedy of the sinking of the ship with a love story that will be able to resonate for ages is only one of its greatest strengths and I really can't believe that it took me this long to finally see this film. From the performances from the main cast to the cinematography to the practical and visual effects, everything works in such a distinct harmony to make it a truly remarkable piece of storytelling.
On the day that the RMS Titanic is bound to set sail, the young and scrappy Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio) wins a ticket to board it and head to New York. On the ship, he meets and falls in love with the rich but troubled socialite Rose Dewitt Bukater (Kate Winslet), and as the two try and conceal their love affair on the trip, they are confronted with an even bigger problem as the ship strikes an iceberg and begins to sink into the Atlantic. Based on the (obviously) true story of the ship that sank in 1912, this film had the potential to be a much more boring biopic of sorts. James Cameron's writing and direction make this film so phenomenal and the contrast between the disaster of the ship with the romance between Rose and Jack is such a simple but wildly effective writing point. Titanic very easily could have been a dull and lifeless retelling of the ship sinking but the fact that Cameron instills this romance into the story and makes it the most prominently emotional aspect is really what makes this movie so damn special. Now, of course, everything that I am saying here is going to bring nothing new to the table as this film has been discussed endlessly for years but these are just things that I noticed on my first watch. Cameron's direction is also very interesting to me throughout the course of this film because of how much I liked and some choices that I really didn't. The pacing of this movie is flawlessly smooth and never once felt like I was watching a movie that was 3+ hours long. Cameron does such a wonderful job of maneuvering through this story and knows perfectly how to place emotional moments within the more explosive action set pieces. The only part of his direction that I didn't really care for was the story's returning to the older Rose (Gloria Stuart). I think that framing this film at the beginning and end with the modern-day story is a solid choice but Cameron dips back into this modern-day only at a few, awkward times and it really took me out of the gaudy, 1920s setting.
The other things about this film that really struck a chord with me are the chemistry between Winslet and DiCaprio, the cinematography from Russell Carpenter, and the beautifully intricate effects used throughout. Winslet and DiCaprio were born to play these roles together and I just adored how they played off each other and how different their characters were. This gives them so much room to grow and develop as characters and their performances just roll with it so well. I also loved a lot of the supporting performances in this film, including Kathy Bates and Billy Zane. Zane plays such a perfectly insufferable millionaire and Bates, while also playing a rich passenger, actually brings some humanity to that group of people. It's near impossible to humanize the rich but when it comes down to Kathy Bates joyfully and motherly helping DiCaprio's character dress right to impress a girl, her human side shines so brightly. The camerawork from Carpenter was just masterful and I loved the way he shoots every scene of this film. He shoots the movie tightly as the characters are falling in love or experiencing new sensations but widely as the catastrophe of the ship begins to unfold. This might seem like a given based on the premise of the story but the way that Carpenter utilizes different styles to suit the blockbuster aspects of Titanic is amazing. The action scenes throughout this film were also so unbelievably exciting and while I agree they might have gone on a bit too long, I never thought they lost any impact. Cameron's focus on the disaster and how long he lets the audience bask in its atrocity is such a wonderful choice and even though I know how the story ends, it was never anything less than enthralling. The inclusion of practical effects for many of the inside ship scenes was fantastic too and it honestly felt more like I was riding a theme park attraction of the ship than I was watching a movie, which is just what Cameron intended. The thrill I got from seeing this story play out was unlike anything I have seen recently and I truly, truly loved it.
Titanic is such a household name in romantic filmmaking that I was honestly shocked that I enjoyed it as much as I did. While I have known the story, plot points, and memes for practically my entire life, actually sitting down to experience this timeless film is a whole other story. DiCaprio and Winslet are truly magic together and they not only enhance this film to the nth degree but help to make this story one of the most romantic ones ever told. And what's better than turning on a classic movie you've never seen only to be greeted by a shaggy Bill Paxton? Nothing, that's what.
My Rating: ★★★★½
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