Monday, April 16, 2018

Titanic (1997) by Kelsey Barbosa



James Cameron’s “Titanic” certainly lives up to its Status as one of the most successful movies in history. I will not lie, I had a very negative attitude towards the film before my first time watching it, but then again, there are not many kids out there that would be too interested in a movie about a couple falling in love and their ship sinking. It’s almost easy to forget that this action packed, adrenaline rush-inducing, romantic drama film is actually based on one of the most terrifying tragedies in American history (were it not for the reoccurring shots of the actual Titanic shipwreck of course).  We see a number of familiar faces in this film with Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, Kate Winslet as Rose Dewitt Bukater, and Billy Zane portraying Cal Hockley. The combination of an extremely talented roster of actors and actresses, along with the emotionally captivating screen writing/play, and one of the most endeared fictional romances to ever be brought to the big screen, Titanic definitely solidifies itself as not only one of the highest grossing films of all time, but also one of the BEST films of all time.






From the very beginning, you are drawn in by what appears to be legit footage of the departure of the massive Titanic and some of its guests waving their final goodbyes to friends and family. Simultaneously entranced by Celine Dion’s iconic voice harmonizing over the beautiful symphony of “My Love Will Go On”, my eyes were glued to the screen. The film is based on a recollection of the memories of Rose Dawson while she was aboard Titanic in 1912. Rose boards the ship as an unhappy 17-year-old, which is in an engagement to a much older, rich, and snobby Cal Hockley. Rose feels as though her and Cal have very little in common and even less of an affectionate connection. While aboard the ship she attends to commit suicide, and is saved by Jack Dawson, who is a poor young artist from Wisconsin. Jack and Rose begin to form a relationship, and it becomes clear that they have undeniable chemistry. As the movie goes on Jack and Rose fall hard for each other and end up making love. Afterwards, while they are back on the ship’s deck they witness a collision with a massive iceberg and attempt to warn Cal. Unbeknownst to them, Cal is aware of their affair and he frames Jack for attempting to steal the necklace. As Jack is cuffed to a pipe in a room on one of the lower decks the ship begins to sink, and Rose does everything in her will to rescue him, and that she does. Once on Deck Jack and Cal convince Rose that she should board one of the life boats, so she does, only to realize that Jack will not be boarding any lifeboat after her, causing her to jump of the boat and back onto the ship. After an immense amount of struggle to fight for their lives Jack and Rose end up in the water, with Rose floating on top of a door, and Jack holding on to her while in the water. Jack then tells Rose that she will die as an old lady, peacefully and warm in her bed, before Rose falls asleep. When she awakens, she discovers that Jack has died of hypothermia and she loses the love of her life right then and there. 84 years later, Rose still has the Heart of The Ocean, and she drops it off the stern of the vessel she is on, and then passes away, as an old lady, warm and in her bed, reuniting with Jack in the afterlife.





We then meet Brock Lovett, who with his team has gone to explore the shipwreck of Titanic in search of a rare jewel that they call “the heart of the ocean”. As they explore the ruins, they discover a safe with a drawing of a naked woman wearing the jewel on her neck. After locating and bringing Rose Dawson aboard their vessel, she begins to narrate her experiences on the boat from 84 years prior. We then meet the unhappy 17-year-old Rose, who is preparing to board Titanic with her mother and her 30-year-old wealthy snob of a husband Cal Hockley, in 1912. We learn that her mother who is a recent widow has arranged for Rose to marry Cal because she wishes to maintain her high social status, which had been diminishing after the death of Rose’s father. As the film goes on we see more and more how unhappy Rose truly is with her current engagement to this man, who is nothing like her, and who clearly has some malice in his character.


Afterwards we meet Jack Dawson a poor artist from Wisconsin who has won two tickets to board the Titanic. Jack who is young, full of life, and has travelled all over the world, boards the ship and ends up saving Rose, who planned on committing suicide by jumping from the stern of the ship. As the movie continues we begin to see that there is an undeniable connection between Jack and Rose, and Cal is not blind to this either. Rose who begins to fall for Jack starts spending more time with him, causing Cal to become suspicious and weary of their relationship. This is when we begin to see how ill willed Cal is. After being caught by Cal’s bodyguard Jack and Rose evade him and end up solidifying their chemistry by making love in a car in the cargo hold. While back on the deck of the ship they witness the boat collide with a massive iceberg and try to warn Cal about it, who then frames Jack for stealing the necklace and has him arrested.  Panic ensues while jack is handcuffed to a pipe in a room in one of the lower decks, and the ship begins to flood

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