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April 10, 1912. Technology
had been delivering a steady
stream of miracles for the better part of two decades and
people were beginning to take this never-ending spiral of
progress for granted. What better demonstration of humanity's
mastery over nature than the launch of Titanic, the largest and
most luxurious moving object ever built by the hand of man? But
four-and-a-half days later, the world had changed. The maiden
voyage of the "ship of dreams" ended in a nightmare beyond
comprehension and mankind's faith in its own indomitable
power was forever destroyed by uniquely human shortcomings:
arrogance, complacency and greed.
My goal in making this film was to show not only the dramatic
death of this infamous ship, but her brief and glorious life as
well. To capture the beauty, exuberance, optimism and hope of
Titanic, her passengers and crew and, in the process of baring
the dark side of humanity underlying this tragedy, celebrate the
limitless potential of the human spirit. For Titanic is not just a
cautionary tale - a myth, a parable, a metaphor for the ills of
mankind. It is also a story of faith, courage, sacrifice and, above
all else, love.
Writer/director James Cameron, 1997
James Cameron ( Director )
Connecting the with the past
The influence of the deep dive
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Leonardo Dicaprio
( Jack Dawson )
The Challenges of Titanic A memorable
moment on the set
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Kate Winslet ( Rose DeWitt Bukater )
Jack and Rose
Meeting Gloria Stuart
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The journey of "Titanic" begins in the present, at the site of the ship's
watery
grave, two-and-a-half miles under the ocean surface. An ambitious fortune
hunter (Bill Paxton) is determined to plumb the treasures of this once-stately
ship, only to bring to the surface a story left untold. The tragic ruins
melt
away to reveal the glittering palace that was Titanic as it prepares to
launch
on its maiden voyage from England. Amidst the thousands of well-wishers
bidding a fond bon voyage, destiny has called two young souls, daring them
to nurture a passion that would change their lives forever.
Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) is a 17-year-old, upper-class
American suffocating under the rigid confines and expectations of
Edwardian society who falls for a free-spirited young steerage passenger
named Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio). Once he opens her eyes to the
world that lies outside her gilded cage, Rose and Jack's forbidden love
begins a powerful mystery that ultimately echoes across the years into
the
present. Nothing on earth is going to come between them -- not even
something as unimaginable as the sinking of Titanic.
Scenes from James Cameron's Titanic
To begin his epic realization of the Titanic tragedy,
James Cameron went to the source, the fabled ship's
final resting place 12,500 feet under the ocean surface.
Using twin Mir submersibles, specially rigged with
external movie cameras, and the Mirs' remote-controlled
exploration unit, Cameron and his crew achieved some
of the most extensive documentation of the wreck to
date. But despite all his knowledge of the ship and it's
story, even Cameron was not fully prepared for the
power of what he found there.
Cameron recalls, "It wasn't until the third or fourth dive
that I let it hit me emotionally - the awe and mystery of
being two-and-a-half miles down on the floor of the
Atlantic, seeing the sad ruin of this great ship."
The deep dive scenes
Leonardo DiCaprio ( Jack Dawson )
Kate Winslet ( Rose
DeWitt Bukater )
Billy Zane ( Carl Hockley
)
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