TITANIC 3D (2012)
Genre: Romance/Drama
Director: James Cameron
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Gloaria Stuart, David Warner, Victor Garber, Bernard Hill, Jonathan Hyde, Suzy Amis, Bill Paxton
RunTime: 3 hrs 14 mins
Rating: TBA
Released By: 20th Century Fox
Official Website: http://www.titanicmovie.com/
Opening Day: 5 April 2012
Synopsis: Written, directed and produced by James Cameron, “TITANIC” is the second highest grossing movie of all time. It is one of only three films to have received a record 11 Academy Awards® including Best Picture and Best Director; and launched the careers of stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. The release, which marks the 100th anniversary of the Titanic setting sail (April 10th), will present the film in 3D for the first time ever.
Movie Review:
And here’s the answer to that burning question you’ve been dying to know with this theatrical 3D re release of the epic movie: No.
No, the Singapore release does not include the previously censored famous painting scene where Leonardo Dicaprio’s Jack Dawson sketches Kate Winslet’s Rose DeWitt Bukater wearing just an emerald necklace. With box office takings in mind, the local distributor probably said yes to the regulating board’s decision to lower the rating to a more family friendly one (the uncut version would have been NC16), so that more people can experience the iconic love story in cinemas.
With Winslet’s, err, assets out of the picture, is it still worth forking out the money and 194 minutes of your life to experience the 3D movie on the big screen? To that question, the answer is: Yes.
This reviewer was only a Secondary 4 student with barely enough pocket money to enjoy luxurious lunches at fast food restaurants when James Cameron’s blockbuster first hit screens in 1997, but he still managed to watch it in cinemas three times with three different groups of friends. Yes, it was considered a popular thing to do 15 years ago, boasting about how you’ve watched the three odd hour epic more than once in theatres. Heck, there was even a mad rush to buy the soundtrack album so that you can blast Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” on your player again, and again, and again.
So it seems that watching this movie in 3D is all about nostalgia. It indeed is, at least for this reviewer who feels that it’s nice to experience a good old classic story set against the backdrop of a real life epic disaster. This release not only commemorates the centenary of the Titanic setting sail on 10 April 1912, but also a trip down memory lane to experience the adventure like never before.
After all, this is the movie which swept 11 Oscars out of its 14 nominations at the 70th Academy Awards. It was also the highest grossing film of all time for 12 years since its release. How can you not want to be a part of this brouhaha?
How good is the 3D effect, we hear you ask. Not bad, really. After all, the guy helming this production is a certain writer director James Cameron, who also made Avatar (2009), one of the most successful 3D movies of all time. While objects are do not come flying in your face, or exactly come flying in your face, the filmmakers realise that there are scenes in the movie that they can create depth, so that viewers would feel like they are part of the action.
The concern that remains is whether one can bear wearing the 3D glasses for a whole three odd hours.
Oh, did we forget the story in this review? We are sure you don’t need much introduction to that. Poor happy boy meets rich unhappy girl on Titanic’s maiden voyage. Boy falls in love with girl before tragedy strikes, and to put it aptly, the rest is history. Those who have watched the movie before would know about Winslet’s appearance with her big purple hat, DiCaprio’s spirited “I am the king of the world!” line at the ship’s bow, composer James Horner’s memorable score, the state of the art computer imagery, amidst other spine chllilng visuals of passengers who did not survive the tragedy. Of course, one would not forget the touching moments when individuals stood by their loved ones when the ship sunk, and the engaging performances by supporting actors like Gloria Stuart, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates and Bill Paxton.
And the last scene back in the ship always hits this reviewer. Just as it was 15 years ago, he left the theatre moved to tears.
Movie Rating:
(Experience the epic motion picture like never before – even if the cynicism in you know it’s a money milking attempt by the studios)
Review by John Li
