Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Bernard Hill, Jonathan Hyde, Danny Nucci, Gloria Stewart, David Warner, Victor Garber, and Bill Paxton. Directed by James Cameron. Aspect ratio: 2.35:1. 174 minutes (film). 1997. Dolby Digital 5.1EX, DTS 6.1ES, and 2.0 Dolby Surround (English), French, Spanish. Paramount 03135. PG-13. $29.99.

Picture 3.0*

Sound 4.0

Film 4.0*

Director James Cameron's epic production about the ill-fated ocean liner Titanic arouses passions both pro and con among movie fans. But love it or hate it, you can't ignore it.

Titanic was first released on DVD in 1999. While much anticipated, it was a fairly lame package. There was a decent but non-anamorphic letterbox transfer I used for years as a torture test for deinterlacers (the railings and hard structural edges on the ship's superstructure were a nightmare to reproduce without artifacts). The movie itself was capped off with a trailer and little else.

It's taken six more years to do it right—just as we're on the cusp of a high definition optical disc format (or two). This three-disc Special Collector's Edition, just released this week, is loaded with features, and if some fans are complaining about that, it's only because fans everywhere in the world except the U.S. can get a four-disc set with even more extras. The only important extras missing here, ironically, are trailers—a feature that has become much less common on DVD releases in recent years.

As for the sort of features available for newer films, remember that this film was shot before DVD was a factor in the market; shooting special feature material during production for an eventual DVD release is a more recent phenomenon.

If you don't know the story, you won't hear much about it from me. But it's hard to spoil the "surprise;" the fact that the ship sinks is known to any toddler by now, and if by some major lapse in your upbringing you don't know, the movie makes it clear in the first five minutes.

But Cameron's story structure, apart from some extra baggage, is ideal, with a modern-day search of the wreckage framing the 1912 story.

While many found the first two hours of the film slow (I did not, but then I've been a Titanic junkie since I was 10 years old), the last hour may be the most riveting and moving 60 minutes of cinema this side of The Lord of the Rings. And it's moving precisely because of the setup in those first two hours, not in spite of them.

Yes, Titanic has that love story that gives many viewers a Jack Jack attack. It has its Perils of Paulinemoments, particularly when Jack is trapped in handcuffs below decks, and it's Rose with an axe to the rescue. It has moments of lame dialogue (the worst is when Leonardo DiCaprio, as Jack, responds to first hearing of the damage to the ship. "That's bad," he says, probably reacting to the line.

And then there's Celine Dion.

But the film's occasional tin-eared dialogue has long been eclipsed by the latest Star Wars trilogy. The romance here may be overdone in places, but next to the cooing in Lucas' epics it plays like Romeo ands Juliet. And it does at least give us—well, some of us, anyway—an emotional connection to the plight of the characters.

And then there's Celine Dion.

With over $1 billion in worldwide receipts and 11 Oscars, including Best Picture, for his efforts, it's no wonder James Cameron hasn't directed another full-length feature since Titanic. The only thing I personally hold against the film is that its aftermath has kept one of our best directors preoccupied for almost 10 years, either because he appears to be obsessed with everything Titanic (the ship), or is afraid there's no way he can top his effort on Titanic (the movie).

The film is spread out over two of the three discs in this set, which I found to be a minor nuisance. The changeover is right after the crew and designer meet in the Captain's cabin to get the bad news about the ship. It could be worse (the interruption, not the news), but with the tension building rapidly at this point it's not the best place for a snack break.

In any event this is a good video transfer. It's both creamier and sharper in some respects than the old letterbox version. And those artifacts? Let's just say that this movie has now been formally retired as a de-interlacing test—though I could always pull out the old version if nostalgia strikes!

But it isn't perfect. I saw the original theatrical release in a 70mm blow-up (one of the last of that breed for a major release) at the Mann Village in Westwood, California. In fact I saw it there twice. That was a few years ago, but I do remember that it was one of the best theatrical film presentations I've ever seen. Perhaps I was just captivated by the whole engrossing yet surreal experience (New Year's Eve 1997-1998 spend watching a ship sink!), but I don't recall seeing the softness in medium and long shots that I see on many scenes here. I do remember seeing the same thing on the 1999 DVD, but chalked that up to the non-anamorphic transfer. That it's still there makes me wonder if this is an entirely new transfer, or simply a much better mastering of the old one, flaws and all. (There is no claim on the package that this is a new transfer.) That's why I've downgraded the score.

If your screen is small, you can probably add a half star. And closeups look fine at worst, and terrific at best. The occasionally really out-of-focus shots (including a very obvious one in the spectacular sunset-on-the-bow romantic encounter between Jack and Rose) appear to be in the source material.

With the choice of Dolby Digital (5.1 EX) or DTS (6.1ES) sound here, you can't go wrong. I didn't have the chance to make a direct comparison with the sound on the first release (which offered neither DTS nor any EX/ES enhancements in any event) but in my judgment even the Dolby Digital track here sounds cleaner and sweeter than before, while losing nothing in the balance. It's an outstanding mix, with exceptional bass, highly active surrounds, and a great recording of the soundtrack music.

And Titanic's music deserves special praise. It's one of composer James Horner's best efforts, and less derivative of his own work on other films than many of his other scores. It's a big factor in the emotional pull this film generates, and was superbly recorded by recording engineer Shawn Murphy. Shawn Murphy and James Horner teamed up for many exceptional soundtrack recordings from the late 1980s to 1998 (Murphy has also recorded all of composer John Williams' scores since the mid 1980s). Murphy and Horner parted company shortly after Titanic, and Horner's scores have lost something vital in the split—a sense of atmosphere and space that Shawn Murphy captures from a symphony orchestra better than any other recording engineer I can think of, in Hollywood or anywhere else.

The extras on this set include three commentary tracks, one by Cameron, another by the cast and crew (including Kate Winslet and Gloria Stewart, but no Leo), and the third by several Titanic historians. Cameron's is exceptional, one of the best director commentaries I have ever heard. His remarks are loaded with fascinating detail, explanations of some of the choices he made (including Rose's, um, finger in the elevator, and why it may not have been as anachronistic as I always thought it was). He stays on track in talking directly about what's happening on screen, and his knowledge of production minutiae is stunning. Yes, as the director he should know what's going on, but in a film of this size it's still amazing how much he not only knows, but remembers nine years after the fact. And if the man is an egotist as he is often accused of being, he does not sound like one in the commentary. It's a great listen. In fact, it's the best extra on the set.

The most unusual feature is the seamless branching. As the film runs you can set up the disc to trigger periodic pop-ups that explain various parts of the production. You can also watch them separate from the film. I prefer the latter; interruptions of any sort during a movie this good are intolerable.

Most of the extras, apart from those linked directly to the film in some way, are on disc three. It's loaded with featurettes that will keep those addicted to such things occupied even if they are not fans of the movie. There are also close to 30 deleted scenes (including an alternate ending), only a few of which would have improved the film and many that would have lessened it.

And then there's Celine Dion. Songs over the closing credits in almost any movie annoy me (with the possible exception of The Lord of the Rings trilogy), and this one is no exception. But it would have taken a Metallica version of "My Heart Will Go On" (and On and On and On) to ruin Titanic for me. If you haven't already figured it out, I love this film. If you don't, this box set won't change your mind. But if you're like me, what are you waiting for? Buy it now.