The Geek Life is a weekly look at what is happening in the Geek Culture. Movies, Comics, Video Games, Books, and TV Shows encompass more than just release dates and reviews. This week the Geek Life argues Titanic 3D.
Last week I sat at a 3D screening of Martin Scorsese’s Hugo and saw the trailer for Titanic 3D. When the Paramount logo appeared, a man behind me gave out an enthusiastic, “yes”. Now, I wasn’t sure if he knew the trailer was coming up or if, perhaps, he worked for Paramount, but the next 3D trailer was indeed for Titanic. I had seen a few trailers for it before, but none were in 3D. It looked good, but the crowd for Hugo had other ideas. It all started the second Celine Dion’s voice started in with the “you’re here…”. The audience broke into laughter and started to let the jabs fly. One woman even yelled, “I hope you enjoy your time together” when Billy Zane started shooting at Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.
I know that director James Cameron is releasing his film again in theaters to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the real ship’s maiden voyage. I also know that the “king of the world” is going to show us just how the conversion of older films into 3D should be done; which, believe me, I am all for. What I am wrestling with is what a friend of mine calls the left side/ right side argument. It breaks like down this: “The popular theory is that the right side of the brain controls emotions, while the left side controls more analytical thinking. So the left side of my brain enjoys an intelligent story with creative execution, while the right side of my brain likes lightsabers, People’s Elbows, and explosions. An example being the right side of my brain loves “Armageddon” and the left side of my brain hates it. Understand? No? Picture the right side of my brain with a beer and the left with a martini. Oh, or how about my right side is a ten year old and the left is Roger Ebert” – Gordon Holmes (check out his column MoreWhatNot). Though I might not enjoy the People’s Elbow as much as he (I do know what it is), I am in complete agreement with this theory as it pertains to Titanic.
I sat in the theater opening night and watched Cameron’s huge gamble before it became the national/ world obsession. Was I blown away? Yes. Was I moved to tears? Yeah. I cried and I’m man enough to admit it. In the weeks that would pass, I went to a few other movies and always saw the line going in (huge) and the line coming out (people sobbing) for Titanic. And as the obsession grew, with the lines of dialogue interwoven into Celine’s song, I started to turn against Titanic. I was in full support of its nominations and knew that Cameron was simply quoting the movie during his acceptance speech. The left side of my brain enjoyed the film, the undertaking that went into it, and all the accolades it got. The right side of my brain wanted to strangle Celine Dion the next time I saw her, give a People’s Elbow to every teeny bopper that was crying for Leo, and use my last wish from a magic genie to change Rose’s (Winslet) line “I’ll never let go Jack” as she breaks his dead frozen fingers off and swims away to something else (I am aware she meant never letting go of him emotionally).
Now, with the 3D version flooding the theaters to hook a new generation into the theaters this April, I am back with a new left side/ right side argument.
The Left Side:
This 3D release will put all those rushed 3D films like Clash of the Titans to shame. Hopefully, John Q. Public will see that this is the way you are supposed to do it. Take your time, do the proper conversion, or just film it with the right equipment (see Tron Legacy and The Hobbit).
I did see the film three times in theater during its 1997-1998 release. I was this fortunate enough to have to sell it at my video store and watch the ship sink over and over again on TV. Why just the sinking part? The nudity is all on the first tape, so Suncoast Video only played the second tape. I am looking forward to seeing it larger than life again the way it was back in 1997.
This will be Titanic, the film from 1997. No special edition, no added footage, and no new digital characters. It should look amazing.
I am curious to see if the Twilight crowd will flock to Titanic in 3D. It was their predecessors that made Titanic the phenomenon it became. However, without a shirtless Leo, will Team Jacob and Team Edward even care?
The Right Side:
When I started to really detest Titanic, I found comfort in rooting for Billy Zane’s Cal. I was subjected to the second tape over and over again so, without a love story present, I rooted for the guy who lost his fiancé. I was in full support of that woman in the theater. I also love the line “Rose is displeased. What to do?”.
James Cameron can’t fail. The gods of Pandora (that tree thing) and an army of Terminators won’t allow it. I would love to see Titanic 3D sink into the abyss. Come on, you know deep down you want that, too.
How long? How long until some moron is back up on the bow doing Leo’s “king of the world” cheer and falls to his death? Ocean liners should be making plans to rope off those places again.
There will be some spectacular 3D sequences in the film. The boat will come apart and people will fall great heights right in front of us in magical 3D. However, seeing Kate Winslet naked on that giant screen will make more than a few heads move back and hands reach out. Thank you, thank you for 3D boobies (remember this is the right side of my brain).
All of these arguments and thoughts (crazy and not) will have to wait until April 6th 2012. Until then, we’ll all just be subjugated to the trailer and, hopefully, more comments from the peanut gallery. Please enjoy the picture above by Jean Pierre Normand titled “Titanic Disaster”.
Robert and his friend Gordon used to play Geek Trivial Pursuit in college. What is that? You answer all questions from your Geek expertise. Robert used Star Wars cards and Gordon used WWF cards. They were equally matched in their battles. Robert writes two other weekly columns for Mania The DVD Shopping Bag and the Toy Maniac. Follow Robert on Twitter for his for Geek ramblings, Cosplay photos and film criticisms.
I'm one of the few that didn't see Titanic in the theater and have yet to see the entire film, only snippets here and there, so I'm actually looking forward to seeing it properly in I-Max 3D for the first time.
I'm also looking forward to seeing all the Star Wars films starting in Feb with episode 1, the Jurassic Park and LOTR films in the future when they get the conversion treatment as well, oh it's happening.
I don't care what tv and sound system you have in your house nothing beats the big screen, especially I-Max, when seeing these films. Heck I don't even mind the occasional a-hole that may call us suckers either, that's how much I enjoy the theater experience
So Rob let me get this straight, you started hating Titanic because too many people liked it and/or became obsessed with it?
Just want to share my girlfriend's reaction when I told her about this news: "Oh god, I hope the boat hits you in the head before you have to sit through the whole thing."
That about sums it up. It really amazes me how seemingly universal the disdain for this movie is considering it made so much money. Granted, it deserves every ounce of that disdain, but I'm surprised nevertheless.
It was the Obsession Wiseguy, it drove me nuts. The song playing everywhere and people crying for Leo (heard girls saying that) over the real event. I like the movie a lot but when America loves something they really run it into the ground. I could write another one of these on Foresst Gump.
Rob to each their own but it just seems like a weak excuse/reason to me. And you're not alone there but people hating on something because a lot of folk loved it, well I won't get into it but it comes across as petty to say the very least
Wiseguy...think of Star Wars...how over saturated the mega machine has become...it's everywhere, in tv shows, movies...books...it's become so large we almost forget where it started.
When Titanic came out and became so popular, it was just insane...everywhere...in the news...tv shows...movies...books...schoolyards...emails....e.v.e.r.y.WHERE!!!
The idea that it was just getting annoying is logical. I haven't watched it in years since I've also seen it a few times in theatres (for guys with dates at the time, it was perfect cause all the ladies were going crazy for it).
But since it's been overexposed, I don't feel like seeing it anymore...not for a while anyway. Certainly not in 3D but even then, I view Rob's point making sense.
Actually, I liked Celine Dion's song. The first 200 times I heard it anyway. Then it started to get old when they played it every hour on every radio station and you couldn't walk through the mall (or anywhere else they played music on a loudspeaker) without hearing it 20 times.
The movie itself is wonderful. The acting was great, the story was engaging and the FX of the ship sinking was exciting. But yeah, it did get old. There were people (mostly women) who would go see it EVERY DAY.
I don't hate on the film. Actually I like it. It was just so many things adding to my dislike of it. Watching that boat sinkin over and over... ugh. Titanic the film A . Titanic, America crazy obsession D.
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Mehh....love the movie, still 3D crap...I'm out of it. Have fun suckers, 3D SUCKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!