Titanic Tagged Articles at Cinematical
Cinematical Seven: Movies That Start Fights
Filed under: Horror », Independent », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », New Releases », Cinematical Seven »
I've been meaning to purchase and wear this t-shirt since I learned of its existence a couple of months ago, but I figured I'd better let the Twilight: New Moon hysteria die down first. It would appear, after all, that openly declaring one's hostility toward the Twilight franchise on one's person, even with a statement as unquestionably correct as "Vampires Don't Sparkle," is just asking for trouble. You do not want to mess with a gaggle of rabid Robert Pattinson fans.
I do not hate the Twilight franchise, actually, though I would like to suggest that the Twilighteers may live to regret sinking so much time and emotion into something so utterly banal. But I seem to be one of the few who occupy the middle ground. Twilight might be the most divisive love-it-or-hate-it phenomenon of the last few years. Not everyone adores Harry Potter, but most people have at least a grudging respect for it; Twilight has as many haters as fawning admirers.
You gotta admit that if you can use a movie to start an argument, it's at least good for something. Here are seven other movies that seem to disproportionately divide the moviegoing population into adoring fans and angry detractors.
1. Titanic - To get the obvious out of the way. It's amazing to me how often people make offhand derisive mentions of Titanic, as if its awfulness were well-established and self-evident. As with Twilight, of course, the surprisingly widespread disdain of this movie is a backlash against its army of obsessive partisans (and from a similar demographic to boot) -- the folks who showed up on local news shows in 1997 bragging about having seen it 16 times in the theater, etc. The fact that Titanic is a fantastic film -- and not really (or at least not only) for the reasons many of its fans think -- tends to get lost in the shuffle, sadly.
James Cameron Never Wanted to Make 'Titanic'
Filed under: Fandom », Newsstand »
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Perhaps the most comically brilliant interview of the month will come sandwiched between naked ladies as a lengthy chat with James Cameron will be featured in December's issue of Playboy. While we don't have the actual interview for you to read, Playboy sent over a whole batch of quotes that were just too good to resist. Based on the quotes, it would appear the interview covers everything from Cameron's directorial approach to his inspiration (Star Wars) to his personal life (married five times) to his films to Christian Bale's famous on-set tirade ("Man, I have to take my hat off to this guy. I could not pull a rant like that if I had to.' I mean, I can get on a roll but not like that. I just had to bow down.").
And speaking of his films, Cameron was quite candid when Titanic came up, admitting there was only one reason why he wanted to make that film and it wasn't to get Kate Winslet topless. "I made Titanic because I wanted to dive to a shipwreck, not because I particularly wanted to make the movie...Titanic was about 'f*ck you' money," he said. And on Kate Winslet almost dying while filming: "[On the set of Titanic] we simply let Kate [Winslet] think she was nearly drowning. A little sputtering and coughing does not count in my book, because I have almost drowned several times...Anybody who signs on [with me] is going to be tested." Right on! James Cameron: The director who will let you think you're dying in order to get the best performance!
Check out a few more choice Cameron quotes after the jump (like why you'll never see him on Twitter), and you can read the entire interview in the December issue of Playboy, which hits newstands and online on November 13th.
How an Astrophysicist Convinced James Cameron to Re-Edit 'Titanic'
Filed under: Drama », Fandom », 20th Century Fox »
I absolutely love this story. If you're a regular TV watcher, you'll likely recognize the remarkably affable astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, be it from his repeat appearances on "The Colbert Report" or his regular hosting duties on "NOVA ScienceNow". If not, know the man has a rare gift for reducing complex science into theories any dope could understand, a gift that also makes him the worst fanboy possible. The video below is from an audience Q&A session in which the delightful scientist was asked to elaborate on what he thought was the worst "bad science" movie ever made. While you'd expect an astrophysicist to hate a work rife with lunatic science, films like Armageddon, he shares, are easily dismissed because they make zero effort towards accuracy. However, a film that falsely claims to be scientifically accurate, like Titanic, really sticks in the man's caw, "There are movies out there where the director just doesn't care, and if they don't care, why should I care? I'm okay if they don't care. It's when there's a premise of accuracy and precision that they just mess up, that pisses me off."
Shelf Life: American Beauty
Filed under: Fandom », Home Entertainment », Shelf Life »
After Cinematical's new "Movies I Will Never See" series elicited a strong variety of reactions – both positive and negative - from readers, it occurred to us that there's a huge, untapped reservoir of existing films that we have actually seen, and it would probably be at least as interesting, if not more so, to go back and see how well they held up in the years since their release. These may be acclaimed classics that audiences simply haven't revisited on a regular basis, or condemned failures that might deserve a second look; but setting a statute of limitations of five years or more old (meaning before '04), we're going back to see how good are the bad movies, and how bad are the good ones - in other words testing their shelf life.
After last week's look at Titanic, it seemed somewhat appropriate to revisit other noteworthy Oscar winners. But while there were certainly a wealth of questionably worthy titles celebrated in the Academy's history, one in particular seemed especially ripe for consideration: American Beauty, Sam Mendes' directorial debut. Perhaps it's because so many movies followed its lead in deconstructing suburbia, or perhaps it's just because it's been ten years, but Mendes' film doesn't seem as relevant, important, or even as good as it once was – which is why we recently popped it in the DVD player for another look.
Shelf Life: Titanic
Filed under: Shelf Life »
After Cinematical's new "Movies I Will Never See" series elicited a strong variety of reactions – both positive and negative - from readers, it occurred to us that there's a huge, untapped reservoir of existing films that we have actually seen, and it would probably be at least as interesting, if not more so, to go back and see how well they held up in the years since their release. These may be acclaimed classics that audiences simply haven't revisited on a regular basis, or condemned failures that might deserve a second look; but setting a statute of limitations of five years or more old (meaning before '04), we're going back to see how good are the bad movies, and how bad are the good ones - in other words testing their shelf life.
With James Cameron's Avatar looming large on the horizon, and the "event movie" filmmaker lauding his latest as no less than a worthy successor to the Highest-Grossing Movie of All Time, it seemed appropriate to see if Titanic was not only worth the hype that surrounded its original release, but to indicate whether it promised enough true and lasting greatness to entice fanboys and casual filmgoers alike to trust in the director as he debuts his next effort.
SDCC: Peter Jackson, James Cameron Fight For Cinema's Future
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Fandom », Exhibition », Comic/Superhero/Geek », ComicCon »
On Friday night at 7pm, after most fanboys had already fulfilled their quotient of nerdgasms and geek-freakouts, Peter Jackson and James Cameron appeared together at a panel hosted by Entertainment Weekly entitled "The Visionaries." Rather than just talking about their current projects, however, the two iconic filmmakers offered a sort of State of the Cinematic Union, addressing problems and challenges they face, even as they addressed a few rumors about what their respective futures hold.
The most important of their observations and revelations:
SDCC: 'Titanic' Going 3D, 'Lord of the Rings' 3D on Hold
Filed under: Action », Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Fandom », Exhibition », Comic/Superhero/Geek », Remakes and Sequels », ComicCon »
During the visionaries panel at Comic Con, Peter Jackson and James Cameron spoke about converting some of their older films to 3D -- specifically how Titanic is already going through the process, and how it's going to take about a year to fourteen months before it's completed. Thus, look for a huge re-launch of Titanic on the big screen in 3D at some point in 2011. If I were to wager a guess, I think they'll re-release it around the holidays and try to get as much bang for their buck as they can. Cameron says he's seen a couple of minutes converted and so far it "looks spectacular." Personally, I don't know how cool a film like Titanic would look in 3D. Maybe the last hour would look decent; the shot of the ship right before it breaks in half would look pretty wicked, but other than that ... eh.
Meanwhile, Peter Jackson was asked the same 3D question with regards to his Lord of the Rings franchise. Will that be getting the 3D conversion treatment as well? Unfortunately, it sounds like Warner Bros. isn't ready to commit to the conversion. Though Jackson wants all three films in 3D and has suggested it to the studio, they're hesitant either because there aren't enough 3D screens yet or for some other reason. There's a fun little back-and-forth between the two after that, with Cameron saying that they'll make more screens if they know The Lord of the Rings movies were in 3D.
Check out video from this particular conversation after the jump. What do you think about Titanic in 3D? Would it look cool? Or how about Lord of the Rings? Is the conversion worth it?
SDCC: 'Avatar' Wows Comic-Con
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy », Fandom », Exhibition », Comic/Superhero/Geek », ComicCon »
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Despite the fact that James Cameron took 12 years to produce a fiction follow-up to his blockbuster, award-winning Titanic, he has wasted no time letting folks know that the forthcoming Avatar is destined to be a masterpiece. And yet, given what he showed today at the San Diego Comic-Con, one can hardly blame him for a surplus of confidence. Screening some 25 minutes of material to a capacity crowd for the first time anywhere, Cameron proved that recent interviews, public appearances and hype opportunities are more than just big talk.
Among the information revealed or exposed about Avatar:
Quick List: Sex Scenes That Aren't Sexy
Filed under: Romance », Fandom », Lists »
Like plenty of you out there, I sat down to watch Brüno over the weekend and was treated to one of the more graphic sex scenes I've had the pleasure of witnessing in a long time. But unlike most sex scenes, this one wasn't about turning on the crowd, it was about getting laughs. Now in Brüno's case, the comedic effect was a deliberate one, but it did get me thinking about sex scenes in films that have had the opposite of their intended effect. So that's why today I've put together a list of sex scenes in movies that aren't the least bit sexy.
Showgirls
Let's start off with the big dog, shall we? When it comes to ridiculous on-screen sex, it doesn't get much dumber than Showgirls. If you don't believe me, do a quick search for a list of the worst sex scenes and this Eszterhas/Verhoeven turkey is usually the hands down winner -- and rightfully so. When it comes to low points, there really is too much to choose from, but the highlights include Elizabeth Berkley flailing about like an electrocuted dolphin while her partner, Kyle MacLachlan, is busy making 'barf faces' (which I suppose were meant to be ecstasy). So watch the clip in it's entirety here and see if you can make it to the end without bursting into laughter.
After the jump: more laughably bad sex scenes...
The Bright Side of Hollywood: 'Titanic' Helps Last Survivor
Filed under: Newsstand »
Accountability has been the watchword in Hollywood lately, especially after all the mess that followed Slumdog Millionaire. But just sometimes, a nice story comes out of Tinseltown, so why not celebrate it?The BBC reports that the big names behind Titanic, Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, and James Cameron, have pulled together $30,000 to help Millvina Dean, a 97-year-old woman who just so happens to be the last living survivor of the Titanic disaster. The woman, who has been struggling with steep monthly bills at her nursing home, had begun to auction personal belongings and Titanic memorabilia to make ends meet. Now a fund has been set up for her, and the Titanic trio pitched in. Fund creator Don Mullan said: "I laid down the challenge to the Titanic actors and directors to support the Millvina Fund and I was delighted with the generosity they have shown in meeting that challenge."
Remember that whole "women and children" first thing? When the lifeboats had to be rationed? She was one of those children, saved along with her mother and sibling by her dad, who then perished when the ship sunk.
Now if only those who are accountable for people's hardships could be as generous...
Indie Roundup: 'Sweetgrass,' 'Clarkworld,' 'Broken Embraces'
Shelf Life: Fight Club_thumbnail.jpg)
Watch: Famous 'Matrix' Scene Re-Created with LEGOs
Peter Jackson Says Spielberg's 'Tintin' is Done Filming, but...
Interracial Harmony: 'Ninja Assassin' vs. 'Blind Side'
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