Titanic: Through my Critique

Titanic: Through my Critique
Movies, movies and more movies have you ever stop to think how to really understand what you see and analyze its contents. Critique is a method of taken apart the different and many aspects of a movies and discernment it meaning. The purpose of this paper is to critique the movie “Titanic” directed by James Cameron in 1997. This movie grossed over a billion dollars and continues to be watched all over the world and will be re-released in theaters in April 2012 in 3 dimensional (3D).
The Titanic is a fictional story based on true events. James Cameron’s story follows the character of Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater as they fall in love despite the different level of social class. James Cameron’s goal in creating the film was “to show not only the dramatic death of the infamous ship, but her brief and glorious life as well. To capture the beauty, exuberance, optimism and hope of the Titanic, her passengers and crew, while in the process of baring the dark side of humanity underlying the tragedy. The Titanic is not just a cautionary tale – a myth, a parable, a metaphor for the ills of mankind but it is also a story of faith, courage, sacrifice and above all love” (www.hollywoodlot.com).
The film begins in present day with a treasure hunter exploring the remains of the Titanic. The explorers provide a brief non-fictional history of the Titanic giving the time and date of the Titanic’s known facts of reaching the ocean floor surface. The treasure hunters have a mechanical robot exploring the interior of the ship and finally come across the safe they believe has the diamond “the heart of the ocean”. Although the safe did not showcase the diamond they were searching for it did contain a drawing of a young women wearing the diamond, the drawing was aired on television catching the attention of the now older Rose whom is the women in the drawing. She reaches out to the treasure hunters via telephone and upon her arrival on the Keldysh she begins to tell her story to her granddaughter and the men on board, from the departure until the sinking of the ship the Titanic. The story is presented to the audience in a non-linear form, present to past and flashbacks.
The Titanic began its sail from Southampton on commute to New York City on April 10th 1912. “It was the ship of dreams to everyone else; to me it was a slave ship taking me back to America in chains” these were the words of Rose while she was walking up the ramp to board the ship. From the beginning the audience is informed of the unhappiness in her relationship. The scene where Jack Dawson and Rose meet for the first time is when she attempts to commit suicide. He communicates with her in a persuasive voice and helps her return back to the ship when she slips off. They introduce themselves to one another and a bond is instantly formed. Rose thanks Jack for his help and understanding, she expressing to him how she is feeling about getting married and then starts to insult him all the while not wanting to let go of his hand. They continue to speak while she views his drawings. These scenes are well structured in my opinion and helps lead the way of Rose and Jack’s love story.
The scene of everyone sitting at dinner provides the wealthy women and men an opportunity to speak to Jack, too much surprise Jack is charming with elegant looks and wise and funny humor. Ruth (Rose’s mother) is not at all impressed by Jack although others at the dinner table are. Jack says “Life is a gift, and I don’t intend on wasting it. You learn to take life as if comes at ya. To make each day count”. Rose proposes a toast “to make each day count”. Upon the men leaving the dinner table for drinks in the smoking room, Jack hands Rose a note that reads “Make it count, meet me at the clock”. Rose complies with the note and joins Jack for a “real” party with the 3rd class. Rose appears to be having the time of her life and enjoying