"Abominable" dialogue ?!

greenspun.com : LUSENET : TitanicShack : One Thread

I have just watched tonight (March 20) the Canadian TV program "The Lead" on CBC. One of the guests was Dan Georgiakis, from New York University, movie critic. He plainly stated that he was not fond of "Titanic" because the dialogue was "abominable" (this was just one of the adjectives he used, but the strongest). He said that for "intellectuals" like him this was poorly done by Cameron and he was close to give him advices for the future. But then he remembered that this is the most viewed movie ever so he could not really make his point to the end. He attributed the success of the movie to the teenage girls' hype (age 11-15). His favorite scenes ("there were some good scenes") were the lifebelt floating in the middle of corpses, the stern raising and displaying the propellers and the underwater shots of the wreck. He did not enjoy the love story between Jack and Rose, suggesting that if one looks at the movie as to a fairy tale it's o.k, but realistically, it is far from reality. That the love story would not have happened in reality. It is interesting that at the begining of the interview he stated that he knew why the movie has been so popular. However, in the end, he said that there must be something in the movie (but did not know what) because of all the people watching it again and again. I wonder why are critics so extreme in their arguments. Isn't htere any middle ground for this job, is it all a matter of taste? In that case, why would be need (bad) critics?

-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@sprint.ca), March 20, 1998

Answers

I've decided that these critics that are looking for "great" dialogue and think that the story of Rose and Jack is impossible are the one's in the fairytale. This is life. People are thrown together and fall in love. Things try to tear them apart and, if they are strong, then they move heaven and earth to stay together and make it work. Rose and Jack's love would have been as real as mine for my husband.

I listen to all of the things we say to each other and I don't remember any stirring Shakespearean dialogue. I remember dumb lines like "I love you", "I miss you.", "Do you have to go?", "I don't want you to go.", "You make me nuts, I wish I'd never met you." "I'm sorry,I love you." "Pass the ketchup." It isn't the words, it's the actions, it's the feeling. It's Jack pacing back and forth in the gym trying to recompose him self - - several times -- before he can tell Rose how wonderful she is. It's Rose jumping out of the boat because she can't imagine her life without him. And don't tell me it isn't possible that they could have met and fell in love. They were thrown together by her suicide attempt and his compassion. They stayed together because they pursued each other. It wasn't a series of implausible coincidences, Jack and Rose WANTED to be together, they MADE it happen.

Sheesh..I can respect that some didn't like the movie. I can respect that they didn't understand it, but I pity them for not appreciating that love has it's own way and you can't put logic to it. Maybe they've never REALLY been in love and have never had to move heaven and Earth to make it work.

-- crystal smithwick (crystal@9v.com), March 21, 1998.


Bravo crystal!!!! You said it better than I ever could have. Your point about the dialogue was right on the money! Who needs critics anyways?? If only someone could explain it the way you have to the whole world especially the critics. I for one am not a teenage girl and I'm sure of it that the success of the movie is not Leo mania.

-- Shaunna (Shaunna@visualmetrics.com), March 21, 1998.

I for one am not a teenage girl, not even a girl for that matter, but Iv'e seen the movie 7 times. And as far as critics go I'm the the biggest critic that really counts, since I'm the one who's oppinion counts for me, as is the case for all of us. For the critics to say that " It wasn't possible for jack and rose to meet ", Then what are whe going to do with the 1st class passangers that took their dogs for a walk on the deck where 3rd class passangers hungout? ( I don't know if this dog walking part was reall, but it was depicted in the movie) Anyway reall or not they weren't reall either... now what I mean?

ICEBERG RIGHT AHEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- jesse fontes (jestercw@gte.net), March 21, 1998.


First I'd just like to say the critics who hated this movie can shove it because Titanic won Best picture, made one billion dollars, and is currently THE highest grossing movie ever. Second, Why the hell couldn't they have met? If jack climbed onto the first class deck once why couldn't he have done it before so he could lay on a bench and look at the stars? Hence forth causeing them to meet when she tried to kill herself. And lastly To those who hated this wonderful film...I'm starting to think that you have lost your ability to dream. I mean, you have no problem with a movie that says giant bugs could possibly want to take over the earth one day so we start a War to kill them all (Starship Troopers), but you can't believe that two people can meet and fall in love within four days?!?!?!!! What the Hell??!!! You know what they say "The Truth is stranger than Fiction!!"

-- Miranda Swearingen (Kylen1@hotmail.com), March 25, 1998.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ