One issue, of many, that interests me when I'm talking to someone about the Titanic is what the other person finds so interesting about it. In my last post to this group, I mentioned all sorts of angles of interest that people have.

In spite of all the time some of us have spent here, we haven't often mentioned what aspect interested us each: the failure to heed ice warnings, the "lessons for mankind", the failure of the Californian to respond, the love of great ships, the rediscovery in 1985, etc.?

In a nutshell: why do you have an interest in the Titanic?

As a follow up: how did Cameron's movie affect your interest? Did it bring something alive for you? Did it make you see or think of something in the event that you hadn't considered before? Did it spark your interest for the first time? (I know this is true for some of you...welcome aboard!)

-- Thomas Shoebotham (cathytom@ix.netcom.com), June 27, 1998

Answers

The thing that interests me most about the actual TITANIC is that it was such a grand ship and full of state-of-the art equipment. I do not think that anything should be deemed as impossible to distroy. Everything is possible. I remember when Ballard found the Titanic. I was only 6 years old, but I have been interested in it ever since then. Not really as a hobby or an everyday thing (until James Cameron made his wonderful movie) but I always watched every special that came on about it. Just recently, I have bought a few books and have throughly enjoyed learning more about this diaster.

James Cameron's movie showed a lot of things about the ship that I didn't know had happened, such as third-class being kept below decks by means of locked gates. The love story didn't hurt anything either. But we all need to remember that while Rose and Jack are fictional, the story of TITANIC is not.

-- AMANDA (foo@bar.com), June 27, 1998.

Timing is everything I guess! I opened my local Sunday paper this morning and there was Titanic staring me in the face on the front page. It is an interesting article about why the continuing interest in the "T" and some opinions by some of the Woods Hole folks that were on the original expeditions. The site is:

http://www.capecodonline.com/cctimes/titan28.htm

You will have to read it today though as this site changes daily and the piece will probably disappear after today.

Regards, Peter

-- Peter Nivling (pcnivling@capecod.net), June 28, 1998.

Hello Thomas and all: You know, I really can't point to one specific aspect of the Titanic story that holds my interest. I would have to say that maybe it is the same as the interest that Walter Lord has in this event. It was such a coming together of circumstances that contributed to this whole thing that is so unbelievable or the "what ifs" as Mr. Lord puts it so well. When you look at it from a statistical point of view, it's just a shipwreck, it happens all the time and there have been worse shipwrecks with more loss of life. I think with me, it's the thing that this should never have happened, that it was so unthinkable at the time, and if things were "tweaked" just a little this way or that, then the outcome would have been much different. The blame has been passed around and the fingers have been pointed for 86 years and still, there is no definitive answer as to why this happened and probably never will be but I will always keep an eye on Titanic for as long as my faculties allow me to do so. As far as Mr. Cameron's work is concerned, I have been amazed at what the residual effect this soon to be classic film has had and I am very happy to see it. I've said it before and I'll say it again: one year ago if you walked up to the average person on the street and started talking about the Titanic in a conversation, you would get a lot of quizzical looks and shoulder shrugging. If you do the same today, I truely believe you will have a much different response. I guess, for me, it all boils down to what Dr. Ballard said: "....before you realize it, you're living with her. Before you realize it, you're married to her. And let me tell you something: There is no divorcing the Titanic. Ever."

Regards, Peter

-- Peter Nivling (pcnivling@capecod.net), June 28, 1998.

The most interesting part of Titanic history, to me, is the people aboard. So many hopes and dreams for the future that were destroyed, not only for the poor but the rich also. The stories of bravery and heroism, selflessness, and love (as in the case of the Straus's in particular). I've always been drawn to Titanic, but the movie made it all come alive for me, more so than previous movies had...especially in the case of Captain Smith. Cameron chose to make the Captain shocked that the ship could sink, saddened that he couldn't do anything about it, and it made him seem numbed by the fact that he knew that many people would die, including himself. As a Captain for many years, I don't think he had it in him to even try to survive...as the old belief of the "captain going down with his ship" prevailed. I loved the movie, and yes I cried, but I was much more interested in the historical facts than the imagined romance of Jack and Rose.

-- Lynn (geg@geocities.com), September 08, 1998.

The story of the Titanic has always interested me, but the movie broadened it. I would love to hear true life stories of people aboard the ship. I feel so bad for all those passengers; I cannot imagine how they must have felt when they realized their "unsinkable" ship would indeed sink.

As far as the movie goes, the scenes of the ship itself always make me lose my breath, especially the one after Captain Smith orders Murdoch to stretch her legs...that's a great scene for me.

Actually, everything about this movie interests me.

-- cgk (cbroce@usit.net), September 08, 1998.

I always have been and continue to be fascinated by shipwrecks. To me there is no eerier graveyard than a sunken ship. I can't explain the fascination, either. One of the things about "Titanic" specifically that draws me is the "unskinkable" claim. I remember when the wreck was found in 1985 (I was 15) and it was on the news. My mother exclaimed: "I can't believe they finally found 'Titanic'!" I had never heard of the ship, so when I asked her what the big deal was and she explained that it was supposed to have been unsinkable, I laughed. As a 15 year old in the year 1985, I was thinking to myself, "What idiots! Of course it could sink...and it did!" I then began my research, if only for the reason of finding out why whoever built this ship could be so naive. I have learned so much since then, too! I am also drawn by it's luxury, it's decadence, it's excess, etc. Everything was overdone, everything was created to spoil and pamper, and for some reason I am fascinated by the human craving for things such as that. I suppose my proletarian little heart has a secret wish to be spoiled as well...

The movie resparked my interest. I pulled out my old books and am buying some new ones.

-- Gilded Age Junkie (GildedAgeJunkie@yahoo.com), September 08, 1998.

Are you all truly serious. Now dont get me wrong, I do respect your opinions but with all do respect there is much more than just shipwrecks, ships, and movies. now I dont want to say anything ride to any of you fine people but i'm only 13 yearsold andwise beyond my years and maybe yours. Please do not underestimate me. Its about the truth behind it. All ofthe people on the boat. Theremight be a chance that there were love affairs and such just like in the theater version. If you stare out to the ocean do you ever think about why did it have to be Titanic, what if the people survied or if the Titanic is rebuilt, were the people on the ship hiding something from their past. This is not one of those things that you study and such. Stop being dreamers everyone. I've read that some of you wish you could rise on the Tiatanic, or wish you could have saved the Titanic. Do it then already. I might be young and easily frightened but if you give me a chance we can all make our Titanic dreams come true. I have already made my dream come true of being a small actress now its time to make a Titanic. Exactly the size weight structur. Every room, amenetie, food, wine, champagne, linen. To the eact amount and color as it was in the original Titanic. Eight years from now I ask you all to join me ( I;ll be out of college in eight years) To rebuild Titanic and set ehr on her maiden voayage. If the new ship is to live or die. This is the elemental drive of my existance an it is to be fufiled if I am to live, or die with dignity.

-- Kayla Altman (l2act15@yahoo.com), March 28, 2004.

I have always been fascinated by the Titanic ever since I saw "A night to remember" I found out a few years ago that My great great uncle was a passenger on it, and so I am fascinated by it not so the movie but the actual Titanic itself, some of the personal stories are gripping. I have an interest with Ocean liners of the golden age and the Titanic was right in the middle of it, One day I want to make My own Titanic movie, using true accounts of survivors and basing the characters on real people, and also showing other events that happened, like the fire in the boiler room and the near collision with the new york as the Titanic left southampton.

-- Daniel Maher (dmaherishere@hotmail.com), April 14, 2004.