I come to this site almost every day, and have been ever since i heard about it. It depresses me to come and see that there are no "new questions". So, i figured i would ask one: titanic has been out for nearly seven months now, and we all have shared our views and opinions on the movie. Now that the movie has left many theaters, and many of us are unable to see it, have any of you thought of anything else you could write about the movie, that you have not written before, or even if you want to repeat it. (i know this isn't a great question, but i had to get something in the "new questions")

-- jen (honeypot25@hotmail.com), July 03, 1998

Answers

Probably the best question to ask (reask) is about the movie itself. Why has "Titanic" been so successful? What elements contributed to pulling so many people in the theaters for so long? Why the repeated viewers? These questions are not new, every magazine tried to answer them in various articles, yet I always felt they could only get some features. I, for never, never saw a movie twice on the big screen, yet I was compelled to see this one for eight times. And I do not fall in the category of teenage girls madly in love with Leo. So if everyone could identify the elements that made this movie what it is today, it might be a nice mind practice. I will contribute myself to 'solving' the mystery of "Titanic."

-- Dan Draghici (ddraghic@sprint.ca), July 04, 1998.

I think there are many elements that make "Titanic" the powerful movie that it is.

One thing that keeps impressing me about the film is its poiniant combination of triumph and tragedy. There are in this movie scenes of tremendous sorrow (how could there not be, given the setting?), from both the Jack and Rose story and the real events and people, such as Thomas Andrews and Mr. and Mrs. Strauss. At the same time, the movie's ulitmate message is affirmative: Rose is shown learning to be an independent person and goes on to live a rich, fulfilled life, in spite of having to survive the sinking and losing Jack.

The juxtaposition of such contrasting elements is risky drama, but if it is done well, as in this case, the effect can be stunning. C.S. Lewis once wrote of J.R.R. Tolkein's "Lord of the Rings" (another work that skillfully combines tragedy and triumph), "here are beauties which pierce like swords or burn like cold iron; here is a book that will break your heart." I often feel the same way about "Titanic". I leave the theater feeling both heartbroken and exhilarated. It is a feeling something like, "how terrible such a disaster is, but how great is the human spirit, which can overcome such things."

Seeing this feeling concretized in a work of art, at such a high level, is a rare thing, but when it comes it is a great event, one of the things in life that make being human so worthwhile. I know I will treasure this movie always.

-- Thomas Shoebotham (cathytom@ix.netcom.com), July 07, 1998.

-- michal schulz (pradamodell@gmx.de), May 25, 2000.

-- michal schulz (pradamodell@gmx.de), May 25, 2000.