Titanic (1996) - A Tribute to the Titanic

The Titanic is about to set sail across the Atlantic Ocean on her maiden voyage.

Titanic is a 1996 TV adaptation based on famous events. Titanic sets sail on her maiden voyage carrying over thousands of passengers. None of them know the danger they are in when the ship hits an iceberg.

Titanic has always been my favorite subject to learn new facts. Since I was a kid, I collected any Titanic book that I could find. I have watched most Titanic media, too. As the 110 anniversary of the sinking neared, I decided to take a look at the 1996 miniseries. Production for the miniseries was noticeably rushed, leaving errors, but it made me realize something new.

Sailing with a large cast, several individuals played real-life counterparts or as fictional characters of passengers who were on the ship. Titanic has always been a character film. Without stories from the passengers, we would not have films based on Titanic.

A few names to mention in this miniseries are Peter Gallagher, George C. Scott, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Eva Marie Saint, Tim Curry, and more as an assortment of characters. Most actors took the film seriously, while others overacted.

Scott was wonderful in his portrayal of Captain Smith. His voice was too raspy in some sequences, but he conquered his emotional performance.

Tim Curry plays the most despicable person I could ever see on the screen. He even scared me with the ruthless acts that he did. His sinister performance defines how great of an actor he is.

One storyline that I had mixed opinions about was Alice Cleaver. Here’s where writers should have conducted more research. Everybody’s story needs to be told from this fateful night but not with fabricated material untrue to the person.

Sets and wardrobe are a huge part of any Titanic film. Filmmakers did their research to match sets from the layout of the ship. As for visual effects, this production lacked them.

In a hurry to release the TV film a year before James Cameron’s blockbuster film, it’s evident that the film was rushed. This was the first Titanic film to show the ship splitting in two which was overshadowed by the weak special effects.

Robert Lieberman left in a plethora of errors and inaccuracies that Titanic fans, like myself, catch immediately. He didn’t analyze statistics carefully and he misinterpreted famous characters. However, I liked how he gave certain characters, like Madeleine Astor the spotlight that they needed.

The script was long and tedious, specifically in the first half. We’re getting to know all the characters and learning facts about the ship. One scene was very inappropriate and did not belong in the film at all. For anyone triggered by sexual assault, this scene is uncomfortable to watch.

Like all Titanic films, the 1996 adaptation hits at your emotions, I did not think that it was going to do that based on all the mixed reviews I saw of this film. That is the point of each Titanic film. The film makes you understand how powerful this story is.

The Titanic is an overwhelming subject. I never thought about it before, but Titanic is all about making decisions. Titanic still lies at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean as a mark in history that no ship is unsinkable.

When watching any media that involves the Titanic, take a moment to remember all the lives lost. Honor the officers and engineers who worked until the very end. And be thankful for the heroes. Never forget the Titanic.