Essay, Research Paper: Titanic

Hollywood director James Cameron’s 1997 film, Titanic, is the most authentic historical drama of the sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic in 1912. Researching countless journals of the survivors and examining images of the actual ship, Cameron realistically recreated the doomed passenger ship’s voyage and destruction on a grand scale. From the world-class china and the officers’ outfits to the separation of classes onboard and historical dialogue, the story of Titanic was validated to the extreme. But why was Cameron so infatuated with creating an "authentic representation" of the sea disaster? In a 1998 interview with Time Magazine, Cameron remarked that for the public to fully understand the epic scale of the disaster, "they must enter a seemingly authentic atmosphere where everything on screen seems real...historical masters will most likely be pleased as well" (Cameron, p 23). If Cameron had released a documentary on the Titanic, the box office grosses would not have made the film number one in revenue. But by fusing such a detailed account of the voyage with the magic of Hollywood entertainment, the film allowed for the viewing audiences to experience an entertaining documentary of one of the worst disasters in history. Cameron’s need for rich detail stemmed from the audiences. The more detailed an object appears, the more "real" it becomes to the public.



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