Titanic: Tenth Anniversary Edition

Man, ten years already! The film that rocked the world and the box-office is re-released here in a two-disc special edition. I remember feeling blasé about the film when it came out, mostly due to the outrageous and unending hype. Now with a decade’s hindsight, one can appreciate what a well-crafted film this actually is. The entire Titanic-sinking third act is a feast for the eyes and ears, seamlessly combining stunts and excellent CGI. This is made even more effective with the presence of a crystal-clear DVD transfer that amplifies the crispness and clarity of each visual moment. This film is, of course, the film that made super mega-stars out of Leonardo DiCaprio (Jack) and Kate Winslet (Rose), both of whom are very solid here, but I found myself focused on the minor characters during this viewing. They really turned in the goods here, especially the royally nasty Billy Zane (Cal). Old pros Victor Garber (Thomas Andrews) and Bill Paxton (Brock Lovett) are terrific as well. It was also wonderful to watch Kathy Bates (Molly Brown) at work as a silver-tongued first-class passenger. It is these performers that raise the film above a conventional disaster story/romantic tragedy. This DVD is chock full of decent special features. There are three commentary tracks: one by Cameron, who is a veritable encyclopaedia on every scene; one by the cast and crew, which adds anecdotal colour; and one where two historians point out the similarities and inconsistencies to what actually happened. This film also makes use of a handy DVD gimmick. At various intervals in the film, a sinking ship logo appears and a button on your remote connects you to a minute-long video blog about the creation of a particular effect. It adds depth and allows one to once again marvel at what an achievement this film is. There is also a terrible alternate ending and that abhorrent Celine Dion video for "My Heart Will Go On,” in case you needed to see it again. This is a great example of how a DVD re-release should add fun and celebrate a film. And please, Jim Cameron, it’s been a decade, isn’t it time for a new feature?