Agreed there, Michael! I think some members of the board find it a little problematic when someone declares their opinion as fact (e.g. '
So if some of you all are gonna act like know it alls atleast no what your talking about Cameron's is and all ways will be the best Titanic film ever'). Adam, your opinion on the Cameron film is as legitimate as anyone else's, but to call people in a sweeping generalisation 'plain stupid' while attacking a view that no one is advocating (e.g. that anyone here is comparing the movie to a doco) is a good way of fast-tracking your views to the dustbin of messageboard history.
Personally, as I've said before, I don't view the Cameron film as an 'all or nothing' proposition - i.e. I don't feel obliged to either like it or loathe it in its entirety. As with any other movie, I find admirable and less than admirable aspects to it. I appreciate that adding the Jack and Rose element popularised it for a mass audience, but that doesn't mean I can't hold the view that this was a trite storyline, supported by some gratingly ghastly dialogue. It is my happy prerogative to now fast-forward through all this on video.
Most of us here, however, were absolutely captivated by the scenes that brought the ship to life - minor errors that the rivetcounters spot aside. However, I've yet to see anyone take these small errors out of context - they may note them, but it's generally coupled with an overall appreciation of what Cameron did in bringing the ship to life.
I believe Cameron's strongest moments are those almost purely visual with minimal or no dialogue. The 'flying on the bow' scene is so delightful one forgets that historically it was a crew-only area, and the by far, IMHO, the most powerful scene with Cameron's fictional characters is Rose in the lowering lifeboat.
However, I reserve the right to criticise certain elements (and Cameron, in sweepingly declaring the films accuracy in any scenes not involving his fictional characters, rather left himself open to historical criticism). I very much disliked the broad brush used to paint both class and nationality - was interesting to see Paul Louden-Brown's comments re. the film and English/Irish nationalist issues in a recent
Commutator. I also disagree that the historical characters were cast accurately according to type - one of James
Moody's family singled out this aspect of
Moody's depiction for particular criticism.
Lightoller, too, looked nothing like the real man, nor was his regional accent correct. Lowe's son, while happy with Gruffudd's depiction of his family and wishing this talented young actor well, felt that the role as written did not resemble his father. Other historical figures were sacrificed to stereotype - the
Countess of Rothes, one of the more attractive women in first class (both in terms of physical appearance and pesonality) became an elitist snob, and
Colonel Gracie - an American and something of a physical fitness buff - became a brandy-swilling British Colonel Blimp stock character.
