For its 25th anniversary, a remastered Titanic comes into theaters in time for Valentine’s Day. The version will include 3D, 4K, HDR, and a higher frame rate. It will sail to theaters on February 10, 2023, for international audiences. It is good news for everyone rooting for the most touching romantic blockbuster since 1997. The movie is predicted to gross tremendously for this remastered edition.
While replaying the immortal love song My Heart Will Go On (by Celine Dion) and waiting for the new edition to be screened, let’s go through several facts about the movie-making process that you might not know! You will be surprised and get stuck more with this legendary cinematic masterpiece.
In case you are easy to get emotional, prepare some tissues! Ready?
#1. Kate Winslet Got Hypothermia After Taking The Iconic Set On The Cold Water
Source: Paramount Pictures
Do you remember Jack and Rose saying goodbye at the end of the movie? The water was really cold and Kate Winslet actually got hypothermia.
#2. Director Cameron dived to see the actual Titanic wreckage underwater to rebuild the footage.
Source: Paramount Pictures
When they started to produce the movie in 1995, Director Cameron dived to look at the real ship carefully. Also, he took many pics and filmed the ship while exploring it 12 times (15-17 hours).
#3. The elderly couple lying in bed while musicians were playing and the water was rushing into the room were based on real people.
Source: Paramount Pictures, Old Magazine Articles
The elderly couple cuddling in bed until the bitter end is based on a real couple: 67-year-old Mr. Isidor Straus and 63-year-old Mrs. Rosalie Ida Straus. Isidor refused to get in the lifeboat; his wife stayed with him till the end.
#4. Director Cameron drew Rose’s portrait and Jack’s sketches
Source: Paramount Pictures
The hand holding the pencil and drawing on a piece of paper was James Cameron’s. Plus, he did all the other sketches in Jack’s binder. Because Cameron was left-handed (DiCaprio was right-handed) so they reversed the takes later to match the context.
#5. The alcoholic surviving chef was based on an actual person.
Source: Paramount Pictures
Chef Charles John Joughin was the last survivor of the tragedy. Since he had drunk lots of alcohol, he wasn’t knocked out by the cold of the water. He was famous for surviving in freezing water for two hours.
#6. Old Rose’s Dog Is A Reference To Real Surviving Pomeranians
Source: Old Magazines
Two of the three dogs that survived the wrecked ship were Pomeranians. Henceforth, old Rose holding a Pomeranian was how Cameron showed his respect to the surviving animals and those sacrificing to help save people.
#7. The Unsinkable Molly Brown was based on a real passenger.
Source: Paramount Pictures
“Molly” Brown (played in the film by Kathy Bates) helped other people board the lifeboats but was finally persuaded to abandon the ship in Lifeboat No. 6. She made the crew of the lifeboat turn back and evacuate more people.
#8. The Flooding Of The Grand Staircase – One Shot And Done Or Never
Source: Paramount Pictures
They flooded 90,000 gallons (about 340,000 liters) of water to shoot the iconic scene. The production team wouldn’t have a second chance because that much water would definitely destroy the set after only one shot.
#9. The Fourth Funnel Detail
Source: Paramount Pictures, PA Pictures/Getty Images
The real ship had four tunnels, three of which were functioning. Therefore, the ship’s fourth funnel in the movie wasn’t releasing smoke.
#10. My Heart Wil Go On beat the hardest mind.
Source: Billboard
James Cameron intended on using only instrumental music for the movie. Nonetheless, after listening to the song, he changed his mind. And it was a win-win decision.
#11. Kate Winslet nearly got drowned while filming.
Source: Paramount Pictures
Rose was running away from a flush of water down the corridor and was swiped by the wave. On this set, Winslet’s heavy coat got caught on the gate. If she hadn’t freed herself from the coat, she would have drowned.
#12. Cameron regretted letting Jack mention Lake Wissota in the movie
Source: Paramount Pictures
Jack was telling Rose that he went fishing on Lake Wissota in Wisconsin with his father when he was a boy. Surprisingly, the lake was formed in 1917 – five years later from the Titanic accident.
#13. Tír Na nÓg – a Celt sanctuary was told to the Irish children by their mother
Source: Paramount Pictures
“And so they lived happily together for 300 years, in the land of Tír na nÓg, the land of eternal youth and beauty”. In Irish mythology, Tír na nÓg is a part of the Celtic Otherworld and it is reached by passing a path across the sea.
#14. Billy Zane was shocked because Kate Winslet spitted in his face without pre-scripting it.
Source: Paramount Pictures
That scene wasn’t in the original script. The actress was improvising. The Cal actor wasn’t aware of her idea, so his surprised face and disgust were a genuine reaction.
#15. Quotes from real people who survived the disaster were used in the movie.
Source: Paramount Pictures
When Rose wanted to jump off the ship, Jack stopped her and said falling into the freezing water was like “being stabbed with a thousand knives all over your body”. This is an actual quote of Second Officer Charles Herber Lightoller, describing his experience: “Striking the water was like a thousand knives being driven into one’s body, and, for a few moments, I completely lost grip of myself“.
#16. 2:20 AM was the time.
Source: Paramount Pictures
The sinking of the real ship took 2 hours and 40 minutes. It sank completely at 2:20 AM. In the movie, we can see a clock showing 2:15 while the ship was sinking.
#17. The boy playing with the top was based on a real photo
Source: Paramount Pictures, Francis Browne
In real life, the photo was taken on April 11, 1912, by a Jesuit novitiate named Francis Browne. Six-year-old Robert Douglas Spedden and his father were in the pic and both were survivors.
#18. Jack’s promises
Source: Paramount Pictures
Jack promised that he would take Rose on the rollercoaster and ride horses on the beach. Though Rose had to wait years for the rollercoaster to be built (another mistake from the script), she went to Santa Monica Pier and took a photo there.
#19. The arguing piece of wood
Source: Paramount Pictures
Rose was floating on the piece of wood, which is argued until today whether it could bear Jack’s weight additionally. We don’t know for sure. We just inform you that it was based on a real artifact found in the real ship’s wreckage.
#20. Renault – the wanted missing car
Source: Paramount Pictures
The 1912 Renault Type CB Coupe de Ville was the only car aboard the Titanic in real life. It belonged to an American named William Carter of Bryn Mawr who was a survivor. Salvagers were very interested in the car, which is still somewhere unknown under the ocean.
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