Rediscovering ‘Titanic’ on the Big Screen After Nearly Two Decades

“Titanic” is my all-time favorite movie, primarily for a two-fold reason. One, I’m a huge fan of James Cameron as a film director, to the point that I even ensured I was in the very front of a 6,500-person auditorium to see him once in person at Comic-Con International – yes, I’m that kind of a nerd.

But most importantly, two, I’m beyond fascinated by the ship. I mean Titanic was the unsinkable ship that sank after all. It doesn't get any more ironic than that, especially as a direct result of one of the greatest examples of hubris in human history.

Not only was it the largest moving object on the planet at the time, it was also brand new. Most people likely picture the ocean liner in ruin as it sits today two-and-a-half miles below the ocean surface, but what fascinates me most is that it was sparkling moments before its demise, like the great cruise ships I get to review today but sadly a grave for hundreds.

In fact, if there’s one illustration I’d still love to see painted by famed maritime artist Ken Marschall, it would be an interpretation of what the ship looked like on the sea floor shortly after it foundered.

So, when my wife surprised me with tickets to go see “Titanic” a few days ago at our Angelika Film Center I was overjoyed to revisit the film. Mind you, I saw it in its original theatrical run a dozen times between the end of 1997 and beginning of 1998, but that was still well before I became a full-time cruise travel journalist. To see it again on the big screen with my latest perspective nearly brought me to tears.

When I first saw it at 14 years old, I was already an avid cruiser, but I perceived it still mostly as a Hollywood make-believe event. I have the film in high-definition on Blu-Ray, but even our big-screen 4K television doesn't bring the film to life quite like a projection on a massive theatrical wall. This time, I saw it as more real.

I saw details in the visuals I hadn’t remembered and heard minutia in the sounds I didn't originally pick up on. It felt like I was actually onboard for the short glorious sailing and devastating disaster that followed.

Cameron crafted the Oscar-winning film masterfully, and it still holds up to this day. In particular, the musical score that I so loved originally means more to me now too after I had the opportunity to see the featured vocalist Sissel perform live at the christening of Viking Ocean Cruises’ Viking Star in Norway.

After seeing the film theatrically for the thirteenth time it hits me harder than before just how precious life is and what a privilege it is to cruise travel this wonderful world we live in. It reminds me that safety must always be a paramount concern of ours to avoid such tragedies in the future and to hold our loved ones close and travel with them frequently.

Cruise ships are the modern day ocean liners, and Titanic the ship and “Titanic” the film will forever be a part of my cruising soul.

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