No "Night To Remember"

Rating: 7/10 (2 July 2002)

Watching 'Titanic' was like having 2 people wrestle with a remote channel changer. Just when the movie becomes (historically) interesting, the other person grabs the remote and switches it to a pedestrian daytime soap opera. Did Kate have to be on hand at every step that led to the sinking? (her and Leo are on the side of the deck where the ice hits, of course, JUST missing them; OH! let's put her next to the Captain when he learns Titanic's fate and lack of life boats). The tragedy was story enough and James Cameron did a brilliant business decision to shove a pre-teen love opera to the foreground so girls could flock to the theater over and over to see Leo alive again and again and again...! Give the channel changer back so we can please continue with the story of the ship. Yes, I heard some crying when Leo sank into the abyss...But no sniveling when the little boy (who Leo tries to rescue before the boy is grabbed away from his panicky father) is swept away by the flooded corridor. So much for crying priorities!!
I'm a big Cameron fan! Titanic has left him permanently wealthy. And he's tapped into a genre the same way Lucas tapped with Star Wars in attracting a select category of people that were willing to see this over and over (Titanic's billion dollar revenue was the result of many repeat viewings worldwide combining history with poster boy imagery).
Special effects were brilliant! But I'll take the 1958 black and white "A Night To Remember" movie instead.
Today's lesson: If you're going to use an ax to free someone shackled with chains, don't aim, close your eyes tight, THEN swing hard so you won't see the spraying blood. This is life and death...better leave it to luck!
7 out of 10