1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
awesome raise, May 21, 2011
This review is from: Raise The Titanic (Amazon Instant Video)
awesome movie with my favorite star david selby and how they raised the TITANIC. the movie all together is awesome great vidio all together to watch with familly and friends.
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3.0 out of 5 stars
Riddled with errors and omissions but still entertaining., January 16, 2012
This review is from: Raise The Titanic (Amazon Instant Video)
The films plot, based off of a widely successful novel written by Clive Cussler, follows a group of deep sea salvagers as they attempt to raise the Titanic from the ocean floor. The main reason for such an undertaking is that it is believed that within the Titanics hold lies a very rare mineral that can power a new technology that will raise a curtain of laser beams around the United States to protect it from nuclear weapons launched by the Russians.
The writers made key errors that enraged many fans when they changed elements of the plot written in the book. The biggest change is the story arc surrounding Dirk Pitt and a women from his past named Dana Seagram. In the book Dana is married to Dr. Gene Seagram but the draw of Dirk causes the two to have an affair. This revelation sends Gene into a tail spin causing the man to have a nervous breakdown. In the film this story is cut down to only a personal beef between the two professionally and in the end both Dirk Pitt and Dr. Seagram come to an understanding and eventual friendship. There are many differences between the book and the film but to list them all here would make for a very long review.
Other areas where the film was criticized was in the acting department. The complaints were aimed more at the portrayals of the characters rather than the acting itself as Richard Jordan turned Dirk Pitt from an adventurous, fun loving horn dog into more of an emotionally unstable and arrogant naval officer(an Air Force pilot as originally written by Clive Cussler) who couldn't wait to spit another curse word.
Originally released on August 1st, 1980, Raise the Titanic, was widely panned as a flub by many in the movie business and criticized by fans of the Dirk Pitt novels. With a budget of nearly forty million dollars the producers and writers set out to bring an intense and suspenseful film to the masses. What the film turned out upon its release was far from the original goal and fans rewarded it with what can only be described as an embarrassing box office return of seven million dollars in ticket sales, a net lose of thirty-three million dollars(not including later VHS profits). Movie critics responded with scorn as well as the film was nominated for Worst Picture, Worst Supporting Actor and Worst Screenplay by the Golden Raspberry group.
Clive Cussler's response to the film was equally charged as he refused any movie studio from ever turning another of his books into a film. When Sahara was released in 2005, Clive Cussler took another chance but later sued the producer after Cussler claimed that he refused to speak to Cussler about changes in the original script. The producer later counter-sued Cussler for blackmail and sabotage. The producer later succeeded and was awarded five million dollars and Clive Cussler was denied monetary payment for rights to a second film. A judge later went on to have Cussler pay the production company thirteen point nine million in legal fees.
Although the film has many problems it does offer plenty of entertainment in its own right. For those who want to see a film adaptation of the book most likely you will walk away disappointed but for those who know little of the books plot you may find, as I did, a fun movie to watch if production value is excused.
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