Customer Reviews

Titanic (Widescreen Collector's Edition) [VHS]

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Finally, the most successful film in the film history gets the dvd treatment it deserves, bringing much respite to the fans all the over the world. Previously available barebones edition dvd has been replaced with a 3disc collector's edition dvd set, loaded with all those great never before seen stuff.

Here's what one can look forward to in this edition:


New high definition digital transfer with the main feature spread over two discs to get the highest possible picture and sound quality...and thankfully it does include DTS6.1 ES track!!!

Never before seen footage (approximately 58 minutes, alongwith the main film but it will be available through branching option on the disc unlike LOTR EXTENDED editions!!)

All-new making-of featurettes which will include time lapse footage of the massive set and studio construction.

Incredible Alternate Ending - "Brock's Epiphany"

29 Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary which include romantic moments between jack and rose and historical and action shots as well!!

Commentary by Academy Award-Winning Director James Cameron

Cast and Crew Commentaries by Stars Kate Winslet and Gloria Stuart and Oscar-Winning Producer Jon Landau and Executive Producer Rae Sanchini

Historical Commentary

Visual Effects Breakdown of the Unforgettable Stunts

Music Video "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion

...and much more!!


Titanic collector's edition is a dream come true not just for all those titanic fans out there but it will be a jewel in any dvd collection!!

AND LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT THE LEAST.......if you own a multi-region dvd player or watch dvds from all regions on your DVD ROM, then you have an option of buying from amazon UK where you can choose between the two disc and the four disc set!!

Having garnered 11 Academy Awards in 1998, a reported production budget of over US$200 million (thus making news headlines in 1997) and earning over US$1 billion in box-office receipts worldwide (quite a percentage of those are due to repeated theatrical viewings), Titanic (1997) has finally been given the enhanced DVD edition many have been looking for.

Having "suffered" a mediocre vanilla (single) DVD release in 1999, the title has finally been given better treatment (better film-to-video transfer and extensive bonus materials) by Paramount Home Entertainment for Region 1 or regions using the NTSC video system and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (Other regions or regions using the PAL video system) before 2005 ends.

Paramount Home Entertainment will be releasing a single 3-disc Special Collector's Edition (SCE) for Region 1 (US) whilst Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will be releasing 2 editions: 2-disc Special Edition (SE) and 4-disc Deluxe/Definitive Collector's Edition (DCE) for the international markets.


DVD Release Dates Table for the 3-disc SCE for Region 1 and 4-disc DCE for Region 2 / Region 4.

Region 1

Editions

3-disc SCE

Release Dates

25 Oct 05 (U.S.)
8 Oct 05 (Japan and Korea)
25 Oct 05 (Canada)


Region 2 / Region 4

Editions

2-disc SE
4-disc DCE

Release Dates

8 Nov 05 (UK)
21 Oct 05 (Mexico)
27 Oct 05 (Sweden)
28 Oct 05 (Italy)
11 Nov 05 (Brazil)
30 Nov 05 (France)
30 Nov 05 (Australia)
30 Nov 05 (Netherlands)
30 Nov 05 (Belgium)
1 Dec 05 (Germany and Spain)


On Disc 1 & 2 of 2-disc SE (R2/R4), 3-disc SCE (R1) and 4-disc DCE (R2/R4)

The feature film Titanic (1997) will be split onto first 2 discs (as per LOTR Special Extended Edition sets) when the enhanced DVD edition is release during the months of Oct - Dec 05 worldwide due to the limitation of the DVD format.

For all editions of all regions, the feature film (HD transfer) is presented in 16 x 9 Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35 : 1) with the usual Dolby Digital Surround EX 5.1 soundtrack, there is also the DTS-ES 6.1 soundtrack included. Hopefully, the part of the feature film on the first disc ends on the appropriate scene for a short toilet/snack break.

note: the behind the scenes branching option means when you're viewing the film a little icon will appear at the bottom of the screen allowing you to jump to that part of the film to see how they done that.

The bonus materials included in the first 2 discs of the DVD set (Applicable for all regions) are listed as follows:


3 AUDIO COMMENTARIES WITH
DIRECTOR, JAMES CAMERON (Run Time 194m 46s)
CAST (Kate Winslet & Gloria Stuart) AND CREW (Producer Jon Landau and Executive Producer Rae Sanchini) (Run Time 153m 47s)
HISTORICAL LOOK ON TITANIC BY DON LYNCH & KEN MARSCHALL (Run Time 194 min 46s)
BEHIND THE SCENES FOOTAGE VIA BRANCHING (Run Time 62m 16s) / Spread over first 2 feature discs.
POD 01 - DEEP DIVE
POD 02 - UPSIDE-DOWN - WRECK MINIATURE
POD 03 - ESCONDIDO UNDERWATER SET
POD 04 - TWO ROSES
POD 05 - SINKING SIMULATION
POD 06 - 1912 - MORPH TRANSITION VFX
POD 07 - SOUTHAMPTON FLOP
POD 08 - A VIEW FROM THE PUB VFX
POD 09 - LEAVING PORT VFX
POD 10 - MELTING POT
POD 11 - THE MILLIONAIRE'S SUITE
POD 12 - THE ENGINE ROOM
POD 13 - TITANIC AT SEA
POD 14 - DIGITAL PEOPLE
POD 15 - THE MILLION DOLLAR SHOT
POD 16 - THE BIG EXTERIOR SHIP SET
POD 17 - ROSE SUICIDE
POD 18 - BIG SHIP SET VFX
POD 19 - TUX STORY
POD 20 - THE GRAND STAIRCASE
POD 21 - COSTUME DESIGN
POD 22 - FIRST CLASS DINING ROOM
POD 23 - DINNER SHOOT
POD 24 - THIRD CLASS PARTY
POD 25 - A WOMAN'S PLACE
POD 26 - THE ETIQUETTE KID
POD 27 - THE BOILER ROOM
POD 28 - FLOODING HOLD MINIATURE
POD 29 - ICEBERG/DECK VFX
POD 30 - BOILER ROOM FLOODING
POD 31 - FIRST CLASS LOUNGE MINIATURE
POD 32 - SHOOTING IN STEERAGE
POD 33 - KATE'S ACTION COSTUME
POD 34 - CRANE AS HELICOPTER
POD 35 - LIFEBOATS 13 & 15
POD 36 - FLOODED FIRST CLASS DINING ROOM
POD 37 - STAGE 2 SINKING SET
POD 38 - FAKING A TILT
POD 39 - THE SINKING RISER
POD 40 - SHIP EXTENSIONS
POD 41 - FALLING FUNNEL
POD 42 - GRAND STAIRCASE FLOODING
POD 43 - MINIATURE HALL FLOODING
POD 44 - JUMPING STUNTS
POD 45 - TILTING POOP DECK
POD 46 - DECK SLIDERS
POD 47 - DIGITAL STUNT PEOPLE
POD 48 - SINKING VIDEOMATIC
POD 49 - SHIP SPLIT MINIATURE
POD 50 - VERTICAL POOP DECK STUNTS
POD 51 - THE TOILET PAPER SHOT
POD 52 - FINAL PLUNGE VFX
POD 53 - UNDERWATER GREENSCREEN
POD 54 - INTERIOR TANK SHOOT
POD 55 - BREATH SHOTS
POD 56 - EXTERIOR TANK SHOOT
POD 57 - ICE MAKEUP
POD 58 - OPEN LIFEBOATS AND THE CARPATHIA
POD 59 - CARPATHIA MEDAL
POD 60 - THE FINAL SHOT
POD 61 - MAKING THE MUSIC VIDEO
MY HEART WILL GO ON MUSIC VIDEO (Run Time 4m 42s)
ALTERNATE ENDING "BROCK'S EPIPHANY" WITH OPTIONAL COMMENTARY BY JAMES CAMERON (Run Time 9m 15s)


Bonus Materials on Disc 3 (R1) and Disc 3 or 4 (R2/R4)

note: The film itself was suppose to run for 5 hours and 20 minutes but over 147 minutes had to be cut down for pacing. The 29 deleted scenes + the alternate ending were originally meant to be in the final cut of the film. Unfortunately were deleted before its release.


29 DELETED SCENES (COMPLETE SCENES WITH FINISHED EFFECTS) WITH OPTIONAL AUDIO COMMENTARY (Run Time 45m 57s)
#1 - I'LL BE THE FIRST
#2 - ROSE FEELS TRAPPED
#3 - BROCK'S DILEMMA/ ROSE VISITS THIRD CLASS
#4 - ROSE'S DREAMS
#5 - COME JOSEPHINE...
#6 - EXTENDED SNEAKING TO FIRST CLASS
#7 - EXTENDED ESCAPE FROM LOVEJOY
#8 - A KISS IN THE BOILER ROOM
#9 - WIRELESS ROOM/ THE CALIFORNIAN
#10 - HOW 'BOUT A LITTLE ICE?
#11 - FLIRTING WITH ICE
#12 - THE FIRST S.O.S.
#13 - ISMAY PANICS
#14 - MOLLY BROWN'S ROWING SCHOOL
#15 - IRISH HOSPITALITY
#16 - IDA STRAUS WON'T LEAVE
#17 - FAREWELL TO HELGA
#18 - BOAT SIX WON'T RETURN
#19 - RELEASE THE HOUNDS
#20 - ROSE GETS A HUSBAND'S LETTER
#21 - JACK AND LOVEJOY FIGHT
#22 - GUGGENHEIM AND ASTOR
#23 - I'M NOT GOING
#24 - CORA'S FATE
#25 - EXTENDED JACK AND ROSE IN THE WATER
#26 - OUT OF THE QUESTION
#27 - HOW DARE YOU!
#28 - CHINESE MAN RESCUE
#29 - EXTENDED CARPATHIA SEQUENCE
1912 NEWS REEL WITH OPTIONAL COMMENTARY BY ED MARSH (Run Time 2m 11s)
CONSTRUCTION TIMELAPSE SEQUENCE WITH OPTIONAL COMMENTARY BY ED MARSH (Run Time 4m 19s)
DEEP DIVE PRESENTATION NARRATED - BY JAMES CAMERON (Run Time 15m 29s )
TITANIC CREW VIDEO (Run Time 17m 26s)
A SHIP'S ODYSSEY (THE TITANIC CREW VIDEO)
SHIP'S TOUR MONTAGE WITH OPTIONAL COMMENTARY BY ANDERS FALK (Run Time 7m 33s)
VIDEOMATICS AND VFX (Run Time 8m 38s)
VIDEOMATICS INTRODUCTION
SINKING SEQUENCE
DEEP DIVE
VFX SHOT BREAKDOWN: "ENGINE ROOM"
VFX HOW-TO FOR "I'M FLYING"
VFX HOW-TO FOR "FIRST CLASS LOUNGE"
TITANIC SINKING SIMULATION
STILL GALLERIES
TITANIC SCRIPTMENT
STORYBOARD SEQUENCES
PRODUCTION ARTWORK
PHOTOGRAPHS
KEN MARSCHALL'S PAINTING GALLERY
BY THE NUMBERS
BIBILOGRAPHY
BREAKING NEW GROUND - THE MAKING OF TITANIC TV Special (Run Time 42m 50s)
TITANIC FEATURETTES - ELETRONIC PRESS KIT (Run Time 18m 10s)
NEWSPOD #1: STORY FOCUS
NEWSPOD #2: ACTOR FOCUS
NEWSPOD #3: BUILDING THE SHIP
NEWSPOD #4: POPULATING THE SHIP
NEWSPOD #5: SINKING THE SHIP
NEWSPOD #6: JAMES CAMERON FOCUS
NEWSPOD #7: DEEP DIVE FOCUS
CONCEPT POSTERS AND ONE SHEETS

Bonus Materials Exclusive to 4-Disc (R2/R4) Release - Not Applicable for Region 1 Release

HBO FIRST LOOK THE HEART OF THE OCEAN (Run Time 27m 30s)
TITANIC IN 30 SECONDS WITH BUNNIES (Run Time 0m 47s)
MTV MOVIE AWARDS TITANIC SKIT (Run Time 4m 21s)
TITANIC (1997) S.E. - EASTER EGG - SNL SKIT WITH BILL PAXTON AND JAMES CAMERON (Run Time 4m 47s)
TRAILERS & TEASERS IN WIDESCREEN OR FULL FRAME (Approximately 25 minutes)
TITANIC TV SPOTS IN FULL FRAME (Run Time 5m 26s)
DESTINY
OPPOSITE WORLDS
KNOW THE LEGEND
NOTHING YOU EXPECT
HEART WILL GO ON
SEE IT AGAIN:15
HONORED
TITANIC - SINKING SIMMULATION
RTLT TV SPOT - GERMAN

SOUND QUALITY
2-DISC SET - 2.0 / 5.1 / 6.1 DOLBY DIGITAL SURROUND SOUND WITH DTS
3-DISC SET - 2.0 / 5.1 / 6.1 DOLBY DIGITAL SURROUND SOUND WITH DTS
4-DISC SET - 2.0 / 5.1 / 6.1 DOLBY DIGITAL SURROUND SOUND WITH DTS



PICTURE QUALITY
2-DISC SET - WIDESCREEN ANAMORPHIC 2.35:1
3-DISC SET - WIDESCREEN ANAMORPHIC 2.35:1
4-DISC SET - WIDESCREEN ANAMORPHIC 2.35:1


SPECIAL FEATURES for the 2-DISC & 3-DISC & 4-DISC EDITIONS


TITANIC SPECIAL EDITION 2-DISC SET

The movie itself on disc 1 & 2
3 all new commentaries
POD Behind the Scenes branching option
"My Heart Will Go On" music video
All new nine minute Alternate Ending: Brock's Epiphany
2.0 / 5.1 / 6.1 dolby digital surround sound with DTS
2.35:1 Widescreen Anamorphic



TITANIC SPECIAL EDITION 3-DISC SET

The movie itself on disc 1 & 2
3 all new commentaries
POD Behind the Scenes branching option
"My Heart Will Go On" music video
All new nine minute Alternate Ending: Brock's Epiphany
29 deleted scenes with optional commentary
Production and special effects featurettes
"Breaking New Ground" TV speicial
Visual effects breakdown of the stunts
Construction Timelapse with Optional Commentary
Titanic Ship's Tour with Optional Commentary
Easter Eggs
Still Galleries
Visual Effects
Videomatics
Titanic Crew Video
Deep Dive Presentation
1912 Newsreel with optional commentary
2.0 / 5.1 / 6.1 dolby digital surround sound with DTS
2.35:1 Widescreen Anamorphic


TITANIC DELUXE COLLECTOR'S EDITION 4-DISC SET

The movie itself on disc 1 & 2
3 all new commentaries
POD Behind the Scenes branching option
"My Heart Will Go On" music video
All new nine minute Alternate Ending: Brock's Epiphany
29 deleted scenes with optional commentary
Production and special effects featurettes
"Breaking New Ground" TV speicial
Visual effects breakdown of the stunts
Construction Timelapse with Optional Commentary
Titanic Ship's Tour with Optional Commentary
Easter Eggs
Still Galleries
Visual Effects
Videomatics
Titanic Crew Video
Deep Dive Presentation
1912 Newsreel with optional commentary
HBO "Heart Of The Ocean" documentry
3 TITANIC parodies
15 trailers and TV spots
2.0 / 5.1 / 6.1 dolby digital surround sound with DTS
2.35:1 Widescreen Anamorphic

come october, the most successful film in the film history will finally get the dvd treatment it deserves, bringing much respite to the fans all the over the world. the presently available barebones edition will be replaced with a 3disc deluxe edition dvd loaded with all those great never before seen stuff. previous announcements by fox suggested two dvd releases of titanic. one being a two disc set and another 4 disc release with fourth disc being the soundtrack of the film but now there will be just one 3disc edition release, without the soundtrack.

here's what one can look forward to in this edition:


New high definition digital transfer with the main feature spread over two discs to get the highest possible picture and sound quality.

Never before seen footage (approximately 58 minutes, alongwith the main film but it will be available through branching option on the disc unlike LOTR EXTENDED editions!!)

All-new making-of documentary "heart of the ocean", which will include time lapse footage of the massive set and studio construction.

Incredible Alternate Ending - "Brock's Epiphany"

29 Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary which include romantic moments between jack and rose and historical and action shots as well!!

Commentary by Academy Award-Winning Director James Cameron

Cast and Crew Commentaries by Stars Kate Winslet and Gloria Stuart and Oscar-Winning Producer Jon Landau and Executive Producer Rae Sanchini

Historical Commentary

Visual Effects Breakdown of the Unforgettable Stunts

Music Video "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion

...and much more!!


titanic deluxe edition will be a dream come true not just for all those titanic fans out there but it will definitely be a jewel in any dvd collection!!

Don't get me wrong, I love TITANIC but I found it odd how the disc transfer was only limited to the bare bones! A theatrical trailer, that's it! Come on! This is the most expensive movie, highest grossing movie, most critically acclaimed, and most award-winning movie an there are zero extras? Cameron's other films are fully loaded. TITANIC gets the shaft while lesser films like AMERICAN PIE 2 are blessed with double disc sets with hours of bonuses. This pains me beyond belief as a film buff. I remember a well-done special that was once on FOX about the film and would've been perfect on the disc. A commentary, for crying out loud! A million filmmakers and castmembers and no commentary track? Insane! This disc should be the most overwhelming, extra-ladden DVD ever made, but instead only got left with the standard. The picture and sound quality is top notch, but once you're done the movie you're anxious to find out more. There aren't even any cheesy production notes! Collectors, skip this DVD unless you really love the movie. I only hope that J.C. realizes this and is in the works of a TITANIC SPECIAL EDITION. Now that would do it justice.

If this incredible films winning of eleven Academy awards including Best Picture and Best director and being the highest grossing film of all time doesn't speak for itself I don't know what else would. "Titanic" is quite simply one of the best tales of a true life tragedy interspersed with a fictional love story ever made, all of which combines to make director James Cameron appear a true genius which in terms of being a film director he is. Only one note of caution need be applied to watching this film on DVD and that is to know where the pause button is on your DVD player when considering the three hour length of the film.

I will freely admit that I'm not a big Leonardo DiCaprio fan but when it comes to this film he did an exceptional job in the role of Jack. Instrumental in the success of this film, beyond the exceptional script, is the performance given by the ever beautiful Kate Winslet in the role of Rose. Noteworthy are the performances given by the supporting cast to include the likes of David Warner, Kathy Bates and Billy Zane and of course a couple of James Cameron's staple actors who crop up in almost all of his films in Bill Paxton and Jenette Goldstein.

As testimony to the brilliance of director James Cameron one only needs to take a look at his list of directorial and script credits which includes; "The Terminator," "Aliens," "The Abyss," "T2: Judgment Day," "True Lies" and "Titanic." With a list such as this one James Cameron has most certainly gone down in history as one of the most successful directors/screen writers in history and deservedly so. It would be nice to see him take a break from television and take up the film directing mantle once again as one can almost call it a sure bet film when he's in the director's chair.

The Premise:

On April 14th, 1912 one of western civilization's most tragic events occurred when a ship thought to be unsinkable did exactly that, struck an iceberg and sank killing hundreds of passengers in the process as the ships builders seemed to have made one mistake after another in the construction of this "magnificent" vessel.

Director/screen writer James Cameron concocts a glorious love story around this true life tragedy and quite poignantly portrays the disparity of classes aboard the vessel as the first class passengers live in the lap of luxury even during the "abandonment" of the vessel while the poor are treated with palpable disdain to include being locked below decks after the ship begins to sink.

While the true story of this movie is the sinking of the ship told through Cameron's brilliant writing and direction there is whole myriad of other things going on that are not noticeable but would've been had they been done incorrectly, chief among these are the costumes and the sets of the Titanic.

The truly fictitious portion of this tragedy is told through Rose Dawson Calvert (Gloria Stuart) as she regales present day treasure hunters of her time on the Titanic and the gloriously passionate but brief love affair between her and Jack Dawson who was a free spirited artist who taught her how to live despite his destiny...

I highly recommend this film to any and all who are fans of what movie making is all about! {ssintrepid}

Special Features:

-Theatrical Trailer

I can think of a ton of movies that are trashy, overhyped and overrated and James Cameron's "Titanic" is *not* one of them.

Sure, everyone is entitled to their opinion but the folks criticizing this movie so vehemently usually have the attention span of a flea. And if they did sit down long enough to watch the entire movie, they just don't get the history of it.

If Cameron had decided to make the movie strictly as a documentary, it would have been called "boring." Since he attempted to make it interesting by centering the history of the disaster around a fictional love story, it's called "trashy." No, you can't win any which way you look at it so you make the movie in a way that's going to make money - and Cameron's formula worked...and then some.

I liked this movie not because of the love story (and, yes, I'm one of those saps who can't help but cry as Rose lets Jack go after the ship has sunk and he disappears into the freezing darkness of the Atlantic) but because of the attention that was paid to the actual sinking. It makes you think if some of what was shown did happen on that frosty night in April of 1912. Had the action been cut off and the ship sunk in less than five minutes, the movie would have lost all credibility.

Two thumbs up for the historical accuracy. The only bad things about this movie were that Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet were not nominated for Oscars for their performances.

The 3rd disc has 3 hidden easter eggs and here is how to find them:


SNL Skit: Go to Deleted Scenes and the last page with Chapter 29. Move the cursor so the picture for Chapter 29 is highlighted in an orange border. Hit the RIGHT cursor (nothing will happen) and then the DOWN cursor and the faint couple near the bottom will highlighted in a white border.

MTV Skit: Go to the Marketing Menu and highlight "Fox Special: Breaking New Ground". Hit the RIGHT cursor (nothing will happen) and then the DOWN cursor and the newspaper in the lower right of the screen will be highlighted in a yellowish border.

Titanic in 30 Seconds with Bunnies: Go to Special Features, then Still Galleries, then Production Artwork. Move the cursor RIGHT until "View Entire Gallery" is underlined. Hit the UP cursor TWICE until the blue arrow in the middle of the screen is highlighted.


These are really great and you will be very happy to see them!! :) :) :)

It's great to see TITANIC finally get the DVD release that it deserves. 8 years ago, audiences around the world fell in love with this movie and it won a record 11 Oscars and became the highest grossing film of all time (with worldwide box office reciepts greater than $1.8 billion).

Whether you love the film, or hate it, no one can deny that it is a well-made movie and was a definite benchmark in movie history. The scope and magnitude of this picture was unprecedented and to this day, there are very few films with such a high calibre as TITANIC.

This DVD is definitely worthy to carry the name TITANIC, with over 29 delted scences, 3 separate commentaries, an alternate ending, a documentary on making the visual effects, and an anamorphic video transfer with 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio. I am very much looking forward to seeing this film finally come out on DVD for me to add to my DVD collection.

It's 1996 and James Cameron's new film is in trouble. Facing titanic production set backs, on set disasters (such as food laced with PCP fed to the production crew by a disgruntled employee), Cameron's film which is relying on state-of-the-art digital effects to bring the epic story to life keeps edging over budget and running behind. The film surprisingly wins an Academy Award for Best Picture among a slew of other awards, faces a critical drubbing in the press and manages to become one of the highest grossing films of all time. When "Titanic" was first announced the two studios releasing the film 20th Century Fox and Paramount both knew that they had a monumental project that might make bucket loads of money. They also knew given Cameron's reputation as a perfectionist it wasn't going to be an easy shoot. Still with an appealing cast, epic story chronicling the sinking of the unsinkable luxury liner R.M.S. Titanic in 1912 it seemed worth the gamble. "Titanic" may have been the most expensive movie ever made up to that time (rumor varies as to the final cost of the film and Fox has been mum on the final cost) but it also became the blockbuster of the year. While this isn't quite the definitive edition fans were hoping for, it's about as close as were likely to get until the film shows up on the HD DVD format or Blu-Ray.
***
Told in flashback "Titanic" begins by chronicling the attempt of treasure hunter Brock Lovett (Bill Paxton) trying to find the wreckage of the luxury liner. On board at the time was the stunning Hope diamond a priceless piece of jewelry that has been missing since the ship went down. As Lovett's salvage operation is televised he's contacted by a woman named Rose (Gloria Stuart) who claims to be a survivor of the disaster and also to know the whereabouts of the strand of jewelry the diamond was set in. Skeptical at first, Rose tells Brock and his crew about the journey and her shipboard romance with starving artist Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio). The itinerant Dawson wins two tickets on the luxury liner in a card game and looks forward to returning to America after years abroad. When Dawson meets socialite Rose De Witt Bukater (Kate Winslet) his world and hers is turned upside down when they fall in love on the voyage. There are two problems; the first is Rose's wealthy fiancé Cal Hockley (Billy Zane) a man ruthless, egotistic man that will resort to violence to get what he wants and the fate of the luxury liner itself. When it was launched from England the unique design of the Titanic made it appear unsinkable but when the ship hits an iceberg that rips through the hold of the ship the travelers are in for a horrifying ordeal.

One of the most popular DVD releases back in 1998, "Titanic" has been in need of refurbishing for some time now. Paramount has pulled out all the stops for this release when it comes to the transfer of the film to DVD. Released for the first time in anamorphic widescreen, receives a magnificent transfer here spreading the movie over two discs allowing for as much breathing space for the video and audio as possible. The image quality is exceptional with strong, bright colors and flesh tones that are accurate. The contrast is exceptional and although there is grain noticeable in the image that's to be expected since the original film itself demonstrated grain in its theatrical run. Remember, this was shot before the launch of HD video for movies. While there are some minor issues with edge enhancement they aren't noticeable on most screens and are not a distraction even on when viewed on a 61 inch widescreen TV. "Titanic" provides a visually stunning picture with a state-of-the-art transfer. While I thought this was only on my disc, it appears that there is an endocing flaw that makes a small portion of Di Caprio's face dissolve into pixelated bits on all the first pressings of this DVD.

"Titanic" also offers a wide range of audio options as well. There's an excellent Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo soundtrack as well as an exceptional Dolby Digital 5.1 EX and stunning DTS 6.1 ES soundtrack. While the DTS soundtrack sounds slightly fuller and less clipped than the 5.1 EX soundtrack, they are very, very close in terms of quality. Keep in mind that you won't experience the full wonder of these mixes until the last section of the movie when the disaster occurs. While the format is used well in the early part of the movie most of the effects are limited to ambient sound until the disaster occurs.

Although most of the extras are confined to the third disc there are also quite a few interesting extras on disc 1 and 2 which primarily focus on the movie itself. First, there's an interactive behind-the-scenes option that allows you to view footage from the production of the film. Most of these segments run about a minute or two and you're returned to where you were in the film after they conclude. You can also view these bits separately as well. An alternate ending for the film is provided on the second disc. As Cameron points out in his commentary track (it can be viewed without his comments as well) for the "alternate ending" it's not that at all-it's the ORIGINAL ending for the film. When Cameron was writing the script his focus was to tie together all the strands of the film much as a novelist would but, in the end, he went back and reshot the ending when he realized that it said and showed things that didn't need to be said and shown. We also get the music video for Celine Dion's treacly radio favorite "My Heart Goes On".

Disc 3 features the bulk of the extra material here and while it isn't quite as extensive as the 4 disc set being released in Europe, there's a vast amount of material here. We get a number of featurettes including "A Time Lapse Creation of the `Titanic' Set" with a commentary by Ed Marsh. It's fascinating to watch because even if you have been in film production the scope of the sets build is staggering. Marsh also created a faux 1912 newsreel for the launch of the Titanic and that's included intact and, again, features commentary from Marsh. "Titanic Crew Video" features the actors and crew appearing in what's more or less a gag reel for the movie. Cameron provides commentary on the "Deep Dive" that he did in 1995 for the footage of the real Titanic. It's eerie and fascinating and Cameron's comments are pretty interesting as well. Cameron justified the shoot to Fox by pointing out that to do it in miniature would cost more and the publicity would be worth millions. We get a "Ship Tour" which Anders Falk narrates. The footage was put together for the "Titanic Historical Society Convention" done on the Queen Mary. It's as close as we'll ever discover what it felt light to walk through the actual Titanic. "Visual Effects" provides a breakdown of the shot in the engine room using both miniatures and full scale parts. "I'm Flying" demonstrates how the visual effects were done for the sequence where Rose is at the front of the ship with Jack looking over the water from the edge of the boat. It includes all the individual elements used to make up the sequence including real footage, large scale miniature and digital effects along with the full scale footage shot on a green screen stage. We get to see how the final sequence was put together as well. It's a marvelous example of how the visual effects created the illusion we see in the final footage. "First Class Lounge" was a section of the ship that was flooded. A miniature of the first class lounge was created and shot compositing elements of a green screen shot so that it looked as if the actual stage had been flooded. It's a brilliant and seamless optical. Finally "Titanic Sinking Simulation" takes us through the the various stages of completed CGI that were combined to give the sinking sequence its powerful impact.

"Stills Gallery" includes the "Titanic Scriptment" which allows you to read Cameron's script. "Storyboard Sequences" is designed so you can view the entire gallery or individual sections which include everything from the "Southampton Departure" sequence to the "Final Sinking Sequence" from the film and includes nine sequences in total. "Production Artwork" includes production paintings by Tom Lay, costume design art by David Le Vey and "Wreck Sketches" done by James Cameron. "Photographs" covers the deep dive that Cameron did as well as photos from the model shop and even includes the extras' scrapbook with photos of the extras during production as well as behind-the-scenes photos of the sets. There are over 200 photos included in this section. "Ken Marschall's Painting Gallery" features material that Marschall completed for "Titanic: An Illustrated History" which was done in collaboration with writer Don Lynch. The book provided inspiration for Cameron throughout the writing and research process. These wonderfully detailed collection of 82 paintings clearly inspired Cameron's attention to detail in the film. Finally there's a text section that discusses the international performance of "Titanic" in terms of local currency and how that translates to the US gross of the film. There's even a 72 page bibliography referencing the material that Cameron used to do research and that came out as tie-ins with the movie.

The extensive deleted scenes section includes 29 scenes with Cameron's commentary. The scenes include finished visual effects and music to allow viewers to see how the sequences might have looked if they might have been finished. Cameron chose not to reintegrate them into the film. It's pretty clear why the scenes weren't put into the movie but many still have value and will be appreciated by fans of the movie. The scenes have a "handle", i.e., the sequence that preceded the cut sequence and followed it.

"Marketing" includes the "Fox Special: Breaking New Ground" which was produced as a promotional tie in to the movie. We also get the press kit featurettes which were originally included as part of the Electronic Press Kit (EPK). We also get a 62 page gallery of concept artwork for the posters considered for the film as well as the final ones used to promote the movie. There's also an Easter egg featuring Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn (much thinner and much younger) as two dim movie executives suggesting that Cameron do a sequel. I believe this played on the "MTV Movie Awards". It's a very funny sequence and can be accessed by clicking down to the main menu and then clicking right.

Cameron's comments cover everything the performances to production trivia and even a bit of history as well including a short discourse on women's rights. Cameron discusses the real vs. reel aspects of the story. Interestingly, Cameron comments that in the sequence where they launch the lifeboats they (meeting the actors and crew) had to figure out how they launched the real ones they were so different from what we have today. The lifeboats included in the film were manufactured by the same company that manufactured the original lifeboats for the R.M.S. Titanic. Packed with trivia and detail, Cameron's commentary track is one of the richest on the disc even though he does his solo. The passengers thought that the lifeboats and life preservers were all part of an elaborate exercise or drill based on Cameron's research. Likewise, he points out that the only person beyond the crew that would know what happened was Thomas Andrews (Victor Garber) who heroically stayed behind on the sinking ship as well as trying to organize and get people off the ship. Surprisingly, carrying a concealed fire arm was not that uncommon. There were a lot of bodies that were discovered with guns on them. Cameron also points out that no one wanted to get off the ship into the boats because the band was still playing and everyone still thought that perhaps it was a drill.

The cast and production crew provide a second audio track. Whenever the speaker changes there is a title telling you who is speaking. Covering everything from the actor's preparation for the film (from reading books about the incident to talking with historians) to production details (producer Jon Landau provides a unique perspective since he is both a producer and a director), it's equally as fascinating as Cameron's track or the one done by the historians. While there is some duplication (how can there not be?) most of the commentary tracks have enough new information to keep each one interesting on its own. Having three commentary tracks might seem like overkill but, well, this is a James Cameron film and Cameron is known for exhaustive detail in both his research and his production of his films.

The third audio commentary track features historians discussing the accuracy of the film and the world in 1912. It's amazing how accurate Cameron's film is. The historians point out that misinformation was rampant and stewards told people to go to bed because the ship probably just dropped a propeller blade. Cameron was worried that the davits that lowered the lifeboats might break during the sequences when they lowered them. The concept of a major sea rescue at the time was unthinkable. If a ship went down, it was thought that most people would die if another ship was too far away to rescue them immediately. Far from the usual dry historical commentaries, it's a wonderfully articulate track.

Although it's missing theatrical trailers, this is a pretty comprehensive boxed set for "Titanic". It's filled with wonderful behind-the-scenes footage, photos, production art, featurettes and commentary tracks. The two disc presentation of the movie has better clarity, remarkable detail and color when compared to the previous single disc edition of the movie. This is one that you'll definitely want if you're a fan of the movie.

Personally, "Titanic" is my favorite movie. Yes, I was a hopeless romantic 18 year old when it came out and I admit to seeing it in the theater 6 times (I kept going back with friends who hadn't seen it yet) but, aside from that, the movie is well-written, well-acted and incredibly filmed. I appreciate James Cameron's dedication to detail and that the sinking sequence in the movie is almost in real time. I think that if you are not affected in some way by this movie, then you didn't really watch it.

I bought the movie when it first came out on tape and only upgraded to the DVD because I received it as a Christmas present the same year I received a DVD player. Right now, the only thing the DVD has going for it is the fact that you don't need to change discs in the middle of the movie like you do with the tapes. Special features are non-existent on this DVD, which is a real shame when one considers all the scenes that were filmed and cut from the final film. There are probably about an hour of cut scenes locked away in a vault somewhere, which saddens me greatly. Add to that all the historical information that could have been included and this could have been an outstanding DVD experience. This is why I only gave it 4 out of 5 stars. I'll keep my fingers crossed that someday a special edition DVD will be released, but until then, don't rush out to buy this one.