‘Titanic’ Combined Fact and Fiction Into an Unsinkable Disaster Movie

Last year marked the 25th anniversary of Titanic, James Cameron's account of the infamous sinking of the "unsinkable" Titanic. The director famously recreated the great ship to the last rivet, an astonishing attention to detail that borders on mythical.

COLLIDER VIDEO OF THE DAY SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT Titanic Isn't Your Typical Disaster Film Disaster films, in general, fall into two different categories: a depiction of an actual event, 1990's Challenger or 2012's Chernobyl Diaries; or a completely fictional catastrophic event, 2012 from 2009 or Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds from 1963.

Armed with that advantage, James Cameron then expertly flits about between fact and fiction, subtly preparing the viewer to actually give a damn about the people on the ship. Footage of the actual wreckage to start the film is haunting, and the pursuit of the Heart of the Ocean diamond is the MacGuffin that kicks off the story of Rose and Jack. The pair is set up as the Everyman aboard the vessel, and the story Cameron weaves with them sees the characters visit every nook and cranny of the ship.

It is through Rose and Jack that we encounter the historical characters aboard the ship as well, and it is fascinating to see, looking back on the film, how James Cameron uses them. With the exception of Margaret "Molly" Brown and J. Bruce Ismay , the managing director of the White Star Line, the time spent with these characters is largely only slightly more than a cameo.

Titanic's Fate Plays Us Like a Violin All of these elements come into play as the mighty ship goes down, and its emotional impact is stunningly effective. The chaos aboard the ship. The urgency to get away, and the nobility to stay behind. We're invested in Rose and Jack and if they survive together or not, but we are also shaken at the sight of the demise of the historical figures aboard.

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