After revolutionizing 3D with his World record-breaking film Avatar, James Cameron is back on the 3-Dimensional wagon with the return to cinemas of a newly converted, 3D-ified Titanic. The question on everybody’s lips is: is the conversion any good?
Wanna know how to make the highest grossing film World-wide? Speak with James Cameron: He held the top spot for 12 years with Titanic, finally losing it in 2009…. to himself! He beat his own world record with his movie Avatar.
It may seem a little self-obsessed of Cameron to re-release Titanic, but he is the 3D master and Titanic is arguably one of the most loved romance movies in modern history, so we will forgive him.
Unlike some studios that dodgily converted films to cash in *cough Clash of the Titans cough*, Fox took their time, treating every single frame like an FX shot. The conversion of the film took 60 weeks and cost $19 Million (you can’t help but wonder if the film will get the admits to make a profit).
But enough waffle! The big question is….. how is it?! How does the 3D conversion rate?
Some films converted to 3D present disappointing to down-right crappy results, but ofcourse we can trust Mr Cameron The 3D King to not let us down.
The 3D in Titanic is admittedly very good. The beginning scenes under water at the wreck are extremely cool and so visually immersive that some shots make you feel a tad queasy. The sweeping shots of the ship in all it’s glory in port are also very cool. The 3D is extensive and utterly seamless; you’d never know it wasn’t shot in 3D to begin with. Well done Mr Cameron!
However, truth be told, once the story gets underway, the extra dimension adds very little to this film. Infact, by the time the ship hits the iceberg (don’t tell me I just revealed a spoiler!) I had completely forgotten I was even watching a 3D film. It’s the story that’s the real winner with this flick, not the visuals.
I found the bulk of the film no more visually impressive in 3D than I did when I watched the movie on the big screen in 2D back in 1997. Yes, the film looks fab, but it always did, even before the addition of 3D.
Amusingly, the cinema erupted into floods of tears at the end of the screening. As I can assume everyone but those living under a rock for the past 15 years already knew the ending, this emotional response by viewers can only prove this film has (thus-far) stood the test of time, and is worth a watch again on the big screen 3D or no 3D.
In short: the 3D conversion is A-ok! Though you will stop noticing it once you get caught up barracking for Kate and Leo’s scandalous romance. Go check it out purely for the chance to see Leo back when he was still pretty and Billy Zane when he still had hair.
Titanic hits Aussie screens April 5th
