Why 'Titanic' Is Not Great Enough

'' 'Titanic' rocks'', says one of my friends. 'Titanic is so well-made, it is so emotional', says another. 'It is one of my favorite romantic movies', says my sister. 'It is really beautiful', says my father. 'But', I begin in my response but I can never really finish that sentence because I can never really convince people why James Cameron's 'Titanic' is far from being the cerebral masterpiece that everyone claims that it is.

Did I say 'everyone'? Well, then let me take back my own word and let me tell you of an alternate opinion, growing stronger and stronger by the minute which would go on to protest against the pile of accolades, acclaim and awards which Cameron's film went on to bag in 1997-1998 and let me explain well enough that I don't really hate Cameron's film. Yes, it is indeed well-crafted, which is to say that it is a piece of monumental filmmaking, blending state-of-the-art special effects, models, sets and more to make a movie that was as thrillingly larger-than-life (mostly in the visual sense) as the grand yet ill-fated ship itself. And yes, it has some truly sentimental moments, moments that make us choke in our throats and push back our tears. But a masterpiece? I am not sure.

What goes wrong in Cameron's film? I have nothing against the sentimentality; what I found particularly distressing was how unoriginal Cameron's narrative was. To begin with, this is not really a movie about how the Titanic eventually sunk into the depths, taking along its extensive treasures with it. Rather, this is more of a love story in the most conventional and predictable way possible. Aristocratic pretty girl Rose falls for the reckless, almost penniless amateur painter Jack and we almost make out how their romance would progress. There is all the usual stuff about Rose desperately trying to break out of her cloistered and civilized existence and Jack seems to be the knight for this damsel in distress; he is the one who sets her free from her gilded cage and yeah, he gets her drunk as well and they eventually fall in love.

Predictable indeed, but Cameron could still have woven a truly sensational scenario around it. It never happens. Their idea of throwing a spanner into the wheel of romance is totally ridiculous. Rose' suitor Caledon, chosen predictably by her domineering mother and played by Billy Zane, turns out to be a scoundrel, a character so ruthless that he is eventually deemed as a caricature. Throw in some more nasty looking though smartly dressed rich folks who are dead against the innocent-looking Jack and you get a romance which is more fitting of a Mills and Boons paperback than to be portrayed on celluloid for nearly three hours.

Am I exaggerating something? Well, certainly not, because even without the romantic angle, the narrative of 'Titanic' is nothing beyond the ordinary. Cameron seemed to be wrapping up the disaster movie format with the parallel romantic track. But what does he end up achieving? A film of bits and pieces- a film that goes on far too long while we wait for something to happen, which is inevitable. The ship will sink and our lovers will get plenty of opportunity to express love for each other in a number of sequences of expertly executed peril. And of course, one of them must die. Sigh!

I have nothing against exploring characters in a disaster movie and in that respect, some of our vintage disaster movies like 'Airport' and 'The Towering Inferno' did a great job, giving us a cast of interesting characters all of whom play a key role in the tumultous events that follow. So, we feel all the crucial themes of villainy, heroism, romance and tragedy coming together to make a sensational experience. Clunky as their effects look today, there is no denying that such films were equipped with tight plots and fully-fleshed characters.

Cameron meanwhile is more interested in the effects rather than characters or tension. The film is shockingly bereft of any tension and while the finale- an hour-long sequence of the ship being wrecked amidst general panic and chaos- feels genuinely stunning, the buildup is totally futile. So obsessed is Cameron with the romance that he almost forgets that his characters are actually on a ship that is all set to sink. For a briefly interesting part of the movie, the film focuses on the characters of Captain Edward John Smith, along with the honest builder Thomas Andrews and the hard-nosed, aristocractic Ismay who is more concerned about his own safety rather than that of the passengers. They all make a memorable appearance but it is the fault of Cameron and Cameron alone to altogether forget them and make just slight references to them in the film's climax. Here, even the most heartfelt sequences of death and tragedy feel artificial. When the disciplined Captain Smith retires to the bridge, almost submitting to the fury of nature, or when Andrews broods alone in a sinking room about how he could have built a stronger ship, we know that their respective ends are tragic. But we never feel the pain. We never really care. Because Cameron does not care for them, either.

What Cameron eventually cares for, other than the ridiculously predictable romance between Rose and Jack and Caledon's simmering rage, is for the ship itself. When the Titanic sails, the film acquires an almost magical quality. To begin with, the ship looks fully wondrous and larger-than-life like the actual ship itself. It also feels like a living thing and in a number of monumental scenes, Cameron, equipped with Russel Carpenter's beautiful camerawork, zooms into the steaming engines, vigorous cogs and wheels and all the hustle-bustle in the engines. And even the opulent interiors feel authentic and luxurious, so when it all crashes in truly stunning manner, we feel that this was how it actually happened.

There is no faulting Cameron for that and on any given day, 'Titanic' feels like a film that deserves a re-release in 3D format, unlike 'Jurassic Park', which got some flak because the extra-dimension exposed its technical snags. But let's not forget that Cameron is also the man behind some superb outings- 'The Terminator', 'Aliens', 'The Abyss' and 'Terminator 2- Judgment Day'. All these films are hard-core, hi-tech actioners packed with stellar special effects and action scenes but they are also films endowed with clever characterization, taut direction and perfectly placed elements of heroics, evil, romance and emotion. 'Titanic' does not even try. It remains to be more of an experiment with visual effects and grand filmmaking rather than good storytelling. And it is best if we just think of it in the same way.

Yeah, sure it has its moments- some truly sensational- like Leonardo Di Caprio's loveable loafer Jack screaming 'I am The King Of The World!' after watching the dolphins leaping up and down. Or that moment- a passionate moment at the ship's mast against the setting sun. Or even that needlessly controversial 'sketching' sequence. All such bits are fine, but they don't add up to a great whole.

There is a joke about 'Titanic'. It goes, that sinking the ship in the film cost more than the money that was originally spent on creating the original ship. It is a similar problem with Cameron's film. For all the effort and money that goes into making it, it turns to be more costly when it sinks. And yes, it hurts a lot to see such good potential going down the ocean.

25 Best Movie Characters Of All Time- Part 3

15-Leonard Shelby- Memento (2000)
Actor- Guy Pearce

A mere memory problem can make a person totally confused. But while Guy Pearce deserves a mention prematurely for portraying the confusion so, so accurately, what makes his performance more special is that we never really trust Leonard Shelby. Loosely based on Jonathan Nolan’s short story, Christopher Nolan’s ingenious brainteaser is driven solely by Shelby’s ambiguity. Between sorting out clues and solving puzzling mysteries and conspiracies, Leonard emerges fully as a character with his actions and words- he elicits our empathy at first but as the plot progresses, he turns out to be smarter and craftier than he actually looks. Pearce delivers a gutsy and totally believable performance as Leonard, capturing his predicament yet nailing it with enigma and the final twist is totally worth it.

14- Jimmy Conway- Goodfellas (1990)
Actor- Robert De Niro

Joe Pesci bagged most of the awards and attention for his loose-cannon role of foul-mouthed, trigger-happy Tommy De Vito. But everyone knows that director Scorsese and De Niro hit off the best chemistry ever. So, it is De Niro as the smart ace gangster Jimmy who makes the best impression in this superb ensemble of actors. A hitman who loves to hijack trucks among other things, Conway seems to be much calmer than De Vito and other fellow gangsters but when he really loses his temper, it is best to stay away. Despite the air of danger that he carries around him, he always remains calm, biding his time for striking when the opportunity comes. But as the brilliant film winds down to a pitch-dark ending, it is here the seams begin to show- though Conway laughs the most at most things, he soon becomes jumpy, nervous, no longer the smooth gangster he was in his heyday. It is a fabulous performance, perfectly pitched, tense and also poignant and warm.

13- John McClane- Die Hard (1988)
Actor- Bruce Willis

Action heroes have become quite lean in these days and Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones and good old Schwarzenegger deserve to be remembered for bringing wonderful warmth to their macho action roles. But for me, it is Bruce Willis who made the most impression, becoming an action hero who will be unforgettable even as he makes mistakes and one who will elicit both our praise as well as sympathy. There is a nicely subtle and understated charm about Willis' McClane as he genuinely feels like a character out of context- a LA cop in snowy New York to begin with and then caught alone in a glitzy, hi-tech skyscraper with a nasty gang of terrorists lead by the equally smart and calculated Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman). But with the right mix of physical thrills, deadpan humor and vulnerability, McClane soon settles to business and musters up enough bravado to say the now well-known line 'Yippee-Ki-Yay XXXXXX'. And even as he makes his way to the finale with bloody feet, he never loses his hilarious sense of humor as he corrects Gruber about a reference to a classic Western classic, showing how out of context Gruber is.

12- General Buck Turgidson- Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Actor- George C. Scott

'Of course, it isn't just physical! I deeply respect you as a human being!'

A simple line obviously but the way General Buck Turgidson delivers it as he is called up by his girlfriend in the midst of a tense military meeting is instantly memorable. Turgidson is not just a panicked lover, he is also a tough yet jumpy military commander who often finds his opinions dominated by the irascible President Merkin Muffley (Peter Sellers) in the War Room. Clearly exasperated with the pointless political discussions and keen on launching military action against the Russians, Turgidson comes across as a solid character, full of tireless, energy, a hot temper and endless brash charisma. Easy as it is to call 'Dr. Strangelove' as Stanley Kubrick's finest work, it is equally hard to pick out a single memorable character out of a fantastic cast. But while Sellers was superb in his three-character- role and Sterlin Hayden was compelling as the delusional general, it is Scott's Turgidson, coming 6 years before his Oscar-winning turn as General George S. Patton, that remains to be unforgettable.

11- Inspector Harry Callahan- Dirty Harry (1971)
Actor- Clint Eastwood

After 'Rawhide' album covers and Spaghetti-western movie posters, ace actor Clint Eastwood would turn to one of the most scorching characters on the big screen- the tough-as-nails San Francisco cop Harry Callahan. Dubbed sometimes as 'Dirty Harry', here is a man who won't take any bullshit. He is clearly the wrong man for any negotiations, for Harry does not believe in sparing the criminals. He takes him down, by hook or by crook. Pitted against a hellbent psychopathic sniper, Harry is equally ruthless but his nihilistic actions seem to be driven by the senseless crime happening around him. Dressed invariably in those suave herring-bone suits, Eastwood is not just an exceptionally handsome action hero- he is also a dedicated yet vigilant enforcer with a conscience. And yes, he is perfect for 'every dirty job that comes along' like rescuing a suicidal jumper from a building. Gene Hackman's hilarious and vile Popeye came the same year but Eastwood's charisma is unbeatable.

Long Live Pransaab

A TRIBUTE TO THE SHER-KHAN OF HINDI CINEMA!
MADE BY MY FATHER!

25 Best Movie Characters Of All Time- Part 2

20- Butch Cassidy/Sundance Kid- Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
Actors- Paul Newman and Robert Redford

Screenwriter William Goldman also wrote the Oscar-winning Hollywood script of the Bernstein/Woodward story starring Redford and Dustin Hoffman in leads. But it is his sleek, split-second, warm and funny script for this Western caper that remains to be one of the finest ever. Most notably, Goldman along with director George Roy Hill sculpted two extraordinary male leads pitted together in a hot chase after a robbery goes wrong. Fellow thieves Butch (Paul Newman) and Sundance (Robert Redford) fly the coop on foot, on horseback and eventually scoot off to faraway Bolivia along with their common lady love (Katharine Ross), all the while mouthing a constant stream of hilarious dialogues, which let off sparks between the duo. Sundance is laconic and precise, Butch is charismatic and crafty; Sundance does not know to swim while Butch merely laughs about it; Butch seduces his girl with bicycle tricks while Sundance does it with a gun in the dark. Their contrast is sharply etched and it results in some hilarious setups but as they are eventually cornered in the moving climax and end up chatting about running away to Australia, you can’t help but feel for them both.

19- Jake La Motta- Raging Bull (1980)
Actor- Robert De Niro

Yeah, there is all this hype around it- the amount of preparation that De Niro did for this mammoth performance, about how he and Scorsese were closely involved in bringing the real-life veteran boxer on the silver screen and all that. But above all, like most of their unforgettable collaborations, this one is remembered mainly as a deeply troubling and heartbreakingly honest portrait of masculinity. Jake La Motta, the Bronx Bull, the relentless champ of the ring, turns out to be almost a monster for his most loved ones. From breaking his early marriage to suspecting his new wife- several years younger than him- of infidelity and finally bashing up his brother Joey (an explosive Joe Pesci) despite all that the latter did for him, Jake is also a terror, not only on his opponents but also on himself- his gluttony leads him to gain fat while he deliberately lets rival Sugar Ray knock him down into a bloody mess- after which he says ‘You never got me, Ray’. Yet, he is also surprisingly likeable, even worthy of sympathy- when he snuggles up close to his wife, when he desperately hugs his brother to reconcile and when, in a dark cell, he cries out with shattering pain- ‘They Call Me an Animal! I Am Not An Animal!’ Simply heartbreaking.

18-Captain Hilts- The Great Escape (1963)
Actor- Steve McQueen

Long before Arnold Schwarzenegger immortalized the Harley Davidson, while playing a mean and lean cyborg, sensational Steve McQueen immortalized the motorcycle as the ultimate symbol of rippling masculinity. And no, McQueen did not have the pecs and biceps of Arnie. What he had was pure cool. As the cockiest inmate in a high-security POW camp, Captain Hilts is also the most daring, irreverent and heroic. He cares less about his life, lesser about the constantly befuddled camp commanders and even less about the rest of the prisoners. All he wants is a quick getaway but he nevertheless lends a hand to the other 250. Armed with a baseball ball, he enjoys time in the ‘Cooler’ but when he escapes, it is then the most heroic bits come. Riding across the country without saying anything, McQueen becomes the coolest action hero performing daredevilry with a bike. And when in the end, he is tangled up in barb wire, we want him to live for sure, albeit in the ‘Cooler’.

17- Mr. Blonde- Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Actor- Michael Madsen

Sometimes, a single scene can define a whole film and a whole filmmaking culture. And while Quentin Tarantino has given us more than enough of such moments, the moment that remains to be iconic has to be the one which stars Mr. Blonde in a gleefully gruesome moment. Throughout the film, till that moment, Madsen’s sinister Mr. Blonde remains in the background as his fellow color-coded thieves argue heatedly about a messy heist job. But when he gets hold of a cop and ties him to a chair, the stage is set for one of the most extraordinary moments in the film. He gets into action, with a radio and a razor blade as he tunes playfully to a pop classic and then, all of a sudden, with alarming alacrity plunges the razor on the poor cop’s face. And then watch the horror of it all as Mr. Blonde plays around with a severed ear. Surely, Mr. Blonde is nothing more than a psychopath but Madsen’s indulgently repulsive performance makes his actions morbidly delightful.

16- Amon Goethe- Schindler’s List (1993)
Actor- Ralph Fiennes

Steven Spielberg’s incredible masterpiece, a tragic story of an unlikely hero of the grim days of Holocaust, was also known for its extraordinary performances and in this aspect, it is Ralph Fiennes who makes the most impression starring as one of the most devilish characters to make an appearance. His Amon Goethe comes to represent the worst of Nazism- as the commander in charge of liquidation of the ghetto in Krakow, Goethe is so ruthless that we almost believe that he is more of a machine rather than a human being. He lusts after his maid but when she does not reciprocate, he beats her mercilessly. Goethe is not just a villain. He is pure evil. With a stony stare in his eyes and an evil grin on his face, Fiennes comes off as nothing less than Satan on earth. And it is really unforgettable and awfully dangerous. When he recites that haunting ‘Today Is History’ speech, you cannot help but feel a chill down your spine.

25 Best Movie Characters Of All Time- Part 1

They are either the most heroic, or the most villainous, either the sanest or the zaniest, either the scariest or the funniest. Here is a look at some of the most memorable screen characters of the Hollywood movies. They are a mixed up bunch of action heroes, gangsters, tycoons, villains, powerful people, cynics, freaks and more. And they are all memorable for their respective characters, performances and moments that have become truly unforgettable in every sense.

It was nearly impossible to pick out 25 names from an inevitably long line-up and I have admittedly left out a good deal of legendary heroes, villains and characters. However, while you are free to give your own suggestions, I promise that my own choices are pretty extraordinary and they are nothing short of legendary and amazing themselves.

Here is then the first part of the line-up and we begin the countdown now….

25- Colin Sullivan, The Departed (2006)
Actor- Matt Damon

As always, super director Martin Scorsese roped in a great cast for his Oscar-winning crime thriller and while Leonardo Di Caprio and Jack Nicholson bagged most of the raves, special mention should be given to Damon’s suave yet slippery Colin, as Di Caprio’s rival in this covert thriller. Starting as a clean-cut, confident cop, Colin doubles up as a less-than-efficient mole for his ‘Dad’ Costello (played by Nicholson). Torn between his promising cop career and his filial devotion to the steely Costello, Colin fumbles more than often and it is his blundering, awkward style (and implicit impotence) that give the film its real, crackling fireworks, most notably in the second half. Damon has done some great performances apart from his stellar turn as Jason Bourne but it is his role as the deceptively sleek criminal in disguise that stands out in his portfolio. He nails Colin’s naiveté with startling conviction, making his blunders look real and stark but he is also unafraid to reveal the rougher edges to his smoothness and it shows up in extraordinary sequences from a dinner with his lady love Madolyn (Vera Farmiga) to the shattering confrontation with his Dad which shows Colin at his most repulsive ever.

24- Allan Quartermain- King’s Solomon Mines (1950)
Actor- Stewart Granger

Granger, one of the more dashing heroes of the era of the 40s and 50s, has clearly never been better. He plays the archetypal adventure hero role with relish, sinking his teeth into the originally introspective character of H. R. Haggard’s exhilarating adventure novel and making him a more fleshed out person- an ivory hunter content to live in Africa yet endowed with cynical wit and enough heroic charm. We see Granger in his best when he indulges in some flirtatious banter with the pretty-yet-harried Deborah Kerr. He is clearly at ease in the wild goose chase for a husband and some diamonds while she often complains about the flies, fleas, scorpions, heat and yes, Allan himself. Effortlessly charismatic and having a great time in deciphering old legends and flirting with Kerr, Granger also makes for a convincing action hero, free from clichés as he engages himself in stellar adventure as well. You cannot help but cheer for him as he explains the meaning of an old Swahili song and then adds, mischievously, ‘Maybe I am Lucky Too’.

23-Lancaster Dodd- The Master (2012)
Actor- Phillip Seymour Hoffman

At a first glance, Lancaster Dodd, ‘a writer, philosopher….and above all a man’ seems like the dapper gentleman that his name suggests. And with a hairdo and moustache like Orson Welles in ‘Citizen Kane’, he perfectly typifies the American of the 50s. There is more to him than his sheepish smile and his glassy gaze and Hoffman, a master actor, reveals it all in his terrific and stormy portrayal of a cult leader questioned by everyone- from sceptics to his most loyal followers. Posed as a flawed Jesus Christ, Dodd is as charismatic, wise and suave as he looks but beneath the smooth exterior lays a surprising hollowness and a mercurial temper. He does not like to be doubted and yet he cannot defend his own beliefs- instead choosing to argue vehemently and even use the F word. Yet, he is also dedicated enough to help out his latest follower Freddie Quell (an awesome Joaquin Phoenix) who is simply befuddled about what to believe and what not to believe. It is a performance that makes you smile and cringe at the same time.

22-Alfred Bowden- The Prestige (2006)
Actor- Christian Bale

Between the psychopathic Patrick Bateman and the psychologically-angst-ridden Batman, there is Christian Bale’s towering, magnificent and mercurial performance as a dynamic illusionist in this Christopher Nolan masterpiece. Yeah, right, Hugh Jackman played his showy rival with great élan but it is Bowden who is a creepier character. Laconic, observant, incredibly talented and ruthlessly determined, Bowden is always the ticking bomb- more than delighted and eager to foil Archer’s grandiose plans with his stealthy ways. And yes, as the final twist of the tale approaches, you end up rooting for him for all his calculated cruelty. Bale makes the character utterly real- wonderfully playing Bowden’s sneaky tactics with great relish- best witnessed in a scene where he says out in joy ‘Pardon Me for the Intrusion’ and yet nailing him a torn-apart character full of warmth and humanity.

21- Roy Neary- Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977)
Actor- Richard Dreyfuss

If Steven Spielberg had ever intended to make his own version of Martin Scorsese’s saga of obsession ‘Taxi Driver’, then ‘CEOTTK’ could be it. Deservedly called by many as the finest sci-fi film ever, it is also a solid story of human obsession and yes, as in Scorsese’s film, it is also driven by a mind-numbing central male performance. Richard Dreyfuss plays Roy Neary, a line worker seemingly happy with his kids and wife until one starry night, when he comes in a close encounter with a glittering UFO above his vehicle. Things soon go downhill for him- he loses his job and his own new-found obsession with the things popping up in the night sky end up ruining his family life as well. Dreyfuss captures the unrelenting paranoia and obsession of his harried character with staggering conviction and under Spielberg’s heartfelt direction, proves how something explicitly wonderful can be equally devastating.
Coming soon....- Part 2