Titanic

I was one of *those* people. I saw the movie Titanic in the theater 3 times.

In all fairness, I had been laid off from corporate America, and had a few weeks (and no Declan) before I started working in the non-profit world at the cancer center. So I had the time.

And yes, I am a sap and got sucked in to the love story, even though it was some of the worst dialog in the history of cinema. (Rose! Jack! Rose! Jack!)

But mainly, I was just ensnared by majesty of the boat. The tragedy of the disaster. And even though James Cameron should never be allowed to write a screenplay again, no one can deny that he absolutely captured what that frozen and terrifying night in the middle of the Atlantic must have been like.

Then I was obsessed and read book after book about the history of the boat. The stories of the people. Something about that date with destiny still completely mystifies me.

So, seeing as the Titanic Artifact Exhibition has been at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science since June, friends have been shocked that I had not made it there yet… till today.

It. Was. Amazing.

If this comes to your town, or you live here in Denver (it’s around till January 6th) – YOU MUST GO.

I got chills looking at some many things pulled up from the boat. But also, the way they set up the exhibit, you really get a sense for the boat, the way she was built, who was on her, how they lived, how they died, and ultimately… how she sank.

We were given cards at the entrance to the exhibit, telling us what passenger we “were,” and asked to check the board at the end of the exhibit… to see if we made it or not.

Bryan knew the answer right away, as he was Colonel John Jacob Astor. The richest man on the whole stinkin’ ship. (Pssst: He doesn’t make it).

I was Helen Churchill Candee, a practical and freethinking woman who had written several books – AND survived Titanic.

Declan was Major Archibald Butt, an influential military aide to Presidents Taft and Roosevelt – who also went down with the ship.

Bryan spent a good part of the exhibit cracking jokes about being John Assss-tor and hanging out with Major BUTT.

Declan’s favorite part was the iceberg room, where they had a real 10 foot tall iceberg that you could touch. (Although he believed we had changed over to a Happy Feet exhibit!)

My favorite part was the attention to all levels of passenger, and the real stories of people who were on board. I had tears in my eyes several times and a pit in my stomach the whole way through, and joked to Bryan that I must have died on that ship in a past life, because something about it STILL completely captivates me.

And I promise, it’s not young, hot Leonardo DiCaprio.

(Although, OK, he really *is* hot too.)

This article has 18 comments

  1. Sarah

    I admit it, I loved that movie too.

  2. TxGambit

    I was probably one of the last people in the World to see that movie. I just didn’t get it. Why watch a movie that you already know the ending to?

    But I will say the story wasn’t tooo bad.

  3. mayberry

    Except for the Celine Dion song (*gag*) I love the Titanic soundtrack.

    And Helen Churchill Candee–what a cool lady.

  4. Meghann

    You know, when I was in 6th grade in one of my classes we did a Titanic project. We were each given the name of someone on the Titanic and we “were” that person. The teacher even arranged the desks in the classroom to mimic the different classes. Like 1st class was all spread out and got cookies every day, and third class was all crammed together. At the end of the 6 weeks we found out if we had lived or died. To this day, it is one of my favorite memories from school. Awesome teacher.

    p.s.-I can’t remember who I was, but I do remember she was first class (so I got cookies, woo!) and she survived.

  5. Bon

    shortly after the movie came out, i saw a Titanic exhibit in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where many survivors and dead were taken, and where you still visit graves of those who didn’t make it.

    i share your sense of awe with the story.

    and Bryan got to be Astor?!? dude.

  6. diana

    i, too, saw the exhibit here in denver. pretty awesome. and, like you, i was moved by the individual and personal stories of the passengers. it made it so much more real.

  7. Alpha DogMa

    You know, I was well into my teens before I realized that iceburgs were a big deal. They were just part of the scenery during my childhood. And that sounds like a really cool museum display.

  8. Doodaddy

    Major Butt. I might just have to go to the exhibit for that.

    And I hated the darn movie. Can we still be friends?

    🙂

  9. painted maypole

    James Cameron had nothing on bad dialogue when compared to George Lucas. I saw Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones with the costumed geeks watching it a 12:01 on the the release day, and they were laughing AT the dialogue. I was pregnant, and all I could think was “I could be sleeping”

  10. aimee

    Maypole, I am with you on Star Wars dialog too… but I LOVE STAR WARS!!!! 😉 George should also step back and let others direct (like, ahem, Empire Strikes Back!). If he can’t get good performances out of Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen… that tells you.

    And Doodaddy… it’s more like, will you be my friend still since I *like* Titanic??? 😉

  11. tmrperry

    I saw Titanic in the theatres 3 times, too. And I’m totally captivated by the movie and the story of the Titanic. (Joe was in the middle of a 6 month deployment to the Persian Gulf at the time. He was on subs and I couldn’t talk to him. I think that totally influenced how I feel about the movie.)

    I can’t think about it without getting a knot in my throat. I can’t even begin to imagine…

    Best line of the movie? “Put your hands on me, Jack.” Damn straight, Rose.

  12. sue

    I didn’t get to the exhibit when it was nearby… wish I had. I heard the same thing, how it was really neat the way they personalized it. Very cool. I liked the movie, even if I did know how it would end… 🙂

  13. Christina

    I saw that exhibit when it was in Columbus, and it was amazing. I remember the iceberg part, and trying to keep my hand on it for as long as I could. Didn’t take long before my hand was hurting from the cold.

    I was a third class seamstress going to America to join my sister. I made it, too.

    I watched the movie on Sunday night. Yes, the fictional plot is sappy and the dialog bad, but like you, I loved watching those final tragic moments, seeing both the heroics of some, and the cowardice of others.

  14. Gretchen

    So will you take me when I’m in town?

  15. soccer mom in denial

    Me too. I loved that movie. And the story of the Titanic gives me chills as well.

    I accidentally stumbled upon a clip of the Leo/Clare Romeo + Juliet.

    I loved it!!

  16. aimee / greeblemonkey

    Gretchen – absolutely!!! that would be fun!

    And AD, I need to play that next time we watch!

  17. Alpha DogMa

    PM and Aimee,
    The OmegaMan tried to develop a drinking game based upon the number of times people call Amidala “milady” in AoC. But it just winds up with us laughing hysterically to the point where we can’t even hear the dialogue (yes, the gin may have some part in this). The dialogue is much improved in RotS b/c Tom Stoppard did the final rewrite. THANK HEAVENS, milady.

  18. Blog Antagonist

    I loved the movie too. And my youngest son had a fairly long obsession with Titanic as well. We have more books and models than anybody should. We went to the exhibit when it was here in Atlanta. It really was amazing.

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