|
Titanic (17-Nov-1996)
Director: Robert Lieberman Writers: Ross LaManna; Joyce Eliason Keywords: Action/Adventure
REVIEWS Review by anonymous (posted on 6-May-2006) A classic television film in my book,
which I by far preferred over the enormously over-hyped theatrical
version. Brought down only by the unexpected, incongruous, and jarring
openning scene, in a piece that was destined to be, as we all knew,
jarring anyway.. Secondly, by the fact that it did not have the
fantastic Kathy Bates, {as did James Cameron's version}, in the role of
Molly Brown. Marilu Henner was allright, but who can beat Kathy Bates..
I mean come onn! This version DID, however, star two out-of-this-world
actors which I believe the big, grandeous, full-of-itself theatrical
version did NOT! The first of the two, being the striking, manly,
drop-dead handsome Peter Gallagher! The other shining star, the
stunning, poised, and equally drop-dead gorgeous, {new at the time}
actress, Katherine Zeta-Jones-and-soon-after-DOUGLAS! They were
PERFECT! They BELONGED together! Their chemistry was sheer magic! ~{The
two main stars in the other feature, by many people's standards, were
woefully miscast! Chemistry?..none there I could feel}~ This television
take.. was an unpretensious gem, showing, yes, the grandure, and
opulance of THE TITANIC, but it also was a sweeping portrait of the
every day people who were aboard.. it gave us, in painstaking detail, a
vivid look at the personalities, the rythms, the struggles, the
nightmares, the fears.. the ruthlessness, the honour.. the hopes, and
the dreams of a magnificently woven tapestry of people.. all kinds of
people, of every class and distinction. No, it didn't bend over
backwards to get terrible technical, or scientifically precise as to
what actually happened, it stayed very much on a "people" level, and
what they were doing, and thinking.. what was important to them in
their lives, whether they were virtuous, or dastardly. It made you feel
the time. Neither did it feed you a seemingly endless.. shreiking
musical melody that would be ringing in your ears for the next 5
months! ..Once? Okay, it was beautiful.. In a few days again? Yes, it
might have been beautiful then too.. But repeatedly, over and over
again, through an almost 4 hour movie, {nevermind that it took place at
sea!}.. I mean.. I was ready toss my cookies OVERBOARD by the end of it
all!... ONE place though, where BOTH versions did equally well, I
think, was in the casting of Captain Smith. There, the theatre version
had a man whom I had never seen before, and.. he.. was.. perfect! He
LOOKED like the real Capt. Smith, he personafied him eerily spot on! He
breathed Captain Smith! ...And George C. Scott? Well, again, it just
doesn't get any better than that! He got into the head, and mindset of
the real Capt. Smith, he portrayed him in true Scott style.. strong and
passionate! Yet he brought a quiet honour, and peace of mind to the
role, that certainly was entirely Captain Smith himself! BOTH
performances were truly remarkable. If I had to, I could not choose one
over the other.. each was purely outstanding. Finally, I felt there
were more people, real people, to care about, who we got to know.. as
if personally, throughout the entire two-part television epic. You even
felt compassion for Tim Curry's character.. a sharp, yet hopeless,
scheming thief, and all-around rotton scoundral, caught up in his own
greed, trapped by his inability to put his knowledge, {and he did have
plenty!}, to any good and noble use! I hope if you haven't yet seen the
television, ABC-movie, version of "Titanic", you will now seek it out,
and watch it. I'll wager many of you will prefer it over the
"blockbuster" theatrical version!
Do you know something we don't?
Submit a correction or make a comment about this profile
Copyright ©2019 Soylent Communications
|
