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Top Titanic scenes that deserve 3D
I'm not the biggest fan of James Cameron's Titanic, but it being the second-highest grossing movie of all time, I remain clearly in a minority. Now that Cameron is the 3D king of the world, he has decided to rerelease Titanic in 3D. Okay then.
I was asked to pick scenes from the film that I think would be great in 3D, and here are my top five:
1. "I'm flying"
Leonardo DiCaprio's Jack and Kate Winslet's Rose climb onto the bow of the Titanic where Jack surprises her with the ultimate vision as she spreads her arms out, playing figurehead.
The shot often has the actors coming straight at the camera and might be most interesting in 3D as Winslet climbs unsteadily up, looking almost like she'll topple over. And there's always hope that the 3D craft coming straight at us will behead the annoying Celine Dion in the background.
'You jump, I jump'
The lifeboat is lowered and the two men in Rose's life -- Billy Zane's smarmy Cal and her new love Jack -- have set her upon it, while staying back on the sinking ship. The 3D might help to emphasise the growing distance as Rose slides down and the men stand and watch her go.
The flares in the sky look like fireworks -- before Rose jumps back aboard the doomed vessel and sprints to a shocked, still-handcuffed Jack, leading to the film's most memorable line. And a silly gunshot right after.
Real Party
Set to John Ryan's Polka, an Irish Party In Third Class, this spirited dancehall sequence is the single most exuberant moment of James Cameron's film.
Why 3D? Why, because of that rotating Steadicam, of course. And because women today will swoon just as loudly when they see young Leo's collar flapping loosely at them in 3D.
'Iceberg ahead'
A sailor in an overdone British accent utters the words to a formerly sleeping mate to go and alert the captain, to try and change the course of the ship.
The shots of the ship bearing down on the iceberg, coming straight towards the camera, could be seriously unnerving in 3D. And the gigantic iceberg itself would be a nightmare, rising pointedly out of the water. The ship hits and the holds explode with relentless waves, just the kind of thing 3D would be perfect for.
That sinking feeling
Think what you will of James Cameron and his big wet blockbuster, but you can't fault the man for ambition and spectacle. Watching the Titanic break, go vertical, and then sink.
It is an awe-inspiring cinematic moment, one that makes you think of the heartbreaking tragedy of the real ship as well as that of the time and money gone into recreating it for the screen. If done well in 3D, this scene alone would be worth the price of admission. Wow.