TITANNIC IN 3D

Titannic
by Wilhelmina S. Orozco


Folks, I have just watched the Titannic in 3D. Not really very impressive for me. But I still love the story and the character of Leo, or is it Leo Di Caprio himself? He sounded so true as a scoundrel winning poker after betting his friend's last money just to be able to win the Titannic ship ticket and as a lover to Rose, Kate Winslet's character.

I saw the film way back in the 90's and as I watched it again tonight, I noticed that what set in my memory was the start of the story in 1912, and not the elderly Rose's recollection of the voyage. I became more interested also to know the background of the ship, as our country, I wish being archipelagic should would really be in to serious shipbuilding. (By the way, so many of our folks are seamates as if they take to the waters like fish. And this diaspora is so natural for many of our people simply because hopping from one island to the next seems so natural to us because we come from 7100 islands.


Then as I truly watched the film unfold, I thought to myself, Cameron, the director, must have had a battery of researchers so that he could present a truthful and realistic picture -- not only of the ship as it sank, but including the belly where the workers were putting coal to make it run. That scene where the coal room looked steaming hot showed us how technology before was very pollutant. And I pitied the workers so much.


That nude scene of Rose Dawson did not move me so much as Leo D's not acting too attracted while drawing her figure. He really looked very natural there and should have been as his role as an artist truly required him not to be drawn to his models. Or so I think.


Titannic raises many issues which could still be present or  prominent now like the division of society into classes -- third and first classes. Another issue is that should the artistic eye  be possessed by everyone?  But in our country it is not. Art is too expensive -- or not many can earn from being an artist. Still another issue is that should one follow one's heart when getting married or should love contain opportunistic aims? In this day and age of rising prices of electric and water bills, it looks too big a task to maintain one's being true to oneself.  However, I propose that policy of celibacy for those who have such misgivings about having a true love now.


The ending of the Titannic shows Rose reaching the land of milk and honey, with the statue of Liberty behind her, enticing her and the thousands who had joined that trip. But is the US still a beckoning torch now that it is suffering from a jittery economy? Well, Hollywood can always be a nice excuse for being there, if only to see your idols in person, for some, I guess.


Finally, I am mulling over the idea of our movie producers being able to make one "Titannic" film using our own experiences, like the "Pedring" but then our story shall have a truly political angle this time -- how Pedring was carried out to cover up a political issue  -- when the son of the notorious official was in the hot seat, was being bombarded with questions as to how he had acquired  so much wealth in the US. Who would dare do that film, eh?