Titanic vs. L.A. Confidential for Best Picture 1997 (1 Viewer)

[Brad_W]

Although I enjoy both of these movies, I would have to say that I enjoyed Titanic more than LA Confidential (or the french version, La Confidential). I saw Titanic 5 times in the theater and was emotionally influenced each and every time. It may be easy to bash an epic romance film such as this, but I'm all for Cameron. My wife recently put a gun to my head and made me watch it again (after seeing this movie so many times, the three plus hours can be trying after a while) and saw many things I didn't see before. I do love this movie.
I guess my opinion (for me) is that any movie that can invoke great emotion is much higher on my list than movies that leave me neutral.
You can argue this was better than that and nit-pick everything, but in the end my vote goes for Titanic.
------------------
"I was born to murder the world." -Nix (Lord of Illusions)
My Home Page http://www.geocities.com/masternix/DVD.html
My List O' DVDs:
Link Removed

 

[David Rogers]

Wanted to thank the people who responded to my request with detailed replies. Made for good reading, and provoked a couple of interesting thoughts.
I did particularly agree with the rebuttal directed at LAC's characters (on the one-dimensional charge), the 'smart' guy wearing glasses, the crooked cop as the bad guy, etc... Excellent point, very on-topic as contrasted to numerous comments of a similar ilk directed at T's character lineup.
I also agreed with the "its all subjective" comments, completely. Movies are certainly subjective; if you like action and fast pace whole genres of film are out as entertainment for you, and vice versa for those that prefer detailed character studies with exploration of motivations. And so forth.
Movies are an artform *and* a business, which is where the friction comes from in my opinion. Some movie creators (directors, writers, actors, producers, etc...) are motivated by the Storyteller's Spirit, and some (Bay as a good example) are merely looking to punch out the numbers in a script in order. The same goes for studios and their personnel. The new Terminator: SE disc has some comments about people at the studio who believed in the project as a movie, not as an investment, and how they acted (rather, how it was reported they acted) I feel perfectly illustrates this point.
Ultimately, most any film greenlit and funded by 'the studios' will be intended as a profit vehicle. You have to get into filmmakers with successful careers (fiscally successful in the eyes of the studios) before you start to see projects that were greenlit purely for the art. Or to be realistic/cynical about it, the studios let someone like Spielberg make a Schindler's List because if they blow him off he might not let them make Indiana Jones IV with him (etc...).
When the dust settles, however, I never get bent out of shape over the art vs business aspect the way many movie enthusiasts seem too. Someone's gotta pay for the neat stuff they can do with films these days; ILM's animators, for example, have to pay rent the same as the rest of us. It's not like their landlords and creditors go "oh, you're a CGI artist, you don't have to pay". Stuff like that is the lion's share of why films tabulate into the tens and sometimes hundreds of millions of US$ to be made.
Peace yo.
------------------
-----

Dave's World
-No matter where you go, there you are-

 

[tyler O]

Double Post apologies...
[Edited last by tyler O on October 10, 2001 at 04:02 PM]

 

[tyler O]

Personally, and again I would like to remind you that this is all that this is, my personal opinion that, odds are, no other entity than myself shares, I saw Titanic in the theaters because I felt I would let down my love of film to not see the movie in the theater. I felt it would be a disservice to my hobby and likes as a film enjoyer to not see this movie on the big screen. There are others which I could use this same example. Movies which I thought I would not enjoy and reek of sentimental drek, but that needed to be experienced properly as only film can do. I do enjoy popcorn movies. I own every Bond made, both on VHS and DVD. I own both Terminators and have seen virtually every Bruckheimer and or Bay, not to mention countless other artisans of that field. I enjoy Kung and Wire Fu movies and comedies which may be or have been risque for their time. Just because the statement is made that character studies are my favorite form of the medium makes me pretentious in your eyes. Fair enough. Again, that was a personal opinion. Your person. I love to read books as well and rarely have found a movie that surpassed the book in any form other than visual (and I fear From Hell will fail in that regard). I do enjoy many different types of films and enjoy different things. I disliked Titanic with a fierce passion rarely matched, and only by two other movies. These are my opinions formed while watching the movie. No bandwagon jumper am I. I don't mind helping the wagon along, but I have been riding it since I stepped out of the theater and formed my own beliefs on what the film was to me. I mean no offense or damage to anyone or anything, but I do feel my perceptions are valid and as valid as anyone elses. I do feel bad that I feel that my opinion was attacked. I did not feel I was attacking anyone elses opinions and only that I was voicing my own, which is what I felt this forum was for. Basically I thought it was for voicing opinions and intellegent discourse into the nature and enjoyment of film and theater. I apologize if I was mistaken and we were supposed to attack opinions that inflamed us, as I apologize for my own inflamed rebuttal (as your opinion of mine clearly did inflame me and so I thinly veil my attack as a rebuttal). I mean no attack. I only seek intelligent, thoughtful discourse.
If everyone felt the same we wouldn't need anything different.
------------------
Share and Enjoy - The marketing division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation.
The difference between 0 and 1 is infinite.
My DVDs

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Tyler,
I apologize deeply and profusely. My intent was to merely defend what I felt had been attacked. I have a fierce love of Titanic for several reasons, and I am a regular here. It frequently gets bashed, many times (but not all) undeservedly and with little reason. I did not mean to impugn you. My points are no more valid than yours, and I am sorry for my rude language regarding the ads. Please understand that it was not directed at you, but to the general public. My love of this forum stems from the civility and reason we usually find here. Sometimes our love of a movie overrides that.
Sincerely,
Chuck

 

[tyler O]

Consarn it! Me and my double posting self. You think a T-1 could react a little quicker...
[Edited last by tyler O on October 10, 2001 at 05:22 PM]

 

[tyler O]

Chuck,
It's all good. I've been a little on edge since my wife left me 2 days ago, and so I may seem to take things a little too personally as well. The stress of having to move out and find a place near Duluth, GA to live just added to a Job move and now gone wife. Then I see my most hated of my triage of bad movies and I felt like venting a little of my steam.

It's so good to see that we can get past negativity and talk about what we love the most, film and how it affects us to every level.
Now I just feel angry at USA films for still holding onto Lost Highway. I need that movie in it's true glory with the most beautiful words of relationships ever spoken by a woman "You'll never have me..." and my VHS does no justice. Hell, maybe the love motif set me off too..
Who knows. I miss her greatly. (SUCKER)
All is good and may we continue discussing proper merits and demerits of proper movies...
-edit for correct spelling of too and for slight content and style edits-
------------------
Share and Enjoy - The marketing division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation.
The difference between 0 and 1 is infinite.
My DVDs
[Edited last by tyler O on October 10, 2001 at 05:26 PM]

 

[Mike Broadman]

I would like to point out how Chuck and I (and others involved in the discussion) came to describe the same things about the same topic while coming from polar opposite viewpoints. He likes the film, I don't, and we understand why.
I wish all debates would go like this.
Let us pat ourselves on the back for how great we are. yay.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Tyler,
I am not sure what to say (or how to say it) except that I hope everything works out for the best. I go to the boards myself when I get down.
What Mike said is completely true. There's a false and dangerous belief we all have, that if we are right (because we so obviously are

) then those that disagree with us must be wrong. FORTUNATELY, there is no right! I like Titanic. I think it is a great movie. So do some others. Mike does not (and neither do some others). We both watched the same movie. We both love movies and HT, or we wouldn't be here. So who cares if we don't agree. I am sure we "agree" on plenty of others. It's all back to the subjective. When I argue, I TRY (and usually fail) to state my reasons for something...the WHY. We certainly aren't going to change any minds here. Just to discuss the whys. I have found new things to like (and sadly, dislike) about many movies thanks to this forum. It's educational, and relaxing to discuss or debate the merits of a film. It's sometimes fun to trash one, but hard to do on the cold, unforgiving boards, where sarcasm and levity are hard to discern (sorry for the big words today) from rudeness. But I enjoy the debates. I would never have seen Suspiria if not for these boards, among others.
Too many words...I am sorry

Take care,
Chuck

 

[george kaplan]

To claim character studies are superior to historical dramas or "popcorn" flicks is pretentious...The point is...hating movies for being popular (and claiming it is b/c they are one-dimensional) is elitist.

Just for the record:
1) I love lots of so-called popcorn flicks, as well as lots of so called deeper movies.
2) I don't like Titanic. I responded to your question about 1 dimensional characters, but that's not the main reason I dislike the film. I love Snow White and there ain't very many multi-dimensional characters in that.
3) I love lots of popular movies, and hate others. Popularity has nothing to do with my opinion of a movie, nor does critical acclaim. Star Wars was popular, loved it. Titanic was popular, hated it. The Apartment is critcally acclaimed, love it. All About Eve is critically acclaimed, hate it.
4) I don't like Titanic because of what I consider (IMO) to be a sappy, unrealistic, soap opera-ish love story populated with storylines, dialogue, and actors intended to appeal to 12 year old girls. Many people disagree with me on this, but it's my opinion. It has absolutely nothing to do with popularity. I love the Beatles and hate the Back Street Boys. Both appealed to 12 year old girls at the time, but one had substance behind it. Same idea.
------------------
13-time NBA world champion Lakers: 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001

 

[Matt Stone]

I agree with you 100% George. All of the time I get accused of being elitist for disliking Titanic. I'm always told that I hate it for one reason...it was popular, and no matter what argument I put up contrary to that reason...I get dissed for being an "elitist bastard" ... Call names if you like but LA Confidential is a far better film, and just because Titanic has superior technical merits doesn't make it a better film.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

George, Matt,
Easy...I am not saying YOU don't have valid reasons to not like Titanic. But many people I have spoken with (or, more accurately, listened to) had little reason other than it's popularity to dislike it. What I am saying is that I doubt DiCaprio and Winslet were hired by Cameron to appeal to 12 year old girls...that is not his usual demographic. They were previously nominated for an Academy Award in acting, which I grant you, does not mean much anymore. I must agree that they were fairly one-dimensional, but it was no less realistic than LAC. But I didn't come to argue merits. Because, as said before, you have your OPINIONS, I have MINE. LAC is not a better movie. Titanic is not a better movie. My opinion is no better, or worse, than yours. We can both talk until we are blue in the face and not sway the other person at all. I just dislike sweeping statements.
Take care,
Chuck

 

[tyler O]

For what they were, they were both excellent movies. Granted this seems to contradict my sweeping indictment of all things Titanic earlier, but that is how I perceived it, not an objective analysis of the movie as a pseudo love epic. Even as a love epic it has flaws with, while not quite one-dimensional characters, they do have the same mindlessness about them as many other characters that bring me to tears, whether out of boredom or laughter. I love epics, just not love epics.

I do think that there are, objectively reasons for loving either piece, unfortunately, my subjective desires push me full fledged into LAC's corner as far as re watchability and, in my eyes, the better movie all around. Again, that's just what I think. Now if I could get paid like Ebert for reviewing stuff...
------------------
Share and Enjoy - The marketing division of the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation.
The difference between 0 and 1 is infinite.
My DVDs

 

[DonMac]

Darren H, RE: Sweet Hereafter
Spoiler:
Billy Ansel, the guy driving behind the bus, has already refused to have any part in the trial... Even if he were subpoenaed, he would likely perjure himself rather than help those who would hope to gain financially from the tragedy.
----
I disagree. The character Billy is portrayed as a good father and a good person. I doubt such a man would perjure himself, particularly after swearing to tell the truth on a Bible. No, it is a noticable flaw in what is still a very good film.

------------------
"It is the customary fate of new truths to begin as heresies and to end as superstitions." - T. H. Huxley

 

[Gruson]

I love both movies but my vote would go to Titanic.
------------------
Equipment:
Mitsubishi 65907 65" HDTV ISFd Steve Martin
Yamaha RX-V1000 6.1
Paradigm PW2200
Paradigm Studio CC
Paradigm Studio 40s
CV LS-15s
CV LS-8s
Toshiba 6200 Progressive
Pioneer CLD704 LD
Aura Bass Shakers
1080i DirecTV
See it:
Link Removed