Titanic UHD Collector’s Edition Review

The innocence of The Titanic love story between Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, the delighting two stars who anchor the grand spectacle, is why the spectacular action that marks the second half of the more than 3-hour running time works. The chasm of class, the hubris of man, the spectacle of invention, and the wonder of love and humanity are threads woven through this once in a lifetime film experience. Arriving on 4K for the first time, in standard and collector’s edition packaging, this is reference disc quality and an absolute treat for fans of the film and fans of big cinema.

The Production: 4.5/5

“Fifteen-hundred people went into the sea, when Titanic sank from under us. There were twenty boats floating nearby… and only one came back. One. Six were saved from the water, myself included. Six… out of fifteen-hundred. Afterward, the seven-hundred people in the boats had nothing to do but wait… wait to die… wait to live… wait for an absolution… that would never come”

Brock Lovett is searching for the famed ‘Heart of the Ocean’ diamond lost with the sinking of the Titanic. His exploration of the wreckage uncovers a preserved sketch of a beautiful young woman wearing the famed jewel. Thousands of miles away, an elderly lady (Gloria Stuart) sees the news report covering the discovery of the sketch and is reminded of a time years ago filled with love and tragedy, for that sketch was of her. She was aboard the Titanic when it struck the iceberg and survived the tragic sinking. Her name is Rose DeWitt – and she travels to visit the explorer Brock Peters and tell of her time aboard the ship, under the thumb of her unpleasant fiancé Caledon Hockley (Billy Zane) yet filled with the magic of her time with stowaway, Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio.  We are transported back to 1912 and the eve of Titanic’s maiden voyage.

The story of Titanic has always been compelling, and her fateful voyage has been shown on the big screen more than once, but no production is as compelling as Cameron’s 1997 runaway success. 12,600 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean lays the deteriorating remains of the Titanic. Dubbed the ‘Ship of Dreams’, she lay unfound for three quarters of a century as a tomb undisturbed. Titanic was a grand ship worthy of admiration and praise for its engineering genius and stately refinements. At a cost of over $7.5 million (over $400 million in today’s dollars), she stood above the surface of the Ocean proudly. 1,343 passengers and 885 crew were aboard her when, following 6 warnings of Icebergs, Titanic struck floating ice that would serve as her epitaph. The ‘Unsinkable’ ship was so called due to the design of 16 compartments that were watertight. In the event of a breach, the separation of the compartments would ensure that she stayed afloat. But Titanic sideswiped the iceberg, cutting a long horizontal tear in the hull which caused six of the compartments to rapidly fill with water. It would take 2 hours and 40 minutes until the ship was fully submerged. Only 30% of those aboard would survive.

As a telling of the story of Titanic, James Cameron’s film is an enormous achievement. The true story of the ill-fated ship is visited and infused with the fictional tale of Jack and Rose, producing an aching love-story that touched millions of fans around the world and reignited a fascination with the infamous ‘unsinkable’ ships tragic first voyage. Cameron is a gifted filmmaker with a precise eye, a penchant for spectacle and technical marvel, and – it has become clear – an innate sense for what will run rampant through movie-goers imaginations. The filmmaker’s weakness tends to be found in his dialogue and, for many, the simple structure of his stories. For Avatar, some of those criticisms are fair, but for Titanic, with a meticulous approach to telling the tale and the careful arrangement of plot, character, and event (though many characters do not play as deep as others), the result is a film upon which much praise is deservedly lauded. Garnering 14 Academy Award Nominations, winning 11, the film became a critical success and a cultural phenomenon.

The beauty of Cameron’s shot composition, working with the talented eye of cinematography by Russell Carpenter, is matched by the technical brilliance employed in recreating the RMS Titanic down to the most exquisite detail. Cameron’s Titanic is an epic in the truest sense of the word. A massive undertaking with breathtaking visuals, a cast of thousands and the provision of an emotional and thrilling experience that precious few films achieve. What surprised me upon this latest rewatch of Titanic is the pervasive undercurrent of dread that permeates the romance and the action and the thrilling final act. All that drowning darkness surrounding the love and light of Jack and Rose’s romance could have swallowed the film to bleakness, but it never does. The scale of the spectacle, the unflinching love between Jack and Rose, and the gripping race against time and the flooding compartments of the grand ship give us a sense of hope and possibility even though we know what will happen.

Cameron cleverly began the film in the present as Brock Lovett (Bill Paxton) explores the wreckage allowing Cameron to remind the audience of the majesty of the ship and the tragedy of the disaster. The film is very well cast with Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio portraying the fleeting lovers Rose and Jack with innocence and energy. Both have shown themselves to be among the finest actors working today. The supporting players are wonderful, with notable standouts such as Kathy Bates’ Unsinkable Molly Brown, Frances Fischer as Rose’s selfish mother, Bernard Hill as the ship’s captain filled with regret, Victor Garber as Thomas Andrews, the ship’s designer, and David Warner as the cold Spicer Lovejoy, thug guardian of Zane’s Hockley.

The visual effects were of immeasurable quality and realism back in 1997 and even now, 26 years later, they more than hold up with a few moments excepted (face replacement for Kate Winslet on a stunt performer running down a hallway filling with crashing water, some of the live action footage combined with extra-large miniature shots, while brilliant, stand out more today). Cameron seems to have an innate ability to craft films that stand the test of time. Terminator 2 remains an explosively entertaining film after 20 years, Aliens as thrilling as it was back in 1986, and The Abyss as technically masterful after 23 years. The opening of Titanic recalls The Abyss as deep-sea exploration vessels scour the sea floor with hazy truncheons of light beaming brightly and roving subs extending the exploration with remote capabilities. Cameron’s passions as an innovator, inventor and explorer are clear assets here.

James Horner creates a thrilling score to match the visual and aural display. Following their strained collaboration on Aliens, Horner and Cameron did not work together on Cameron’s subsequent films, but time thankfully healed those wounds, and following Horner’s extraordinary scores for Apollo 13 and Braveheart garnering Oscar nominations, his selection as composer on the most expensive movie ever made (at that time) was wise. Becoming the bestselling soundtrack of all time due in large part to the song featuring Celine Dion, Horner’s composition combined traditional orchestra, Irish folk hints, and synth elements in intriguing ways. Add the haunting vocals of Sissel and what results is splendid.

Cameron’s attention to detail is obsessive. A replica of Titanic was built for the film. At 775 ft. long and floating in a tank holding 17 million gallons of water, the scale was impressive (the real Titanic was 882 ft. long). But it is the details that many will have missed that call for admiration. Cameron contracted with the companies that had originally built the lifeboat davits and carpet for them to produce exact replicas. He instructed all women actors – including extras with or without lines – to wear corsets as would have been the norm for the ladies aboard. Everyone was provided lessons in etiquette so they would sound and act appropriately. Set decorations–down to the cutlery–were precisely recreated giving Titanic an extraordinary level of authenticity. This dedication to detail does not come cheap. Along with the massive sets and extensive visual effects, the attention to such authentic features gave rise to the most epic of budgets. Titanic would cost just over $200 million dollars to make. Twentieth Century Fox and Paramount Pictures co-financed the film to limit their exposure in case of a box-office failure, and many had predicted a dire end to the film even before it premiered. The opening weekend proved worrisome. Raking in a modest $28.6 million, the film would have to exceed all expectations and probability in the coming weeks to stave off a staggering box-office blunder. Yet, Titanic was destined to defy the odds. It grossed more in its second weekend and would go on to gross between $25 and $35 million for the next ten weekends – and hold incredibly steady beyond that, accumulating a record-breaking box-office cume and become the highest grossing film of all time (until bested by Cameron’s own Avatar, Avengers: Endgame, and then the Avatar sequel). It is a remarkable story.

Video: 5/5

3D Rating: NA

Originally released in a CinemaScope ratio – 2.35:1 ratio – that’s preserved here for the film’s 4K debut. Titanic has always fared well in home releases but positively mesmerizes in Ultra High Definition. The level of detail is utterly stunning. Pay attention to the elder Rose in the many close-up shots, particularly in the transitions between the past and the film’s present.

Now 26 years old (but celebrating its 25^th anniversary?) the only giveaway of its age, besides the younger look of the actors, is some of the visual effects work, but only if you’re looking closely. The film and its visuals hold up well. The Dolby Vision HDR grading saturates the black levels, pierces the blues (especially once the doomed survivors enter the water at the end), and dials colors in with spectacular results.

Like the previous 3D Blu-ray release I reviewed several years ago, this release is magnificent, though bests any previous release. The level of detail in each shot is wonderfully vivid, black levels deep and rich, color balance superbly tuned and colors exquisite. The first half of the film has a warmer palette, but once the ship begins to sink, the blue (Cameron’s Blue as I call it) and darker hues take center stage, offering greater contrast. Skin tones are natural throughout until we reach the final chapter when the freezing temperatures drain color from cheeks and portend the end of life.

Audio: 5/5

Titanic is upfitted with a Dolby Atmos track which improves upon the English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio included with the 3D Blu-ray release. Crowd noises, the whoosh of the ship sailing through the choppy Atlantic Ocean, and the rumble of the steam-powered engine are perfectly rendered throughout the front and surrounds with good accentuation in the overhears. The dynamic sound design (by Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson, Gary Summers, and Mark Ulan) which earned an Academy Award – as well as for Best Sound Effects Editing, is delivered wonderfully. Audio during the collision with the iceberg and the subsequent failing of the ships redundant watertight compartments is piercingly precise, sounds from the overheads come alive once the rescue boats start to be lowered, and replete with fully flexed directional effects, this 4K release offers and an awesome immersive experience.

The bass level is perfectly balanced with the remaining sound elements – though you will find your subwoofer exercised nicely when the scene calls for it. Horner’s score completes the aural wonder of this presentation reproduced delightfully.

Special Features: 4.5/5

The extent of the special features included here is splendid and includes a few new pieces but does exclude some of the extras from previous editions (though portions are included in a new way so you’re still getting the best of it, just packaged differently). Still, if you want all the extras, you’ll need to hold onto your previous purchases. The Digital Bits does a terrific job cataloging what’s missing.

4K Ultra HD Disc

• Director Commentary by James Cameron
• Cast and Crew Commentary
• Historical Commentary by Don Lynch and Ken Marschall

Blu-ray™ Bonus Disc

• TITANIC: Stories From the Heart—NEW! – Director James Cameron, producer Jon Landau, and star Kate Winslet share memories and favorite moments and recount the challenges of making the greatest love story in cinema history. Go back in time with film clips, photos, and behind-the-scenes moments.
• TITANIC: 25 Years Later with James Cameron. – James Cameron explores the enduring myths and mysteries of the shipwreck, and mounts tests to see whether Jack could have fit on that raft and survived.
• Behind-the Scenes presentation hosted by Jon Landau—NEW! – Jon Landau introduces a series of behind-the-scenes segments showcasing the making of TITANIC.
• Trailer Presentation hosted by Jon Landau—NEW! – Jon Landau shares an inside glimpse into the marketing of TITANICwith a story of how a 4-minute trailer overseen by the filmmakers was delivered to theatres, instead of the original “action” trailer.
• Fan Poster Art—NEW!
• Reflections on TITANIC(4 parts)
• Deleted Scenes with optional commentary by James Cameron
• Additional Behind-the-Scenes
• Deep-Dive Presentation narrated by James Cameron
• $200,000,001: A Ship’s Odyssey (The TITANICCrew Video)
• Videomatics
• Visual Effects
• Music Video “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion
• Still Galleries

The collector’s edition also comes in an oversized, handsomely presented case with the following bits and pieces.

• A hardcover coffee table book detailing the making of the film’s most iconic scenes.
• A detailed schematic inspired by the actual ship blueprint, highlighting locations of key scenes.
• Movie prop reproductions of a boarding pass, launch viewing ticket, ship menus, and notes from Jack to Rose and Rose to Cal.
• Sheet music for the multi-award-winning hit “My Heart Will Go On.”

Overall: 4.5/5

I grew up just a few miles from where the Titanic began its doomed voyage. Its history has always been a part of my life. I eagerly went to see Titanic on opening day as James Cameron has been my most beloved director since I first saw Aliens. I was floored by the experience and went back to see it again the Sunda of it’s first weekend. An epic in every sense of the word and an astonishing achievement, the impact of Titanic on moviegoers and filmmakers is hard to overstate. The film’s emotional impact on me a quarter century ago was in the heartbreaking romance, today as I see the film the scale of human tragedy packs the heavier wallop. Once the top grossing film of all time, it sits in 4^th place behind two other James Cameron movies, proving that Cameron is a director who should never be underestimated.

Still an astonishing cinematic achievement that hasn’t lost a modicum of its power. This Collector’s Edition is very expensive for what you get. I’d recommend the standard edition over this edition to protect value for money, but owning in this on 4K is highly recommended.

Neil Middlemiss

Neil has been a member of the Home Theater Forum reviewing staff since 2007, approaching a thousand reviews and interviews with actors, directors, writers, stunt performers, producers and more in that time. A senior communications manager and podcast host with a Fortune 500 company by day, Neil lives in the Charlotte, NC area with his wife and son, serves on the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte Board of Directors, and has a passion for film scores, with a collection in the thousands.