By John Corrado

James Cameron’s 1997 romantic epic Titanic is being released for the first time on 4K Ultra HD this week, presenting a sparkling new transfer of the iconic film.

Detailing the fated maiden voyage of White Star Line cruise ship the Titanic in 1912, the film follows star-crossed lovers Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet), him from the lower classes and her a rich society girl who meet aboard the “unsinkable” ship in the days before it sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

The contemporary narrative structure involving treasure hunters allows the film to play off the mythos of the Titanic, while also working as a doomed romance in the flashbacks, with so many moments that are bound to get you.

When the film becomes an epic disaster movie in its second half, it remains rooted in the emotional bond between these characters, intimately grounding the tragedy that we helplessly watch unfold. It becomes a portrait of the best and worst of humanity in the time of crisis, with Cameron compellingly recreating the ship’s final hours.

One of the last vestiges of Old Hollywood moviemaking, Cameron’s film is a sweeping epic that is hard not to get caught up in, from the powerful emotion of the story to the sheer spectacle of everything on screen. It offers immersive production design and compelling practical effects, captured in the stunning widescreen cinematography by Russell Carpenter. Despite running over three hours, it’s also impeccably well paced, and moves like a runaway train.

This is a film that had a seismic cultural impact upon its release in December 1997 (I was too young to see it in theatres during the initial run, but do remember it being talked about), grossing over a billion dollars and winning eleven Oscars. After the massive, big budget production had its release date pushed back from the summer, the film perhaps seemed destined to fail, but would go on to soar instead. The fact that it continues to endure and hold up so well is a true testament to Cameron’s filmmaking, with him delivering an exceptionally entertaining, powerful, and moving experience.

The film itself deserves my highest recommendation, so I’m pleased to report that the 4K presentation does it justice. The 2160p 4K remaster (enhanced by Dolby Vision and a Dolby Atmos soundtrack) offers a sparkling image that highlights little details aboard the ship, with nice clarity on faces and the fabric of the costumes. It’s a satisfying and crisp filmic image that is a pleasure to watch.

Bonus Features (4K Ultra HD):

The 4K set also includes a number of new and legacy bonus features. The 4K disc itself has a trio of commentary tracks, and the set comes with a regular Blu-ray where the rest of the bonuses are held (over fifteen hours in total, the package boasts, if you add up all the commentary tracks).

4K Disc:

• Director Commentary by James Cameron (2005)

• Cast and Crew Commentary (2005)

• Historical Commentary by Don Lynch and Ken Marschall (2005)

Blu-ray Disc:

• Documentaries:

• Titanic: Stories From the Heart – New! (35 minutes, 58 seconds): Cameron, Winslet, and producer Jon Landau reflect on the production over two decades later in this enjoyable piece, sharing some stories from the set.

• Reflections on Titanic (Play All – 63 minutes, 46 seconds)

• Titanic: 25 Years Later With James Cameron (42 minutes, 6 seconds)

• Deleted Scenes:

• Deleted Scenes (Play All – 57 minutes, 28 seconds): Presented with optional commentary by James Cameron from 2005.

Production:

• Behind-The-Scenes Presentation Hosted by Jon Landau – New! (34 minutes, 13 seconds): Landau introduces this series of behind the scenes segments from the film.

• Additional Behind the Scenes (Play All – 34 minutes, 54 seconds)

• Deep-Dive Presentation Narrated by James Cameron (15 minutes, 31 seconds)

• $200,000,001: A Ship’s Odyssey (The Titanic Crew Video) (17 minutes, 54 seconds)

• Videomatics (Play All – 3 minutes, 14 seconds)

• Visual Effects (Play All – 7 minutes, 46 seconds)

Archives:

• Trailer Presentation Hosted by Jon Landau – New! (8 minutes, 16 seconds): Landau introduces two trailers for the film; Paramount’s original action-driven “John Woo” version, and the four minute version preferred by the filmmakers.

• Music Video “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion (4 minutes, 45 seconds)

• Still Galleries

• Credits (2005) (25 seconds)

Titanic is a Paramount Home Entertainment release. It’s 194 minutes and rated 14A.

Street Date: December 5th, 2023