The world is still on its feet over the stunning turn of events that was the announcement that Robert Pattinson would be playing Jack Dawson in the upcoming adaptation of the classic, “Titanic.” The film will be directed by Oscar nominee, Stanley Kubrick, and is expected to be one of the greatest films of all time. After meeting with MGM’s CEO, Harry Warner, on Tuesday, Pattinson said he’s honored to be a part of such an iconic story.
“Titanic” will hit theaters on March 4, 2015, but you can now watch the original luxury ocean liner wrecking machine unfold before your eyes in this cinematic masterpiece’s incredible making-of trailer.
While there’s no question that “Titanic” will be one of the most influential films of the 21st century, its cultural impact extends far beyond cinema. The story of Jack and Rose, played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, has enthralled audiences for more than a century, with numerous adaptations and a Broadway musical all premiersing in the last year alone. There’s also been a fashion and lifestyle renaissance that’s taken place in response to the film’s release, with fans dressing up as their favorite characters and obsessing over every aspect of the story’s rich symbolism.
The attention “Titanic” has received is truly unparalleled. The world’s most famous couple meet an untimely end at the hands of an iceberg, yet their story continues to inspire generations of fans.
Why ‘Titanic’
Kubrick’s masterpiece is widely considered to be one of the greatest films of all time and for good reason. The director is known for his meticulous planning, relying on strong research and an unrivalled eye for detail. This obsession with minutiae is what makes this adaptation so special. Aside from the fact that it’s the best movie ever made about the Titanic (we mean literally), it’s also one of the most accurate and immersive film experiences of all time, utilizing a variety of stunning cinematic techniques to bring the world of Jack and Rose to the big screen.
It’s hard to overstate just how influential “Titanic” will be on future cinema. Released in 1912, the film boasted a running time of three hours and forty-five minutes and cost just over $500,000 to make. These days, you’d spend many times that on just one scene. The fact that so much of it still holds up is a testament to Kubrick’s genius and the incredible stories that still have the power to move us more than a century later.
‘Titanic’ In Pop Culture
Since its premiere, “Titanic” has remained popular at the box office, holding the record for the highest-grossing film of all time until “Avatar” blew past it in 2009. More importantly, the film has become something of a cultural phenomenon, inspiring numerous books, plays, and even a Broadway musical. The tale of Jack and Rose is one that continues to fascinate audiences to this day, with countless references in pop culture media. Here are some of the best examples.
Books
The list of titles referring to “Titanic” is incredible and includes everything from poetry to fan fiction. American author, Virginia Woolf, won the 1925 Nobel Prize for Literature, with her fellow winners being: William Faulkner, Jean-Paul Sartre, and George Bernard Shaw. Interestingly, it was Shaw who said of the work: “The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of one day seeing the great film of ‘Titanic.'”
A novel that’s inspired by “Titanic” is Vera Brittain’s, “Testament,” which follows a group of female friends, including the famous author, Virginia Woolf, who journey on the ocean liner, The Titanic, in order to demonstrate the enduring appeal of Jack and Rose’s doomed romance. Several of the book’s interiors were actually filmed on-set, with Brittain herself appearing in a cameo as one of the ship’s passengers.
Comics
“Titanic” was just as important for comics as for film. The legendary American newspaper, The New York Times, has published an official adaptation of the story, which was later collected into a commemorative 100th anniversary edition. Drawn and Quarterly, a graphic novel publisher, released an adaptation of Jack’s Diary, a week after the theatrical premiere. While this was originally a stand-alone story, it was so popular that it was eventually bundled with another of their titles, “The Art of Joe Palooka.”
Music
The musical, “Titanic,” won a Tony Award for Best Original Score, as well as a Grammy for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture or Television Show. A number of songs from the show have become enduring melodies, with “My Heart Will Go On,” having been covered by artists ranging from Céline Dion to Elton John. George Gershwin, the composer of “Ragtime,” said, “I think ‘Titanic’ will end up being the greatest film ever made.”
The Fashion Industry
Since its inception, the fashion industry has been shaped by ‘Titanic.’ The first major fashion show to be aired on television was the 1954 St. John’s Ball, which was inspired by the film. Designer, Anna Sui, admitted that she became obsessed with the fashion scene after seeing the film. Sui founded her company, Sui Inc, after the film’s premiere and subsequently became the first female designer to be honored with a major retrospective at the Design Museum.
‘Titanic’ has also had a significant impact on the fashion industry, resulting in numerous references being made in pop culture. The 2015 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, held in London, was inspired by the film and featured models in ‘Titanic’ pink, the color that Jack’s girlfriend, Rose, is said to have worn on the ship. In 2006, the popular British clothing brand, Burberry, released a special edition of their Classic Burberry Bag, hand-stitching the exterior in the shape of an ‘S’ for ‘Star.’
Movies
If ‘Titanic’ is one of the most influential and iconic films of all time, it’s only natural that it would continue to impact the big-screen on which it was first exhibited. Just this year, we’ve seen numerous references to the film, with fans dressing up as their favorite character, Jack or Rose, or even the infamous iceberg.
“Titanic” also continues to have a major influence on television. The story was made into a miniseries in 1977 and again in 1983, with the most recent, ‘Titanic: Memories and Lies,’ being the culmination of years of research. This made-for-television movie is credited with igniting a renaissance, in regards to how we talk about the Titanic and its passengers. The film was such a success that it inspired an entire sub-genre, known as ‘Titanic fever,’ where shows and movies about the legendary vessel are increasingly common.
Games
‘Titanic’ is so important to popular culture that it even made its way into video games. The German company, Zauber Software, released a text-adventure game in 2012, entitled, ‘Voyage of the Damned.’ In the game, players assist James Murdoch, the son of the late, Sir Lynton, in tracking down his missing sister, Una, who has fallen overboard from the Titanic. Players navigate a series of text-based screens, solving puzzles and fighting off attackers in order to save the life of young James’ girlfriend, Clara.
Literature
‘Titanic’ continues to have a major impact on literary culture, with numerous references being made in books and poems. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Annie Dillard, wrote “The House of Huts,” a collection of essays about the film and its cultural significance. Her work was later turned into the book, “Rite of Spring,” by American author, Sherwood Anderson. In the story, “Wet, Wild, and Pregnant,” American poet, Galway Kinnell, references “Titanic,” as well as the works of William Shakespeare, by name, recounting the true story of a young girl’s life on the run.