Titanic (25th anniversary 3D re-release)

Titanic... I watched this movie several times (I think five) when it first screened. The movie was originally released in December 1997, and I think I caught it a few times between end 1997 and early 1998. So when I heard that it was being re-released in Japanese cinemas for its 25th anniversary, I was interested in catching it again.

The 3D remastered version started showing in Japanese cinemas on 10 February 2023, and was scheduled for a two week run. Due to work, I had not been able to catch it. Until today, the last day of its 25th anniversary re-release. Phew!

The movie was showing in 3D, IMAX 3D, and Dolby 3D. I was very interested in the Dolby 3D version, but I guess so was everyone else. Because every time I tried to book tickets, it would be fully booked. In the end, I gave up and settled with the 3D version. Guess this makes it six.

Today is a public holiday in Japan, and the show I caught was the first for today, in the morning at 8:50 a.m. Still, the cinema was bustling with people when I arrived, and I soon knew why. The screen, which could house 420 viewers, was full. Everyone was here to see the Titanic. Wow...

As someone who used to work on ships, the shipboard scenes were familiar, and the scenes of the ship sinking were... disturbing. A bit too real. And just like how some of those scenes affected me 25 years ago, I found tears in my eyes this time too. Even by today's standards, I think the visual effects are amazing, which says a lot since this film was released 25 years ago. But it is not just about the visual effects. A good movie is enjoyable, both in sight and sound. A great movie, is memorable because it uses sight and sound to convey a strong story that is enhanced by proper music scoring. I think this is what sets Titanic apart from the rest.

This is definitely a film with rewatch value, although at 195 minutes (that's more than 3 hours!), it is not easy to find the time to keep watching it again and again. Still, I am glad that I made the trip this time to catch this great movie on the big screen again.