I have an old co-worker turned friend that occasionally sends me gifs of Leonardo Dicaprio. This one is her personal favorite:
I can’t say I blame her, 90’s Leonardo DiCaprio was a time to behold. I remember in high school when I watched Titanic for the first time. My parents owned the VHS tapes and the curiosity was killing me. “It’s a sad movie!” everyone had said. “Jack dies!” Eventually, I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to know what happened.
So I did the deed and watched it. To my high school self, that was the first time I’d been exposed to such a spectacular, well-acclaimed film, not to mention long. Before then it’d been High School Musical and other various DCOMs.
Since its release, Titanic has won multiple accolades. It was the highest grossing film from 1997 to James Cameron’s Avatar in 2010. It was the first film to reach the billion-dollar mark. DiCaprio and Winslet’s portrayal as Jack and Rose was cemented in history.
The film houses many famous lines. In Netflix’s recent Red Notice I couldn’t help but be immensely amused by the name of Ryan Reynold’s boat: “We’re going to make it, Rose.”
And of course, who could forget the ultimate debate: could Jack have also fit on the door? Spoiler, Cameron debunked this debate years ago. A physics student himself, Cameron maintains that both Jack and Rose couldn’t both fit on the door due to buoyancy. Whether this is true or not, Jack’s death is still widely regarded as one of the most heart wrenching moments in film history.
Funny enough, since Titanic Dicaprio hasn’t played a fun, go lucky character a la Jack Dawson since, well, Jack Dawson (feel free to correct me if I’m wrong in the comments). DiCaprio has mentioned how at the time, he thought happy, optimistic Jack was too easy. Even today, DiCaprio is known for playing complex, brooding, even malicious characters. He’s a Scorpio man at his core, and he truly enjoys the emotional challenge of playing difficult characters.
Was Jack too easy?
Maybe he should’ve played brooding, troubled Rose instead. Wouldn’t that be cool? A reverse, of sorts? I could totally see Kate playing a female Jack-esque character.
DiCaprio was finally convinced because he figured that perhaps playing a fun, free-spirited character would be a challenge in of itself. Amazing, right?
The movie would go on to be a favorite throughout my entire teen hood. I learned a lot about filmmaking, symbolism, and storytelling from the James Cameron interviews and he’s still one of my favorite directors. The guy had very strong opinions about what he wanted in the film, and that is the most we could ever really ask from a film director. Who’d want to watch a movie from a director who’s a pushover?
The movie also ensued years of me endlessly playing Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On, making it my go-to song to play on both the guitar and piano. I was obsessed guys, and I only had 90’s Leonardo DiCaprio and his dirty blonde locks to blame.
Unpopular opinion: I find the dream sequence ending to be sadder than the moment Jack dies. We see the framed photos of Rose accomplishing everything Jack told her she would. Rose passes away, but her soul finds itself amidst the familiar halls and corridors of the Titanic. Everyone clapping and greeting her are those who had perished in the sinking. Finally, we see her climbing up the steps to none other than Jack, who takes her by the end and envelopes her into the light.
And the score during this moment? Breathtaking.
Bonus: The motel’s favorite scene
Because this blog is all about favorites, and for whatever reason I am good at choosing, my favorite scene would have to be Unable to Stay, Unwilling to Leave. It’s short, but pivotal, and encompasses all the emotions of the characters in one fell swoop.
But also, who could resist Leo’s gaze amidst the fireworks?
Other potential names for this post:
- Titanic (1997)
- The movie that made me and taught me everything I know
- The roots of my obsession with old things and Celine Dion
- Finally paying tribute to one of my favorite movies of all time
Black Coffee Motel 