After winning a trip on the RMS Titanic during a dockside card game, American Jack Dawson
spots the society girl Rose DeWitt Bukater who is on her way to Philadelphia to marry her
rich snob fiance Cal Hockley. Rose feels helplessly trapped by her situation and makes her
way to the aft deck and thinks of suicide until she is rescued by Jack. Cal is therefore
obliged to invite Jack to dine at their first-class table where he suffers through the slights of
his snobbish hosts. In return, he spirits Rose off to third class for an evening of dancing,
giving her the time of her life. Deciding to forsake her intended future all together, Rose
asks Jack, who has made his living making sketches on the streets of Paris, to draw her in
the nude wearing the invaluable blue diamond Cal has given her. Cal finds out and has Jack
locked away. Soon afterwards, the ship hits an iceberg and Rose must find Jack while both
must run from Cal even as the ship sinks deeper into the freezing water.
A special movie deserves a special release. Titanic is that special movie, but Amazon.com's limited Blu-ray 3D package isn't quite that
release.
It's a fairly impressive box to be sure, inside of which is a small but handsome hardbound photo book, various paper collectibles, and of course
the film
in all its four-disc Blu-ray glory, identical (slipcover and all) to that very same Blu-ray 3D set recently released and reviewed. The set is going for $75 on release day, a few less for those who
preordered. Sadly, it's just not a $75 set, nor is it even a $50 set. It's probably a $40-$45 set, truth be told, in terms of value added and
presentation.
Paramount and Amazon simply haven't added enough to warrant charging a price that's two-and-one-half times greater than the standalone
3D
release. The material herein is fine, but none of it -- even the handsome box -- warrants the hefty price tag.
Here's a breakdown of what's included:
Collectible Packaging: An attractive -- particularly when seen from across the room -- and sturdy box with raised nubs and
letters for
tactile benefit that replicates the look of the ship as seen from the port side, assuming the bow is to the left.
An upper lid removes completely to reveal the contents housed inside. The box measures nearly one foot in length, just a hair under eight
inches in
height, and exactly two inches deep. The box should hold up to casual use well enough, should buyers open it several times per year,
perhaps, to
remove the
discs, peruse the book, or take a look at the paper inserts.
Four-Disc Blu-ray 3D set: Identical to the 3D release. The slipcover is included.
Hardbound Photo Book: A fairly bland and disappointingly tiny and nearly textless 28-page hardbound coffee table book that
presents
still images from the film. The only text identifies the main character portraits at the beginning of the book. It measures 10 3/4" in length, 6
3/4"
in height, and well under 1/4" in thickness.
Replica Menu: A double-sided card that reproduces the Titanic's 2nd-class menu for the dates of April 11 and 14, 1912.
Reproduction S.O.S.: A single-sided glossy replica of the telegram sent from Titanic recounting her collision with the
iceberg
and her request for
immediate assistance.
Replica Voyage Pamphlet: A glossy, 21-page pamphlet that contains facts and figures as they concern the vessel's maiden
voyage from
Southampton and Cherbourg to New York (Via Queenstown). Included is the first-class passenger list, a notice pertaining to procedure
should the
ship dock at New York City during the evening or at night, other White Star Line ship schedules, and more.
Triple-Screw Steamer Pamphlet: A glossy foldout pamphlet that depicts the Titanic (also the sister ship Olympic)
on
one side and photographs of the ship's interiors on the other.
Replica Newspaper: An eight-page reproduction of The Daily Graphic's one-cent Titanic sinking special. Perhaps
the
most interesting extra in the box.
Character Post Cards: Each measures approximately 6.5x5 and features hand-drawn costuming sketches of Jack in Tuxedo,
Jack in
casual clothes, Rose in arrival costume, Rose in evening wear, Captain Smith, and Molly Brown.
Final Thoughts:
In short, this is a terribly disappointing set. It looks good -- great, even, from the outside -- but the beauty is only skin- (or cardboard, as
the case
may be) deep. The material included within makes for some truly nice and fascinating supplements, but they seem like either compliments to
a
greater set or the centerpieces of a lower-priced collection. Perhaps including the two-disc DVD that was only included in the standalone 2D Blu-ray release, a copy of the CD Soundtrack, and even a miniature
replica of the vessel might have made this a more attractive and collectible release. Certainly, diehard fans will want to make sure to add
this set to
their collections, but casual fans should save the extra money and buy a few other
James Cameron Blu-ray releases, such as the upcoming wide Avatar 3D release.
It appears the US will also get a Paramount Collector's Edition of James Cameron's
Titanic 3D
(1997), as it has shown up as available for pre-order from Amazon
simultaneously with the standard Blu-ray editions of the movie. The Collector's Edition contains ...
Titanic 3D Collectors Edition Blu-ray, Forum Discussions
