Capella University
HUM_FPX 1150
Professor Name
November 2024
History in the Movie, Fact or Fiction
History-telling movies always occupy a special position in the film industry because this kind of movie covers real-life events and intrigues people with its cinematographic representation of history. They present the audience with history as well as different cultures, all in the course of entertaining the audience. Still, the matter of blending archaic plot lines with creative presentation always calls for issues in terms of reality emulation by movies (Lynn, 2023). While some of the Films are Historical and seek to get as close to recreating the event and time authentically as possible, others bend the history to bring out some messages or emotions. In understanding historical films as a form of narrative, we will be able to understand how cinema constructs such perceptions and what values and anxieties the cinema reflects from contemporary culture.
Movie Synopsis
The film features the old Rose Dawson as she is taken on a trip to the site of the wreckage by Lovett’s team along with her granddaughter. I believe the upper decks of the ship and lower decks are commoners representing the interior and exterior view during the movie to represent the two different worlds of the elite and the lower class (Han, 2023). Thus, while the gangway and stairwells, corridors, and passageways of the steamer’s upper decks that the film depicts in intricate details reflect the grand lower-class dining and meeting spaces and grander still the dinner and reception rooms and drawing rooms of the first- and second-class passengers. Such division represents the actual structure of the society in the early twentieth century, emphasizing the Titanic replication of the society.
Analysis of the Film
It is impossible to ignore the strong aspect of mise-en-scène in the film observing audience, convincing details in the set and costumes as well as the makeup correspondingly intensifying the sense of both romance and tragedy (Carlsten & McGarry, 2015). Employing techniques in motion pictures to show light in appropriate dark or light environments the filmmakers effectively contrast between the glamorous colored parts of the upper-class people and the dimly lit, cramped places of the lower-class people. The deliberate inversion of this color, which radiates emotion, signifies the decrease in and differences in handling and opportunities inherent in different classes on the Titanic.
Describing the technologies used in filmmaking, the film illustrates the tight emotions caused by the sinking of the Titanic, the concept of love and sacrifice, and the concept of survival. The contrast between the lower and the higher class is brought out clearly in that the lower-class people are seen dancing, and singing country music while the high-class characters are seen listening to violin and piano collegiate music (Cattrysse, 2018). The difference explained not only the culture that prevailed among each class but also the limited access that individuals belonging to the lower class had to the services of the Titanic; as a result, the creator of the film got it right by depicting the class prejudice that was evident on the Titanic.
Impact on Public Perception
The film Titanic came out in 1997 not in 1942 it helped the audiences come to know the actual accident of the real Titanic in 1912 and raised the issues regarding ship safety a concern once again. People had an imbalance of inadequate maintenance to the historical failings that arose in the film and the construction of the Titanic. For instance, it pointed at poor material used in constructing the vessel, which could have made the boat sink quickly (Praveen et al., 2022). The debate involving the move germinated about the current laws regarding ship safety and the call for improvement in design and the quality of material to be used for building ships to minimize risks of a repeat of the disaster.
In this way, Titanic also helped to reveal several aspects of maritime history, thereby emphasizing the need for improvement of safety measures. While reminiscing and analyzing the factors that led to the disaster and the faulty design and construction of Titanic the broad public and social media prompted the discussions and debates to raise and enhance the structural and safety issues of passenger carriers ships.
Proposed Enhancements to the Film
It might have been helpful to add references to double-hull steel construction, in which an additional skin gives an additional layer of protection as the exterior cover between the exterior and interior chambers of a ship (Krause et al., 2020). These design improvements, coupled with fully sealed bolted bulkheads can be presented as being better than the single hull design as was in the Titanic where breaches and leaks led to its quick sinking. These technical enhancements could provide reality to the film, as part of the development in marine engineering which was afterward achieved because of the sinking of the Titanic (Lundh et al., 2023). To recognize these enhancements would not only further embellish the tragedy, but also demonstrate the advances in technological and legislative requirements in the shipbuilding industry’s safety standards.
Moreover, concerning provisions and sufficiency of life-saving facilities, the film could have referred to the post-Titanic maritime safety conventions, regulations, and guidelines shall be provided. Stressing such improvements would help to emphasize the enlightenment mission of the film as it would show that the maritime business is committed to increasing the safety of passengers.
HIS FPX 1150 Assessment 5 Conclusion
Titanic can both be regarded as a movie for fun and a movie that encourages people to learn more about maritime and non-maritime aspects, general issues of class, and privilege (Cattrysse, 20180. Among the important aspects of the film, historical events come closer to the modern world and, thus, make a viewer think about identifying strict safety requirements and ethical standards in engineering. Resorting to precautions, artistic sensationalism, social justice, and the mission of a filmmaker to tell a realistic history yet entice people, Titanic is still shaping discussions around disaster management, equality, and the use of history in filmmaking.
HIS FPX 1150 Assessment 5 References
Carlsten, J.M. & McGarry, F.. (2015). Film, history, and memory. 10.1057/9781137468956. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/299001720_Film_History_and_Memory
Cattrysse, Patrick. (2018). The study of historical films as adaptation: some critical reflections: scripting real lives. 10.1007/978-3-319-97322-7_2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327896047_The_Study_of_Historical_Films_as_Adaptation_Some_Critical_Reflections_Scripting_Real_Lives
Han, Xiao. (2023). The impact of feminism and the outlook for its development: a case study of the film Titanic. lecture notes in education psychology and public media. 31. 116-120. 10.54254/2753-7048/31/20231868. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/376307216_The_Impact_of_Feminism_and_the_Outlook_for_Its_Development_A_Case_Study_of_the_Film_Titanic
Krause, Matthias & Paboeuf, Stephane & Bruijn, Arnold & Elenbaas, Marcel & Buechler, Dirk & Vinot, Patrice. (2020). Demonstrating the use of advanced materials and rethinking the innovation process in shipbuilding -Results of the RAMSES project. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339827592_Demonstrating_the_use_of_advanced_materials_and_rethinking_the_innovation_process_in_shipbuilding_-Results_of_the_RAMSSES_project
Lynn, Hadrian. (2023). The Impact of film on culture: reflections on the movie industry, violent impact, and politicized content production. communications in humanities research. 13. 288-293.10.54254/2753-7064/13/20230366. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/375767695_The_Impact_of_Film_on_Culture_Reflections_on_Movie_Industry_Violent_Impact_and_Politicized_Content_Production
Lundh, Monica & Palmen, Christina & Hüffmeier, Johannes & MacKinnon, Scott. (2023). The impact of digitalization on maritime safety and the work environment of the crew. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/374415587_The_Impact_of_Digitalization_on_Maritime_Safety_and_the_Work_Environment_of_the_Crew
Praveen, C. K., & Srinivasan, K. (2022). Psychological impact and influence of animation on viewer’s visual attention and cognition: a systematic literature review, open challenges, and future research directions. Computational and Mathematical Methods in Medicine, 2022, 8802542. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/8802542
