Editing Titanic (1997 film) (section)

===Retrospective===
According to Dalin Rowell of ''[[/Film]]'', "With complaints about its lengthy runtime, observations that certain characters could have easily fit onto pieces of floating furniture, and jokes about its melodramatic nature, ''Titanic'' is no stranger to modern-day criticism."<ref name="rowell">{{cite web | url=https://www.slashfilm.com/617886/every-james-cameron-film-ranked-from-worst-to-best/ | title=Every James Cameron Film Ranked From Worst To Best | work=[[/Film]] | first=Dalin | last=Rowell | date=September 28, 2021 | access-date=November 20, 2021 | archive-date=October 27, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027075000/https://www.slashfilm.com/617886/every-james-cameron-film-ranked-from-worst-to-best/ | url-status=live }}</ref> In 2002, filmmaker [[Robert Altman]] called it "the most dreadful piece of work I've ever seen in my entire life".<ref>{{cite news|last=Friedman|first=Roger|title=Altman: Titanic Worst Movie Ever|publisher=[[Fox News Channel]]|date=March 23, 2002|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/altman-titanic-worst-movie-ever|access-date=December 2, 2008|archive-date=December 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219072506/https://www.foxnews.com/story/altman-titanic-worst-movie-ever|url-status=live}}</ref> Similarly, [[French New Wave]] director and former ''[[Cahiers du Cinéma]]'' editor [[Jacques Rivette]] referred to it as "garbage" in a 1998 interview with [[Frédéric Bonnaud]] and was particularly critical of Winslet's performance, who he said was "unwatchable, the most slovenly girl to appear on the screen in a long, long time."<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bonnaud |first1=Frédéric |title=The Captive Lover – An Interview with Jacques Rivette |url=https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2001/jacques-rivette/rivette-2/ |website=Senses of Cinema |date=October 28, 2004 |access-date=18 August 2022 |archive-date=August 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220818042449/https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2001/jacques-rivette/rivette-2/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2003, the film topped a poll of "Best Film Endings",<ref>{{cite news | title = Titanic voted 'best' film ending | work = BBC News | date = October 15, 2003 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3194176.stm | access-date = June 15, 2007 | archive-date = March 17, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070317035318/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3194176.stm | url-status = live }}</ref> but it also topped a poll by ''[[Film 2003]]'' as "the worst movie of all time".<ref>{{cite news | title = ''Titanic'' sinks in worst film poll | work = BBC News | date = November 5, 2003 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3242607.stm | access-date = June 15, 2007 | archive-date = March 2, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070302082215/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3242607.stm | url-status = live }}</ref>

In his 2012 study of the lives of the passengers on the ''Titanic'', historian [[Richard Davenport-Hines]] said, "Cameron's film diabolized rich Americans and educated English, anathematizing their emotional restraint, good tailoring, punctilious manners and grammatical training, while it made [[romantic hero]]es of the poor Irish and the unlettered."<ref>{{cite book|last=Davenport-Hines|first=Richard|title=Titanic Lives: Migrants and Millionaires, Conmen and Crew|year=2012|publisher=HarperCollins|location=UK}}</ref> The British film magazine ''[[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]]'' reduced their rating of the film from the maximum five stars and an enthusiastic review, to four stars with a less positive review in a later edition, to accommodate its readers' tastes, who wanted to disassociate themselves from the hype surrounding the film, and the reported activities of its fans, such as those attending multiple screenings.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.5204/mcj.2423 |doi-access=free |last=Stephenson |first=John-Paul |date=October 2005 |title=Reviewing Symbolic Capital |journal=M/C Journal |volume=8 |issue=5 |url=http://journal.media-culture.org.au/0510/06-stephenson.php |access-date=September 11, 2009 |archive-date=October 7, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007172335/http://journal.media-culture.org.au/0510/06-stephenson.php |url-status=live  | issn = 1441-2616 }}</ref> In addition to this, positive and negative parodies and other such spoofs of the film abounded and were circulated on the internet, often inspiring passionate responses from fans of various opinions of the film.<ref>{{cite news | title = Clash of the Titanic | url = http://www.ericdsnider.com/snide/clash-of-the-titanic | access-date = October 14, 2007 | archive-date = October 17, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071017020427/http://www.ericdsnider.com/snide/clash-of-the-titanic | url-status = live }}</ref> Benjamin Willcock of DVDActive.com did not understand the backlash or the passionate hatred for the film. "What really irks me{{nbsp}}...," he said, "are those who make nasty stabs at those who do love it." Willcock stated, "I obviously don't have anything against those who dislike ''Titanic'', but those few who make you feel small and pathetic for doing so (and they do exist, trust me) are way beyond my understanding and sympathy."<ref name="www.dvdactive.com" />

In 1998, Cameron responded to the backlash, and Kenneth Turan's review in particular, by writing "''Titanic'' is not a film that is sucking people in with flashy hype and spitting them out onto the street feeling let down and ripped off. They are returning again and again to repeat an experience that is taking a 3-hour and 14-minute chunk out of their lives, and dragging others with them, so they can share the emotion." Cameron emphasized that people from all ages (ranging from 8 to 80) and from all backgrounds were "celebrating their own essential humanity" by seeing it. He described the script as earnest and straightforward, and said it intentionally "incorporates universals of human experience and emotion that are timeless – and familiar because they reflect our basic emotional fabric" and that the film was able to succeed in this way by dealing with [[archetype]]s. He did not see it as pandering. "Turan mistakes archetype for cliché," he said. "I don't share his view that the best scripts are only the ones that explore the perimeter of human experience, or flashily pirouette their witty and cynical dialogue for our admiration."<ref name="Los Angeles Times">{{cite news|title=He's Mad as Hell at Turan. James Cameron Gets the Last Word on Our Critic's 'Titanic'|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=March 28, 1998|access-date=February 22, 2010|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-mar-28-ca-33428-story.html|archive-date=March 26, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100326202354/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/mar/28/entertainment/ca-33428|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2000, Almar Haflidason of the [[BBC]] wrote that "the critical knives were out long before James Cameron's ''Titanic'' was complete. Spiralling costs that led to it becoming the most expensive motion picture of the 20th Century, and a cast without any big stars seemed to doom the film before release. But box office and audience appreciation proved Cameron right and many critics wrong." He added that "the sinking of the great ship is no secret, yet for many exceeded expectations in sheer scale and tragedy" and that "when you consider that [the film] tops a bum-numbing three-hour running time, then you have a truly impressive feat of entertainment achieved by Cameron".<ref>{{cite web|title=Titanic (1997)|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2000/12/19/titanic_1997_review.shtml|publisher=BBC|last=Haflidason|first=Almar|date=August 2007|access-date=December 26, 2008|archive-date=January 2, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090102212402/http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2000/12/19/titanic_1997_review.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Empire'' eventually reinstated its original five-star rating of the film, commenting: "It should be no surprise[,] then[,] that it became fashionable to bash James Cameron's ''Titanic'' at approximately the same time it became clear that this was the planet's favourite film. Ever."<ref>{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Adam|title=Review of Titanic|date=January 2000 |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/empire-essay-titanic-review/|publisher=Bauer Consumer Media|access-date=September 15, 2019|archive-date=December 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219074005/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/empire-essay-titanic-review/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2017, on the 20th anniversary of its release, the film was selected for preservation in the United States [[National Film Registry]] by the [[Library of Congress]] as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".<ref name="NFR">{{Cite news |title=2017 National Film Registry Is More Than a 'Field of Dreams' |url=https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-17-178/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213180919/https://www.loc.gov/item/prn-17-178/ |archive-date=December 13, 2017 |access-date=December 13, 2017 |work=The Library of Congress |language=en}}</ref> The same year, Cameron reviewed the accuracy of the film for the [[National Geographic (American TV channel)|National Geographic]] program ''Titanic: 20 Years Later with James Cameron''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Titanic: 20 Years Later With James Cameron |url=https://www.disneyplus.com/movies/titanic-20-years-later-with-james-cameron/133QEwnfPqw5 |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=www.disneyplus.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=9 things we learned from 'Titanic: 20 Years Later With James Cameron' |url=https://ew.com/tv/2017/11/26/titanic-20-years-later-james-cameron-what-we-learned/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=EW.com |language=en}}</ref>

The film's climax has sparked many debates over the years on whether both Jack and Rose should have been able to fit on the floating door and survive, becoming among the most talked about aspects of the film.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=2019-07-16 |title=A Timeline of the 'Could Jack Have Fit on the Titanic Door' Debate |url=https://time.com/5627345/titanic-door-scene-debate/ |access-date=2024-03-23 |magazine=TIME |language=en |archive-date=March 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240323041635/https://time.com/5627345/titanic-door-scene-debate/ |url-status=live}}</ref> While at the time of the film's 20th anniversary Cameron stated that it was "kind of silly, really, that we’re having this discussion 20 years later,"<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Keegan |first=Rebecca |date=2017-11-26 |title=James Cameron on Titanic's Legacy, the Avatar Sequels' Progress, and the Impact of a Fox Studio Sale |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/11/james-cameron-titanic-20th-anniversary-avatar-terminator-fox-studios-sale |access-date=2025-01-18 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}</ref> in 2023 he conducted a study for the film's 25th anniversary that aired as part of an updated National Geographic retrospective, which suggested it was possible but unlikely and depended on numerous variables.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Watch James Cameron recreate 'Titanic' floating door scene to see if Jack fit with Rose |url=https://ew.com/movies/james-cameron-recreates-titanic-floating-door-scene-jack-fit-with-rose/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240323041635/https://ew.com/movies/james-cameron-recreates-titanic-floating-door-scene-jack-fit-with-rose/ |archive-date=March 23, 2024 |access-date=2024-03-23 |website=EW.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jXHFEy-ibc |title=Titanic: 25 Years Later with James Cameron (Full Episode) {{!}} SPECIAL |date=2023-03-05 |last=National Geographic |access-date=2025-01-18 |via=YouTube}}</ref>, after a previous test  had been conducted in 2012 by [[MythBusters|''MythBusters''.]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=James Cameron conducted forensic analysis to prove Jack's 'Titanic' death: 'He needed to die' |url=https://ew.com/movies/james-cameron-titanic-jack-death-forensic-analysis/ |access-date=2025-01-18 |website=EW.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVgkvaDHmto |title=Titanic Survival Results {{!}} MythBusters |date=2012-10-16 |last=Discovery |access-date=2025-01-18 |via=YouTube}}</ref> 

It was listed among the 100 best films in an ''Empire'' poll and in a later poll of members of the film industry.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/best-movies/|title=The 100 Greatest Movies|date=March 20, 2018|website=Empire|access-date=April 25, 2019|archive-date=October 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181013202030/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/best-movies/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/100-best-films-ever-hollywood-favorites-818512/item/vertigo-hollywoods-100-favorite-films-818447|title=Vertigo – Hollywood's 100 Favorite Films|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=June 25, 2014|access-date=April 25, 2019|archive-date=April 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190425060530/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/100-best-films-ever-hollywood-favorites-818512/item/vertigo-hollywoods-100-favorite-films-818447|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2021, Dalin Rowell of ''/Film'' ranked it the third-best film of Cameron's career, stating that it is "easily one of his best films, simply because it defied the odds", and considering it "a legitimately remarkable achievement — one that, despite its large budget, has a humble, earnest center. Even with all of the jokes the Internet loves to throw its way, ''Titanic'' demonstrates that Cameron is truly capable of everything he can imagine."<ref name="rowell" />

In 2024, ''[[Looper (website)|Looper]]'' ranked it number 44 on its list of the "50 Best PG-13 Movies of All Time," writing {{blockquote|Cameron's immersive visuals, achieved using groundbreaking special effects, transport viewers back in time to the opulence of the Titanic and the heart-wrenching chaos of its final hours. The sheer grandness of the film, combined with its tragic tale, pushed the boundaries of storytelling and visual effects, paving the way for future blockbusters.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.looper.com/806086/best-pg-13-movies-of-all-time-ranked/ | title=50 Best PG-13 Movies Of All Time Ranked | website=Looper | date=October 3, 2024 }}</ref>}}