Raise the Titanic & Man Friday [DVD] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

Both movies on this DVD are entertaining and stand on their own merits, but the reason I bought this was to see Raise the Titanic again. Like many fans of this movie, I look forward to a restored/enhanced/widescreen treatment one day. Although this is not it, I was appreciative of the fact that the movie looks acceptable on this DVD. It's fullscreen with widescreen credits, no real cleanup as evident by a moderate degree of speckling and faded color, and weak stereo audio with limited range. But at least it isn't as low as the quality of the GoodTimes series of DVD releases. For the price, this was acceptable, and it was nice to see this movie again. In the meantime, I still look forward to seeing an enhanced widescreen version someday.

As far as Man Friday, same comments.

Both are enjoyable movies with excellent acting and great stories. And with the low price, very worth the purchase even for basic fullscreen copies.

Now get to work on the enhanced versions please.

RAISE THE TITANIC is one of the most underrated maritime classic films of all time. This is due to greatly to the magnificent heartfelt score by John Barry. This has got to be one of the best scores ever composed for a motion picture. There is more emotion packed into this score than anything that John Barry has ever composed. Perhaps because the catalyst of the this story was based on a real life tragedy that has taken on legendary proportions I think Barry discarded the script and let the various symbols of that ship and events inspire him. The score never seems to lose sight of the grandeur of the ship, the tragedy and the power of the sea. In a way the score is a melancholy tribute to those through their dearest sacrifices that learn that man can never control nature but instead must learn to respect it. Somehow you just can't help but think that John Barry was really moved by that legendary ship which inspired this classic film.

I purchased this DVD primarily to get a copy of RAISE THE TITANIC in this format. It is not the best transfer of this film. Some scenes are grainy and the stereo sound is right on the fringe of even being called stereo. However there are stereo elements there and you will just have to play with your receiver to maximize the effect. I threw the sounds through my rear speakers to achieve the best effect I could manage. However, I like RAISE THE TITANIC and this copy is actually very viewable and I can recommend it as the best DVD copy out there at this time designed for Region 1. Just savor the moment.

There is something about RAISE THE TITANIC that continues to draw me to it. If I were unbiased I know that this is not one of the best films ever made and is probably not even considered a good film by many. However, beyond two scenes that I actually consider good filmmaking, there is a hokey but appealing quality to this film that I cannot seem to shake. I still remember the first time I saw RAISE THE TITANIC. What impressed me most about the entire film was its prologue. It was a montage of black & white photographs depicting the construction, the launching and the setting sail of the Titanic on its maiden voyage. The montage was accompanied by a hauntingly beautiful piece of music composed by John Barry. In this short yet effective composition John Barry captured the majesty of the Titanic, the romanticism of the sea and the mystique of Britain's maritime heritage in what I consider to be one of the best pieces of film scoring that I ever heard. John Barry's score seems more inspired by the actual tragedy of the Titanic and the unknown dangers of the cold Atlantic waters. Despite the shortcomings of the film, which can probably be attributed to weak editing and not necessarily the script, John Barry's music remains focused on the ship and the sentimentality its tragedy holds for Richard Jordan and Alec Guinness. Jordan and Guinness seem to be quixotically tied to the sea. The scene where Alec Guinness reminisces over his experiences aboard the sinking of the Titanic is a haunting and beautiful piece of histrionics. Guinness' heartbreaking sentimentality as he reverently hands over to Jordan the flag he took from the sinking Titanic many years before is one of the best pieces of film I have ever seen. Alec Guinness and Richard Jordan's performances and John Barry's score in this scene are truly heartfelt renderings by these craftsmen and stand as a genuine memoriam to the actual tragedy. This scene and the prologue really touched me and for that reason I always have enjoyed this film and it remains one of my favorites.

I have not watched this film in a while and I am very impressed by Richard Jordan's performance. This man died much too young and this film almost seems like a tribute to an actor who deserved much greater recognition. He gives a performance of determination tempered with a dedication to the memory of the TITANIC and is sincerely convincing as a man of strength who has braved the elements of the cruel Atlantic yet maintains a reverence for the perils of the sea and those who succumbed to those perils. I can't say any more.