You know when Titanic first came out I ignored it. I wasn't into DiCaprio and all the teen idol fuss over him just turned me right off seeing the film at all. I actually never did get to see it at the movies. But a few years later an elderly woman I knew who was very much like the fictional Rose Dawson in many ways gave me a FM Rose doll and lent me her copy of the DVD. Made me promise to sit down and watch it. If I did I'd get to keep the doll. It was $199 worth of gorgeous doll and I love Edwardian dress so I sat down one night with a bowl of crunchies in hand and a soda and watched it.
It wasn't the best movie ever, but it wasn't bad. It reminded me a lot of an old movie actually like something you'd expect to see Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in. Or maybe Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in if you added a few musical numbers. I enjoyed it and I actually now have a copy of the deluxe anniversary version from a few years ago that I think I picked up on Amazon for like $4.99. I can't say it's worth getting all gushy over but I don't think it's a bad film at all, and yes, I still have the Rose doll, a doll who's costumes would cost more than a day's pay if I were so inclined as to buy her any more of them. I think I like her more than I like the movie honestly, but the movie is worth a watch. I'm still thinking maybe of going to see it in 3D, just to finally see it on the big screen, but I'm just not too sure about the 3D bit. I'm not too sure I want to see that kind of effect in quite that depth. I have enough trouble getting myself on a boat as it is....
If you are curious you can see the doll and all her outfits here. She's a particularly well done specimen of the type of doll she is. The likeness to Winslet is excellent and the clothes are just lovely reproductions of the film costumes. I think this is half the reason I actually liked the movie. I have a real thing for fashion and for period clothes and say what you will about the movie itself the costume design for it was fantastic. The clothes they're actually better than the plot, IMHO. I have the red dress and the coral one. Came with the doll. I've never bought her any of the others though I've always rather coveted the blue velvet number with all the embroidery. They call that one the "flying" dress.
It's really quite a nice example of the type of dress women wore back then. There's an exhibit in NYC in the textiles museum with a bunch of clothes that people wore back then. Great exhibit if you're a fashion geek. I actually have a hat from that era in my collection of hats. It's all feathers and velvet, very fragile, but also very beautiful. The workmanship back then on clothing was just superb compared to what it is today. I don't wear it often because I don't want to ruin it but I have worn it a couple of times to theater related costume parties and I once used it as part of my costume in a production of "Hello Dolly" I was in.
Anyhow here's Rose. An example of the insane merchandising frenzy that surrounded the film, but a lovely one. I sure couldn't turn her down, shrug. Look at all the hand beading on that dress, and I've seen replicas of this dress on dolls (and people) that are even more detailed. Incredible stuff...
http://www.angelfire.com/wv2/titanic/MyRoseDollJumpDress.jpg
This gal seems to be a major Titanic fan. Interesting site actually....
Titanic "Never Let Go" - My Titanic Collection