Titanic (1997) DVD Release

Titanic (1997) DVD – 2005 Release

Page Updates

04 Jun 2006: Last update for this page… (Besides my reviews which I’ve yet find time to complete… I’ll try…)

Finally after 9 months of Titanic’s new DVD release back in October 2005, I’ve finally found time to do a last update to this page, sort of a “closure” to the entire excitement while waiting for the high definition release of Titanic (1997) to be released.

Click here to watch the 5-minute official second DVD release trailer for Japan (The trailer actually gives snippets of almost all the extra materials the 3-disc DVD that has been released in Japan will contain). I guess it will be fun to watch the trailer because coincidentally, the Titanic (1997) movie success story all started when it first premiered in Japan in 1997.

Official site for promoting the Japanese release of the Titanic Ultimate Edition (3-disc) DVD can be accessed by clicking here. The video trailer for the Japanese release can be viewed here. (All of the details are written in Japanese. This DVD release is the same as the 3-disc edition for Region 1 except for the labelling and disc artwork, the contents are the same).

23 Dec 2005: My DVD Review Schedule…

Part 1: Prelude & DVD Packaging Review

Part 2: Film Review

Part 3: Feature Film Video & Audio Presentation Review

Part 4: Disc One & Two Supplemental Materials Review

Part 5: Disc Three Supplemental Materials Review

Part 6: Overall Grading & Comments

A. A Short Introduction

Having garnered 11 Academy Awards in 1998, a reported production budget of over US$200 million (thus making news headlines in 1997) and earning over US$1 billion in box-office receipts worldwide (quite a percentage of those are due to repeated theatrical viewings), Titanic (1997) has finally been given the enhanced DVD edition many have been looking for. Having “suffered” a mediocre vanilla (single) DVD release in 1999, the title has finally been given better treatment (better film-to-video transfer and extensive bonus materials) by Paramount Home Entertainment for Region 1 or regions using the NTSC video system and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (Other regions or regions using the PAL video system) before 2005 ends.

B. Full International DVD Release Details

i. Paramount Home Entertainment will be releasing a single 3-disc Special Collector’s Edition (SCE) for Region 1 (US) whilst Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will be releasing 2 editions: 2-disc Special Edition (SE) and 4-disc Deluxe/Definitive Collector’s Edition (DCE) for the international markets.

ii. DVD Release Dates Table for the 3-disc SCE for Region 1 and 4-disc DCE for Region 2 / Region 4.

NTSC Regions (Regions 1, 2, 3)

PAL Regions (Regions 2, 4)

Editions

o 3-disc SCE

o 2-disc SE

o 4-disc DCE

Release Dates

Released (U.S.)

Released (SE-Asia / Hong Kong)

Released (Korea)

Released (Japan)

Released (Mexico)

Released (Sweden)

Released (Italy)

Released (UK)

Released (Brazil)

Released (France)

Released (Australia)

Released (Netherlands)

Released (Belgium)

Released (Germany and Spain)

On Main Feature Discs (Discs 1 & 2) of 2-disc SE (R2/R4) and 4-disc DCE (R2/R4)

Disc One & Two
Main Feature Video	16 x 9 Anamorphic Widescreen 2.35:1 (Enhanced for Widescreens TVs)
Main Feature Audio*
	2.0 Surround (English)	5.1 EX (English)	6.1 (English)
Bonus Materials	3 AUDIO COMMENTARIES WITH DIRECTOR, JAMES CAMERON (Run Time 194m 46s) CAST (Kate Winslet, Gloria Stuart and more with the exception of Leonardo DiCaprio) AND CREW (Producer Jon Landau and Executive Producer Rae Sanchini) (Run Time 153m 47s) HISTORICAL LOOK ON TITANIC BY DON LYNCH & KEN MARSCHALL (Run Time 194 min 46s) BEHIND THE SCENES FOOTAGE VIA BRANCHING (Run Time 62m 16s) / Spread over first 2 feature discs. POD 01 - DEEP DIVE POD 02 - UPSIDE-DOWN - WRECK MINIATURE POD 03 - ESCONDIDO UNDERWATER SET POD 04 - TWO ROSES POD 05 - SINKING SIMULATION POD 06 - 1912 - MORPH TRANSITION VFX POD 07 - SOUTHAMPTON FLOP POD 08 - A VIEW FROM THE PUB VFX POD 09 - LEAVING PORT VFX POD 10 - MELTING POT POD 11 - THE MILLIONAIRE'S SUITE POD 12 - THE ENGINE ROOM POD 13 - TITANIC AT SEA POD 14 - DIGITAL PEOPLE POD 15 - THE MILLION DOLLAR SHOT POD 16 - THE BIG EXTERIOR SHIP SET POD 17 - ROSE SUICIDE POD 18 - BIG SHIP SET VFX POD 19 - TUX STORY POD 20 - THE GRAND STAIRCASE POD 21 - COSTUME DESIGN POD 22 - FIRST CLASS DINING ROOM POD 23 - DINNER SHOOT POD 24 - THIRD CLASS PARTY POD 25 - A WOMAN'S PLACE POD 26 - THE ETIQUETTE KID POD 27 - THE BOILER ROOM POD 28 - FLOODING HOLD MINIATURE POD 29 - ICEBERG/DECK VFX POD 30 - BOILER ROOM FLOODING POD 31 - FIRST CLASS LOUNGE MINIATURE POD 32 - SHOOTING IN STEERAGE POD 33 - KATE'S ACTION COSTUME POD 34 - CRANE AS HELICOPTER POD 35 - LIFEBOATS 13 & 15 POD 36 - FLOODED FIRST CLASS DINING ROOM POD 37 - STAGE 2 SINKING SET POD 38 - FAKING A TILT POD 39 - THE SINKING RISER POD 40 - SHIP EXTENSIONS POD 41 - FALLING FUNNEL POD 42 - GRAND STAIRCASE FLOODING POD 43 - MINIATURE HALL FLOODING POD 44 - JUMPING STUNTS POD 45 - TILTING POOP DECK POD 46 - DECK SLIDERS POD 47 - DIGITAL STUNT PEOPLE POD 48 - SINKING VIDEOMATIC POD 49 - SHIP SPLIT MINIATURE POD 50 - VERTICAL POOP DECK STUNTS POD 51 - THE TOILET PAPER SHOT POD 52 - FINAL PLUNGE VFX POD 53 - UNDERWATER GREENSCREEN POD 54 - INTERIOR TANK SHOOT POD 55 - BREATH SHOTS POD 56 - EXTERIOR TANK SHOOT POD 57 - ICE MAKEUP POD 58 - OPEN LIFEBOATS AND THE CARPATHIA POD 59 - CARPATHIA MEDAL POD 60 - THE FINAL SHOT POD 61 - MAKING THE MUSIC VIDEO MY HEART WILL GO ON MUSIC VIDEO (Run Time 4m 42s) ALTERNATE ENDING “BROCK’S EPIPHANY” WITH OPTIONAL COMMENTARY BY JAMES CAMERON (Run Time 9m 0s)

Note: All run times are calculated based on the PAL video system which has inherent differences from the NTSC standard used in some other areas.

* The audio tracks of other languages that will be included on top of the standard English audio track depends on the country in which Titanic is released on DVD. For instance, the Japanese release has a Dolby Digital 5.1 Japanese audio track besides the English 5.1 EX and English 6.1 DTS-ES tracks.

The feature film Titanic (1997) will be split among first 2 discs (as per LOTR Special Extended Edition sets) when the enhanced DVD edition is release during the months of Oct – Dec 05 worldwide due to the limitation of the DVD format. The ending point of the film on the first disc of the Region 1/2 DVD set, based on the menus, is very likely to be at around the 1:47:00 point of the film; approximately at the point where the Captain mentions “Well, I believe you may get your headlines, Mr Ismay” when the crew, Mr Ismay and Mr Andrews met to discuss the situation of the ship after it hit the iceberg. (7 Oct 05)

Bonus Materials on Disc 3 (NTSC – Region 1, 2, 3 DVDs) and Disc 3 or 4 (PAL – Region 2, 4 DVDs)

29 DELETED SCENES (COMPLETE SCENES WITH FINISHED EFFECTS) WITH OPTIONAL AUDIO COMMENTARY (Run Time 43m 57s)

#1 - I'LL BE THE FIRST
#2 - ROSE FEELS TRAPPED
#3 - BROCK'S DILEMMA/ ROSE VISITS THIRD CLASS
#4 - ROSE'S DREAMS
#5 - COME JOSEPHINE...
#6 - EXTENDED SNEAKING TO FIRST CLASS
#7 - EXTENDED ESCAPE FROM LOVEJOY
#8 - A KISS IN THE BOILER ROOM
#9 - WIRELESS ROOM/ THE CALIFORNIAN
#10 - HOW 'BOUT A LITTLE ICE?
#11 - FLIRTING WITH ICE
#12 - THE FIRST S.O.S.
#13 - ISMAY PANICS
#14 - MOLLY BROWN'S ROWING SCHOOL
#15 - IRISH HOSPITALITY
#16 - IDA STRAUS WON'T LEAVE
#17 - FAREWELL TO HELGA
#18 - BOAT SIX WON'T RETURN
#19 - RELEASE THE HOUNDS
#20 - ROSE GETS A HUSBAND'S LETTER
#21 - JACK AND LOVEJOY FIGHT
#22 - GUGGENHEIM AND ASTOR
#23 - I'M NOT GOING
#24 - CORA'S FATE
#25 - EXTENDED JACK AND ROSE IN THE WATER
#26 - OUT OF THE QUESTION
#27 - HOW DARE YOU!
#28 - CHINESE MAN RESCUE
#29 - EXTENDED CARPATHIA SEQUENCE

1912 NEWS REEL WITH OPTIONAL COMMENTARY BY ED MARSH (Run Time 2m 11s)
CONSTRUCTION TIMELAPSE SEQUENCE WITH OPTIONAL COMMENTARY BY ED MARSH (Run Time 4m 19s)
DEEP DIVE PRESENTATION NARRATED - BY JAMES CAMERON (Run Time 15m 29s )
TITANIC CREW VIDEO (Run Time 17m 26s)

A SHIP'S ODYSSEY (THE TITANIC CREW VIDEO)

SHIP'S TOUR MONTAGE WITH OPTIONAL COMMENTARY BY ANDERS FALK (Run Time 7m 33s)
VIDEOMATICS AND VFX (Run Time 8m 38s)

VIDEOMATICS INTRODUCTION
SINKING SEQUENCE
DEEP DIVE
VFX SHOT BREAKDOWN: “ENGINE ROOM”
VFX HOW-TO FOR “I’M FLYING”
VFX HOW-TO FOR “FIRST CLASS LOUNGE”
TITANIC SINKING SIMULATION

STILL GALLERIES

o TITANIC SCRIPTMENT

o STORYBOARD SEQUENCES

o PRODUCTION ARTWORK

o PHOTOGRAPHS

o KEN MARSCHALL’S PAINTING GALLERY

o BY THE NUMBERS

o BIBILOGRAPHY

BREAKING NEW GROUND - THE MAKING OF TITANIC TV Special (Run Time 42m 50s)
TITANIC FEATURETTES - ELETRONIC PRESS KIT (Run Time 18m 10s)

NEWSPOD #1: STORY FOCUS
NEWSPOD #2: ACTOR FOCUS
NEWSPOD #3: BUILDING THE SHIP
NEWSPOD #4: POPULATING THE SHIP
NEWSPOD #5: SINKING THE SHIP
NEWSPOD #6: JAMES CAMERON FOCUS
NEWSPOD #7: DEEP DIVE FOCUS

CONCEPT POSTERS AND ONE SHEETS

Note: All run times are calculated based on the PAL video system which has inherent differences from the NTSC standard used in some other areas.

Bonus Materials Exclusive to 4-Disc (Region 2, 4) Release – Not Applicable for Region 1 Release

HBO FIRST LOOK THE HEART OF THE OCEAN (Run Time 27m 30s)
TITANIC IN 30 SECONDS WITH BUNNIES (Run Time 0m 47s) – Easter Egg on Disc 3 of Region 1 DVD
MTV MOVIE AWARDS TITANIC SKIT (Run Time 4m 21s) – Easter Egg on Disc 3 of Region 1 DVD
TITANIC (1997) S.E. - EASTER EGG - SNL SKIT WITH BILL PAXTON AND JAMES CAMERON (Run Time 4m 47s) – Easter Egg on Disc 3 of Region 1 DVD
TRAILERS & TEASERS IN WIDESCREEN OR FULL FRAME (Approximately 25 minutes)
TITANIC TV SPOTS IN FULL FRAME (Run Time 5m 26s)

Note: All run times are calculated based on the PAL video system which has inherent differences from the NTSC standard used in some other areas.

C. DVD Official Website

Titanic (1997) DVD U.S. Official Site – The site is up online now. Basically, it seems that most of the footages on the site are taken from the official feature film website before the DVD official site took over the same web address. Except for the advertisement created for the front page, it also seems to me that nothing more than the specifications and the list of bonus features, is revealed about the DVD set unlike the international DVD official site below. To me, the site is very much less than what I had expected.

International DVD Release Official Site or here (direct link to English Language page) – (Up online now) You can participate in the "TITANIC Trivia King of the World" contest; view "Titanic Revealed" to see key scenes with text balloons revealing little-known facts about the film; discover deleted scenes; and more.

D. DVD Trailer

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment LLC has made available a trailer to advertise the upcoming DVD release of Titanic:

Titanic DVD Trailer for Region 2 2-Disc Special Edition – Trailer page

Titanic DVD Trailer for Region 2 4-Disc Collector’s Edition – Just the product details page, there is no attached trailer.

G. Easter Eggs

For Region 1 DVD Set

MTV MOVIE AWARDS TITANIC SKIT

1. On the Marketing menu page, select the newspaper on the lower right, then press Enter. You’ll see the Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn meeting with James Cameron.

TITANIC IN 30 SECONDS WITH BUNNIES

2. To access "Titanic in 30 Seconds with Bunnies", go to the Special Features section and choose Still Galleries. When you're there, select Production Artwork, then highlight Play All, then press the up arrow on your remote. This will highlight the arrow on the screen. Press Enter.

TITANIC (1997) S.E. - EASTER EGG - SNL SKIT WITH BILL PAXTON AND JAMES CAMERON

3. To pull up the SNL skit, go to the Deleted Scenes section, and select the chapter menu. On the left side of the screen, select Chapter 29. Highlight the chapter still on the menu, then press down to highlight the couple at the bottom of the screen. Press Enter.

H. DVD Reviews

As I believe there are still consumers out there who wants to know more about the release when it is released (that’s why there are reviews posted online and its been a practice ever since DVD was officially launched in July 1997). But there are many reviews posted, so how do you know which ones are substantial and comprehensive enough to help you in your decision.

That is why I had a scale to determine whether a review does give you enough substantial and comprehensive information (not just focusing very much on one area and ignoring the others).

Must Read! – Comprehensive, detailed and substantial review.

Recommended! – If your find that you do not have a lot of time to read the comprehensive and detailed reviews, then those classified under this scale one does provide good reviews too.

In order to make this section much more credible, I’ve also posted links to reviews that in my opinion, is not as comprehensive and substantial as the ones classified under Must Read! or Recommended!, to provide alternative or additional points of view of this release.

Region 1 3-Disc DVD Reviews

Rope of Silicon.Com Region 1 DVD Review (Must Read!)

DVD Times Region 1 DVD Review (Must Read!)

AV Forums Region 1 DVD Review (Recommended!)

digitally Obsessed Region 1 DVD Review (Recommended!)

DVDReview.com Region 1 DVD Review (Recommended!)

IGN DVD Region 1 DVD Review (Must Read!)

DVD Talk Region 1 DVD Review (Recommended!)

DVDFile.com Region 1 DVD Review (Must Read!)

Home Theater Spot Region 1 DVD Review (Must Read!)

The Digital Bits Region 1 DVD Review (Must Read!)

Home Theater Forum Region 1 DVD Review (Must Read!)

DVD Town Region 1 DVD Review (Must Read!)

To know more about the difference between non-anamorphic picture / anamorphic picture in rather simple terms, visit here (TV Shows on DVD site). The anamorphic feature affects only the DVD presentation on Widescreen (16:9) displays.

UpcomingDiscs.com DVD Review

Ascully.com Region 1 DVD Review

DVD Verdict Region 1 DVD Review

DVD Movie Guide Region 1 DVD Review

DVD Savant Region 1 DVD Review

Current Film Region 1 DVD Review

The Cinema Laser Region 1 DVD Review

Fulvue Drive-in Region 1 DVD Review

DVD Movie Central Region 1 DVD Review

DVDDude.Net Region 1 DVD Review

Enterline Media Region 1 DVD Review

Region 2 DVD Reviews