# How did Titanic become the highest grossing film of all time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2002, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353 "2002-11-12T02:08:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/41 "2002-11-12T20:08:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JohnT \* > \*\ ***Fenris** , I think Cisco was being sarcastic. At least, that’s how I read it… perhaps I was wrong? > \*\* Dunno. It’s possible my sarcasm-meter is busted. If so, color me wooshed. Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/42 "2002-11-12T20:20:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JohnT \* > \*\ ***Fenris** , I think Cisco was being sarcastic. At least, that’s how I read it… perhaps I was wrong? > \*\* Dunno. It’s possible my sarcasm-meter is busted. If so, color me wooshed. Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/43 "2002-11-12T20:56:34Z")
Wow… great discussion. Much better than the one I was in recently, on another board, where I tried to talk about some of the same things and got responses that amounted to “Titanic is #1! IT’s the best movie EVAR!!!” Which gives you an idea of its loyal fan base, anyway… Put me in the “neither here nor there” camp for _Titanic_. It’s not the worst film ever, nor is it one of my favorites. The reasons for its popular appeal have been well-covered, rooted partially in its very cliched story, which gives it a wide popular appeal, and partially in the pre-exisiting interest in the story of the real Titanic. The latter is the reason I appreciate parts of _Titanic_. Though mostly in the background, the finer details of the film are what makes me want to watch it. As **Dr.One-L** pointed out so well, Cameron did do some homework to get many of the historical details right, and to fit them into the context of the story. For what it’s worth, the only really heart-wrenching part of the story for me is the one that focuses briefly away from the main story. The “Nearer My God to Thee” sequence near the end, as the string players play their final song, and we see other passengers on the ship – a mother reading her children to sleep, an old couple holding each other on bed – gets me all misty every time I see it. There’s something to be said for that. But yeah, the “Jack/Rose” storyline is pretty much a throwaway romance, and it’s unfortunate that Cameron chose to make a fiction the center of attention, when there are so many compelling true stories that could fill ten three-hours movies better than his main story did. Which is doubly unfortunate, because he had some great actors working on the film, and grossly underused them. Kate Winslet is a very fine actress (in more ways than one… ba-dum-bum), and _Titanic_ is a film that underplays her considerable talent. She’s been a favorite of mine for some time, ever since I saw her in _Sense and Sensibility_ and her stunning Ophelia in _Hamlet_. I’m glad _Titanic_ gave her some notice, but I wish that it had been a better role. Similarly for di Caprio… I loved him in _What’s Eating Gilbert Grape_ and _Romeo and Juliet_, but _Titanic_ just seemed like a step down for him, even though it made him quite famous for a while. Even some of the secondary actors were underused – Bill Paxton’s proven that he can be far better in movies like _A Simple Plan_ and (especially) _Frailty_, David Warner is usually a great villain but was somewhat flat in _Titanic_, and Kathy Bates has been far better in more movies than I can name offhand. Even the music seems unfortunate. James Horner has been a favorite composer of mine for years, but his _Titanic_ score is far from his best work. A fairly blatant ripoff of the Enya song “Book of Days” (Enya had been asked to write music for _Titanic_, but declined due to a short timeline), the main _Titanic_ works well for a few small parts of the film but is overall somewhat uninspired. Again, it was nice to see Horner get some attention and win an Oscar. I just wish it could have been for some of his really good work, like _Braveheart_ or _Sneakers_ or _Glory_. _Titanic_ is a compelling story that suffers from an unfortunately cliched fiction at its forefront. Its current popular appeal can’t be denied, but it remains to be seen whether it will _stay_ popular. It seems to me that its early popularity has waned quite a bit, and I doubt it will have the staying power of some of the “timeless” classics such as _Wizard of Oz_ or _Gone with the Wind_. In twenty years, we might just be asking, “What _Titanic?_” ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/44 "2002-11-12T21:06:25Z")
Huh. I love the score of the movie and I think it adds a lot to the film. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/45 "2002-11-12T21:57:52Z")
Throw in [this article](http://moviepoopshoot.com/elsewhere/18.html) to the mix (scroll down a bit to the **Five Years Ago** section)… it’s just ‘one man’s opinion,’ but it’s interesting nonetheless, and right in line with what many have said here. And **JohnT** , don’t get me wrong… Horner’s music for _Titanic_ is one of the best elements of the film itself. But compared with Horner’s large body of work, the music for _Titanic_ is painfully derivative and honestly on the lower end of the spectrum. I suppose it’s more of a crime to me that some of his really great scores get ignored while this one gets all the attention. Which seems to be the problem with _Titanic_ overall, I suppose. The film itself isn’t even Cameron’s best work, in my opinion. _The Abyss_ is more emotionally honest (at least, with his intended ending), and _Aliens_ was a better action movie. From the standpoint of script, _Strange Days_ is definitely the best story I’ve seen Cameron pen (so good that I couldn’t tell he wrote it, until I looked at the credits), though I’m _so_ glad that he got his one of his exes, Kathryn Bigelow, to direct it. She really made it into an excellent film. _Titanic_ is sub-par compared to these films. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/46 "2002-11-12T22:06:23Z")
If nothing else, it deserves special mention for those GORGEOUS COSTUMES!!! Everyone else was drooling over Leo and/or Kate. I was drooling over layers of lavender silk, silver beads, blue velvet… _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/47 "2002-11-12T22:36:32Z")
**BiblioCat** , I apologize. Between the fact that every teenaged girl I’ve ever seen spent too much money and that right now I’d really, really broke, my skewed perspective came out of bitterness of my own at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/48 "2002-11-12T23:03:34Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by RickJay \* > \*\* > The number of people on the SDMB who claim it sucked and they don’t know anyone who liked it simply defies logical explanation. Just who was going to watch it? Don’t tell me they were all teenaged girls, because that’s baloney; they sure weren’t all teenaged girls when I went to see it._\* **I** was a teenage girl when I went to see it. Just kidding. I never saw that crappy movie. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/49 "2002-11-12T23:10:03Z")
Well, I’ll tell you why I was there. For the history. Maybe it was man’s hubris againt all-powerful nature, maybe it was all the little things that could have saved them, but I have always been completely fascinated by the story of the Titanic. And I thought Cameron did a great job with the history of it. Yes, I know there were inaccuracies, but he did better than I expected. (Like **Dr. One-L** , I also noticed that yo-yo scene). It’s so incredibly unusual to get a disaster picture that doesn’t just devolve into camp, and this one delivered the goods. Heck, if someone makes a good remake of **Krakatoa, East of Java** , I’ll be there. Although, they’d better get their Geography right this time 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/50 "2002-11-12T23:11:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > I never saw that crappy movie. How do _you know_ it was crappy, then? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2002, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/51 "2002-11-12T23:34:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Gaspode \* > \*\*How do _you know_ it was crappy, then? \*\* It came to me in a dream. (obscure George Carlin joke) ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/52 "2002-11-13T00:24:01Z")
it WAS a weak movie. the dialogue was little better than idiotic, the poor suitor vs. wealthy jerk suitor is overused (and i think they use the same actor in all of the movies…they all have the harry reems look) and the scenery/cinematography wasn’t worth the alleged 200 mil that went into it. what made it sell was 1)the vast amount of hype/publicity 2)kate winslett 3)kate winslett naked 4)the promise (unfulfilled) of some great titanicology 5)the theme song helped it sell. it was as classy song-syrupy, to be sure-but it promised much that the movie didn’t deliver. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/53 "2002-11-13T01:38:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by handsomeharry \* > **and the scenery/cinematography wasn’t worth the alleged 200 mil that went into it.** Actually, the 200 million primarily went into the special effects. If that’s what you’re talking about, can you provide specifics? Because I thought all the footage of the disaster itself was incredibly realistic. > [@](#): > > **the promise (unfulfilled) of some great titanicology** Again, can you provide some examples? I thought they did a great job of that. (Refer to **Dr One-L** ’s post for some more specifics). ---
**Author:** ![Lear\_s\_fool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/df788c/32.png) [@Lear\_s\_fool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lear_s_fool)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/54 "2002-11-13T02:24:17Z")
Fenris- I thought that the Matrix was a rip off of Grant Morrison’s Invisibles i’ve heard the Morson thinks the Matrix ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/55 "2002-11-13T04:15:35Z")
Wow, Lear got deleted in mid-sentence. Someone must have pulled his plug. ---
**Author:** ![Lear\_s\_fool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/df788c/32.png) [@Lear\_s\_fool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lear_s_fool)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/56 "2002-11-13T04:28:03Z")
more like i wasn’t puting the effort in to make that post a full sentance ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/57 "2002-11-13T04:52:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gorgon Heap \* > \*\ ***BiblioCat** , I apologize. Between the fact that every teenaged girl I’ve ever seen spent too much money and that right now I’d really, really broke, my skewed perspective came out of bitterness of my own at the time. \*\* I just meant that here (I live in Baltimore), “inner-city” means public housing and welfare. Not the types to spend money on seeing movies over and over. Just being an anal nitpicker. Sorry. Oh, and count me in with those who loved _Titanic._ I saw it in the theater twice and own it on video. Why does every movie have to make a profound political statement about the meaning of life? Does every movie have to be a commentary on the societal framework of our everyday life? Does it have to be full of allegorical meaning? Or full metaphorical bullshit? Why can’t it just be entertainment? A good story? Two or three hours of escape? ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/58 "2002-11-13T06:09:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JohnT \* > \*\ ***Epi** , your calculations and logic make no sense. What does it matter how much, per month, a movie makes since its release? 8-Mile got $54million this past week, an extrapolated $216 million a month, so clearly ITS the number one movie of all time! :rolleyes: > > And there is no way Spider Man will earn more than Titanic. Its not even in theaters anymore. \*\* I was not aware that the earning were those only earned in a theater. I am talking about gross numbers of sales of DVD’s and tapes as well. (if that is in the numbers). 8 mile only got 54 million in the first week? Pathetic, Spiderman Earned 114 million I believe (highest ever…not that it means much). Episode II earned pretty damn close to that. (104M or something) Why do you think I asked how much, adjusted for inflation, titanic brought in it’s first weekend. I think my logic makes perfect sense. Oh, and put that cofee cup down, you are way to tense, I am not making fun of your precious movie. I actually liked it. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/59 "2002-11-13T06:54:09Z")
No, your math and logic makes NO sense. Period. Anybody with any knowledge of math will know that the average grosses per month will go down as the number of months increase. I can’t believe that I have to spell it out to you, but here goes: Movie A is in release for one month only (August) and makes $400 million dollars. Movie B made $600 million for the one month it was out (say, May). By your logic, Movie A is the more successful movie because it made $400 million a month, and because you are making this point on September 1st, you think this is valid and accurate. Movie B, though it made **more** money, was nowhere near as successful because it only “averaged” $150 million a month. :rolleyes: Need I point out to you that I wasn’t the only one who thought this was a baseless argument? Oh, if you are thinking that I’m misunderstanding inflation, wrong again - you are the one misunderstanding it. And no, the sales from DVD’s, TV rights, etc. are not in these figures - they are Box Office grosses, or did the name of the site not clue you in? Btw, it is easy to figure out how much money Titanic made on it’s opening weekend. But I’ll leave it up to you to figure out, OK? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353/60 "2002-11-13T06:59:52Z")
Point is, Spiderman “only” earned $400 million at the box office. Titanic earned $600 million which beats Spiderman, adjusted or not. Spiderman is no longer in release, which means that it will earn NO MORE money at the box office, which means that it is no longer a contender. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-titanic-become-the-highest-grossing-film-of-all-time/136353.md?page=4)