Synopsis:
This edit focuses on the events of 1912, keeps Rose's narration, and uses the full IMAX aspect ratio throughout. Modern scenes/characters are reduced to an absolute bare minimum. This cut also incorporates limited deleted/extended scenes but only those which further character development of Rose, Jack, and Fabrizio (or otherwise gives better dramatic impact to their scenes).
Summary:
Regraded
Several Jack/Rose deleted scenes added (1080p source)
IMAX aspect ratio throughout
Reworked intro
No more Bill Paxton (Brock) or his annoying sidekick
Focus is on events in 1912
The limited modern scenes have older Rose narrating or show older Rose (no more adventures of the salvage crew)
Intentions:
Titanic is a terrific movie, at least the 1912 part of it. Bill Paxton's character (Brock) is completely removed from this edit, and his bearded caricature of a sidekick, Lewis, also appears for just a few seconds. Other edits removed Rose's narration and/or reduced the older Rose to a non-speaking character. Older Rose, for me, is perfect as a trimmed down but significant presence, so I found a way to keep her (and her narration) but remove Brock.
Change List:
1. Used the official Bluray open matte release of Titanic. The vast majority of scenes in this film look so much better with this aspect ratio (which is not always the case with open matte). A small amount of theatrical footage was zoomed slightly to crop out undesirable elements (or very empty looking space) from the top or bottom of the screen.
2. Slight regrade throughout to reduce the pervasive green, occasionally used some post production lighting VFX to give dead looking scenes some life.
3. Opening sequence recut to show the robot submarines searching through the deep sea wreckage as Rose narrates, without any of the underwater salvage crew shown. Added new radio chatter, just enough so we understand they are recovering something. Then we see the recovered drawing of a young Rose as it is being carefully washed off, followed by the wrecked, sunken ship morphing into the glorious Titanic from 1912 as we get into the story of Jack and Rose.
4. Incorporated unused music from the extended soundtrack throughout the underwater opening. Also changed the opening music when we first see Titanic in 1912.
5. Added subtle fog to improve the opening ship VFX and added fog to a part of the England dock sequence where it was notably missing.
6. Removed a portion of Rose's narration about her voyage on the Titanic feeling like a slave ship. Rearranged timing of her dialogue. Added crowd ambience.
7. Trimmed Jack and Fabrizio's magic moment on the bow of the ship. No more Jack leaning back with his arms spread (weird spooning of Fabrizio and bad VFX). Trimmed first part of the sailing ship VFX here.
8. Added deleted scene of Rose locating Jack in 3rd class with Fabrizio (who we see talking to a young lady).
9. Added deleted scene of Jack and Rose talking about art and then Rose getting her photograph taken. Moved the high society ladies tea party slightly later.
10. Added deleted scene of Jack and Rose after their date, singing and star gazing.
11. Added deleted scene of Jack's friends helping hoist him up into the first class section of the ship.
12. The Captain doesn't tell Rose and her family that he's lit all the boilers.
13. When Jack pulls Rose into the fitness room, trimmed some of his dialogue that was expository or made him look weak.
14. After Jack draws Rose reclined on the couch, transition to the older Rose viewing the recovered drawing in the tank of water and conversing with her granddaughter about it. Then cut to a transitional establishing shot at sea to indicate Rose is on the salvage vessel. Finally, cut to Rose crying while viewing footage of the wreckage before getting back into her story in 1912. During this scene, created new dialogue helping to show that Rose is aboard to help the crew recover the missing diamond.
15. Removed the rest of the scenes in the modern day (until the end).
16. Trimmed Cal's dialogue after he tells Lovejoy (his minion) there's only so many places aboard the ship Rose could be. (No dastardly eyebrow raise saying, "find her...")
17. The ship lookouts are not distracted by Jack and Rose. The iceberg is more shrouded in darkness when they first ring the warning bell.
18. Added deleted scene of Jack and Rose playing with ice that landed on the deck from the collision.
19. After learning the Titanic will sink, the Captain does not ask how many are on board.
20. Removed expository from the 3rd class woman with kids explaining why they are waiting.
21. Added deleted scene of Fabrizio leaving his girlfriend behind to go with Jack and Rose as the ship is taking on water.
22. Jack doesn't call Rose stupid.
23. While this edit is not intended to be a historically accurate cut, Officer Murdoch no longer commits suicide or shoots passengers. The best known information is that he was filling lifeboats with passengers and went down with the ship, properly performing his duties. Following in the footsteps of sensationalist newspapers of the era, the Director drug this man’s name through the mud, the studio apologized, and made a minuscule donation to make amends.
24. Regraded scenes of Rose, Jack, and other passengers freezing in the water, removing the obscene glowing hyper-blues everywhere which even made it into a theatrical shot of the night sky.
25. Added extended scene of Jack in the water stopping the man from trying to get on the floating debris with Rose.
26. Added sounds of Rose shivering.
27. Added extended scene of Rose making it to the RMS Carpathia and survivors there on the ship.
28. Removed nearly all the salvage crew dialogue (including Paxton) from the truncated modern scenes at the end with the older Rose.
29. Note: no change to the ending (once Rose releases her heart of the ocean back to Jack).
30. Updated credits to remove Brock and Lewis.
Additional Notes:
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Other Sources:
Special Thanks: