Excitement surrounding the 100th anniversary of the Titanic sinking on April 15 and the re-release of James Cameron’s Titanic in 3D are putting the disaster back on the radar in new and unusual ways. Here, five strange phenomena, products, and kerfuffles that have surfaced:
1. The Titanic is real?
The well-publicized link between the 3D re-release of Titanic and the 100th anniversary of the actual disaster triggered a rude awakening for some young fans of the Leonardo DiCaprio-Kate Winslet flick. "Only just found out Titanic was real #wtf," tweeted one shocked kid. "Is it bad that I didn't know the Titanic was real? Always thought it was just a film," tweeted another of the dozens of youngsters who hadn't realized that Titanic was based on true events. While Irish Central is "appalled and shocked" by this display of ignorance, Babble finds it "hilarious." Either way, says Chirs Matysczyk at CNet, "isn't it a little unfair to beat up on kids who are merely being honest?"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
2. Kate Winslet's Titanic breasts are censored in China
Titanic 3D will hit screens in China on Tuesday minus the famous scene in which Kate Winslet's character poses nude so her soon-to-be lover can sketch her. The country's State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television has ordered the cut: "Considering the vivid 3D effects, we fear that viewers may reach out their hands for a touch and thus interrupt other people's viewing." Long-time Titanic fans are sympathizing with the deprived Chinese moviegoers. "I waited 15 years to see 3D boobs, not 3D iceberg," says one. It's preposterous, says K. Thor Jensen at Guyism, harking back to the "early days of movies where people had a heart attack when they saw a moving train."
3. The anniversary cruise is also "doomed"
"Passengers on a Titanic Memorial Cruise may have found themselves a little too close to experiencing history," says Nina Mandell at New York's Daily News. More than 1,300 travelers boarded the MS Balmoral Tuesday in Southampton, England, to trace the original Titanic's route to New York and eat historically accurate meals. Dangerous winds and choppy waters delayed the ship for several hours, however, and, once it set sail again, a medical emergency forced the Balmoral to turn back. Evidently "anything ship-related with a hint of Titanic about it is cursed, even in this modern age," says Sam Gibbs at Gizmodo. Once a helicopter had airlifted the sick passenger off the vessel, however, the Balmoral continued on its way. "Watch out for icebergs, folks."
4. Kate Winslet says "My Heart Will Go On" is nauseating
When Winslet's breasts aren't generating controversy, her mouth is. During the promotional tour for Titanic 3D, the star let spill that hearing Celine's Dion Oscar- and Grammy-winning ballad "My Heart Will Go On" makes her feel "like throwing up." Apparently, one too many Titanic fans have attempted to "surprise" her by playing the song when she entered a room. Geez, says Sarah Anne Hughes at The Washington Post. "Tell us what you really think, Kate!" While many people dismiss "My Heart Will Go On" as "outdated, cheesy, and overly dramatic," says Amanda Dobbins at New York, haters forget how universally beloved it once was. And it still boasts "one of the most glorious key changes in record music history."
5. The $12,000 Titanic-shaped tent
Those with implausibly large circles of outdoorsy friends are sure to enjoy the $12,000 "Tentanic" tent, a nylon replica of the Titanic big enough to fit 1,000 people (see an image below). Others... may find better uses for their money. The 1:2 scale replica of the doomed luxury liner — with a gash in its "hull" serving as an entrance, is "ludicrously opulent," says Firebox, the website peddling the massive tent. But the Tentanic might defeat the purpose of camping, says Coolest Gadgets. After strenuously setting up the beast, "you might just spend the next day... sleeping to catch up on all the energy spent."
