8mm Forum: Raise The Titanic

This is topic Raise The Titanic in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=013159

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on October 29, 2019, 01:35 AM:

Well folks just to show that I have not totally given up Super 8 for 35mm [Big Grin]

I enjoyed screening the Scope feature the other night. This is all I am allowed to show you on you-tube, it was 14 mins but had to shorten it [Frown]

anyway if you are a member of the Derann Facebook page run by Ged, you can see the rest of it [Wink]

https://youtu.be/6Djgru9I2Hw

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on October 29, 2019, 04:04 AM:

im glad your enjoying the print Graham, I wish id kept it now lol! [Big Grin]

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on October 29, 2019, 04:24 AM:

[Wink]

The GS1200 is certainly getting more use now since I modified the guides etc. With those items now up to scratch mmmmmmm I don't think that was a wise choice of words [Big Grin]

I feel more confident it wont mark any films. Considering the GS1200 is now 40 years old its doing well [Cool]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on October 29, 2019, 10:38 AM:

That's a great looking print, Graham! (Nice video too...)

Can you imagine: in some bizarre alternate universe you are Clive Cussler and after years of work, you've just sent in the complete manuscript for "Raise the Titanic"?

-only in this universe it's 1985 instead of 1976 and your publisher calls you up:

"Clive...they just found the ship and it's broken in two..."

-Now what?!!

Would "Raise Half the Titanic" become a best seller and a feature film? Would it wind up in Readers Digest and appear in theaters as a short?

Of course if they ended it saying "We raised the wrong half!", it would lead right into the sequel...

They did raise a tiny piece of the hull a few years ago, and succeeded in dropping even just that at least once.

-This is why we love the movies: anything is possible.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on October 29, 2019, 11:41 AM:

Was that the sound off of the super 8 print? If so, that is pretty darned good audio!

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on October 29, 2019, 12:17 PM:

Thanks Steve

My biggest surprise regarding Clive Cussler was his use of the wreck photo of the old Australis that I had travelled on.

Osi

That's the original mono soundtrack from the Super 8 film, its certainly very good. The sound output from the GS being fed into a graphic equalizer then onto a Yamaha amp,

Posted by Mike Spice (Member # 5957) on October 29, 2019, 12:29 PM:

When I was on HMS Ark Royal in the late 70's I was a film projectionist in my spare time.

In real life I was a ships cook....

16mm Bell + Howell

Films flown in by helicopter in big metal cases.

This was one film I took great pleasure in screening for the boys.

I was paid £3 per film to project.

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on October 30, 2019, 09:13 AM:

Mike - helicopter deliveries of 16mm at sea, for screenings on an aircraft carrier, sounds fascinating! If you ever feel like turning this into an article, I'm sure Film Collector or Projections would love to publish it.

Posted by Mike Spice (Member # 5957) on October 30, 2019, 09:45 AM:

It was a wonderful time in my life. 17yo.
I'm not sure I can remember large amounts of detail to make it worthy of publishing, but when I find the time I will happily regale a few memories I have of that time, in the forum.

Posted by David Michael Leugers (Member # 166) on October 31, 2019, 12:15 PM:

I read the book and saw the film when it came out. I enjoyed them both, but I never understood how Clive Cussler could come up with a premise for a story that was easily proven to be impossible. Survivors from the Titanic testified that the ship broke in two when sinking...

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on October 31, 2019, 12:52 PM:

Another two very good films also showed the ship sinking as one was "A Night To Remember" 1958 based on the Walter Lord's book, and "Titanic" 1953. After the ship was found that confirmed what you say that she had actually broken in half on the surface.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on October 31, 2019, 01:32 PM:

When I was 18 (or so) years old, I was fascinated by the Titanic. Right around then, something really cool took place. Mom and Dad sent me to Engineering School and the University library was a major archival center: for example they had bound hard copies of every National Geographic back to #1 in the 1880s.

They had 1912 Harper's magazines with articles about the upcoming maiden voyage of the new White Star Liner.

Even though I was supposed to be working on my Calculus and Thermodynamics, I just had to work that card catalog. (This may at least partially explain my extended stay at college...It sure wasn't Girls!)

I found a very old looking book: The Loss of the SS Titanic by Lawrence Beesley.

He wrote this:

"Several apparently authentic accounts have been given, in which definite stories of explosions have been related in some cases even with wreckage blown up and the ship broken in two; but I think such accounts will not stand close analysis."

This book was published very quickly after the sinking: it shows that from the very beginning there were at least theories that she had broken up. (-and I wonder if his "explosions" were actually "implosions")

Lawrence Beesley: The Loss of the SS Titanic (Page 23)

Maybe if structural simulation software was a couple of decades more advanced and people had wider access to computers, they would have arrived at the wreck that first day: "Yes, she's broken aft of the second funnel: just as we expected."

[ October 31, 2019, 02:41 PM: Message edited by: Steve Klare ]

Posted by Ken Finch (Member # 2768) on November 03, 2019, 12:42 PM:

Hi Graham. Is your print the full length version? I have a 600ft version of it which is quite good, I did see the the film in the cinema when it was first released. Also went to the Titanic exhibition in Belfast a few years ago which was really excellent and yes it did break in two when it sank. It has also been recently confirmed that the coal in the hold was still burning when it se sail and had weakened the cladding of the hull. I also have 3 versions of the story of the sinking on DVD. All of which have elements of truth in them. Ken Finch. [Smile]

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on November 03, 2019, 12:51 PM:

Hi Ken.....Its the full length feature [Smile]

There is one person on the forum I know... "Pat" where are you? [Smile]

he is a expert in all things Titanic [Smile]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on November 03, 2019, 02:28 PM:

These past few days I've been looking into the issue of people knowing whether she sank intact or not back in 1912. A study said there were basically three groups of people testifying at the inquests:

1) Said the ship sank intact
2) Said they weren't sure. (This was the largest group.)
3) Said the ship broke up before foundering.

What's interesting is the intact/broke up groups were roughly equal in number, but "intact" became "fact" until the 80s because that's what people wanted to believe.

-but given the amount of surface debris from deep within the ship, maybe they should have been a little more open-minded.

Then of course there's the difference in how the sinking was portrayed in "A Night to Remember" vs. "Titanic". If it was as blatant as in "Titanic", there wouldn't have been very much doubt!

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on November 03, 2019, 06:31 PM:

There is a doco I saw recently and it discusses a plausible option of the ship breaking but breaking just under the surface, I just cant think of the title of the doco but it was made recently.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on November 03, 2019, 06:54 PM:

I've seen that too. It would go a long way toward explaining why so many eyewitnesses didn't see the breakup.

In the novel "Raise the Titanic", NUMA simulated the sinking in a big water tank with a ceramic hull which had some holes drilled in the starboard bow.

-very 1970s!

(-and wouldn't you know it: the conclusions of the simulation were exactly what the story needed them to be!)

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on November 03, 2019, 09:19 PM:

Yes Steve a scene like that appears in the film as well using a model in a tank, Raise The Titanic or as I call it RTT for short has a lot to answer for, it got me involved in the movie business and film collecting! I might just dig out my 35mm faded print and run a reel!
Derann did a good job on the release and I believe it sold like hotcakes! [Wink]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on November 03, 2019, 10:30 PM:

The worst thing you can say about the story is it was written about 10 years too soon, but then again as a piece of fiction it's a lot better story than what we would have gotten had Clive Cussler gotten all his facts straight.

-do we really want a story where the Titanic comes to the surface as a thousand rusty chunks?

It's kind of like all those old Sci-Fi films about the civilizations of Planet Mars: it's kind of hard to make them now that we've really seen the place!

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on November 04, 2019, 01:59 AM:

Yes the film was the film of 1980, it has dated a bit now, however I remember seeing an article on now the model work of the subs coming across the wreck echoed almost the same as what happened in real life, There is a book being written at the moment about the film and it's production and release which is scheduled to be "launched" next year on the films 40th birthday, I have provided some material for it and am looking forward to reading it.

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on November 04, 2019, 11:53 AM:

I also remember the quote of ITC head Lew Grade when talking about the cost of the film. "Raise the Titanic? It would have been cheaper to lower the ocean!"

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on November 04, 2019, 06:21 PM:

To give full credit to the great Lew Grade, I'll just add that the exact quote was:
"It would have been cheaper to lower the Atlantic."

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on November 04, 2019, 07:20 PM:

Here is segment from a doco about Lew Grade where Raise The Titanic is discussed https://youtu.be/_03ocVA-Now?t=2626

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on November 05, 2019, 11:16 AM:

Was there a flat super 8 feature of "Raise the Titanic?

I ask as there was an optical feature sold just a few weeks or months back from Phil's website, so I was just wondering is there was a magnetic flat full feature?

Personally, even if there IS one, it would make more sense to get a scope feature if it's available, but that is just my opinion.

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on November 05, 2019, 07:09 PM:

Hi Osi
Yes there is a full feature flat print that was released by Derann, I have a copy, also a 16mm flat print ex TV use.
Pat

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on November 06, 2019, 10:55 AM:

Derann's bold approach with this release was reinforced by the digest and the trailer also being available in scope or flat. I can still remember my astonishment when looking through my copy of 'Movie Maker' and seeing the full page ad that was specifically about this release! Does anyone know if the flat feature and digest were full frame, or had any masking?

Incidentally, I think the last time they ever released scope and flat versions of the same trailer was 'Titanic'.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on November 06, 2019, 11:06 AM:

Thanks 4 the info. It must have been a highly regarded film at the time. (Or just highly available?)

Posted by Chip Gelmini (Member # 44) on November 06, 2019, 11:17 AM:

Always a good laugh going up on the marquee those first three letters of the 3rd word.......

Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on November 07, 2019, 02:10 AM:

Adrian, The flat print is full frame with a bit of pan/scan

Posted by Melvin England (Member # 5270) on November 07, 2019, 03:43 AM:

Adrian - Re scope and flat versions of the Titanic trailer.

If you are referring to the Kate Winslet one, my trailer is non anamorphic widescreen I.E. black bars top and bottom. Are there different versions?
This was super 8. I know it was also released on 16mm, so were you referring to that release?

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on November 07, 2019, 09:10 AM:

Raise the Titanic is one of those film which did better on 8mm than it did at the flicks!

Anyone else remember watching Derek project it at the open day launch? Great times and memorable.

Likewise I have the Scope feature, Flat feature, 2X400 and the later 600ft from the new neg along with flat and scope trailers. Enough to drive anyone crackers but I love it. Over the years its got to the point when we have multiple poster and lobby card sets and even a visit to Malta for what's left of the giant scale model.

The scope prints at the time were a bit ground breaking in quality and hold my hand up to re dubbing very many to Stereo over the years making for a greater experience.

Happy memories of golden days.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on November 08, 2019, 11:20 AM:

By the way folks John Barry brilliant music from the film as the "Complete Film Score" is available new from Silva Screen records 2018. I had always thought that it was available in the past, but reading the back cover to this record I find it was not. A lot of work has gone into producing this LP, and the results are brilliant, and as such, would highly recommend this LP.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on November 15, 2019, 03:03 AM:

Well my better half wanted to watch it tonight. This could be interesting, as Yvonne can be critical about movies "very picky",anyway my thoughts tonight were, is she going to find the film boring, the bottom line of screening "Raise The Titanic" will it work?

Well it did and to surprise Yvonne enjoyed it, so there you go. I wonder how it would get on, if it was again to hit the cinema screens with todays audience?.

[Smile]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on November 15, 2019, 07:37 AM:

If Dirk Pitt figured out Jack Dawson was still alive and trapped in the ship's vault, and they remade Raise The Titanic as a rescue mission, they'd pack the theaters for sure!

"Rose! Is that you?!"

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on November 15, 2019, 04:19 PM:

That's not a bad idea Steve [Big Grin]

Well looking at much of what is coming out of Hollywood these days, it might even get an Oscar [Big Grin]

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2