Titanic..

[Neutron]

I've been reading a LOT about the Titanic lately, the best book so far is called Unsinkable which does a decent job of refuting the bullshit class revisionist history that seems to be the modern vogue.

I can't believe how badly Cameron made Lightoller look. Lightoller and the Titanic crew in general were bonafide heros. In fact in WW2 Lightoller showed what a remarkably brave and resourceful man he really was.

Tron

 

[phatteus]

A little off the subject maybe, but it's also odd that Cameron missed the point on many topics:
1) the whole Irony of the unsinkable ship sinking on her maiden voyage
2) women and children first means no one to row the boat!
3) there were other boats in the area! we just didn't get to see them because...

There was that damn DiCaprio kid who needed to mug for the camera for three hours.

 

[Neutron]

Actually..

No one except the press said the ship was unsinkable. The builders, designers and owners said she was as unsinkable as modern technology could make her. There is a HUGE difference in what those claims mean.

Also women and children first did NOT mean there were no men. Every attempt was made to get at least one seaman into the boat. The Titanic was short of seamen, many were trying to battle the casualty to give the passengers time to get off the ship. When seamen weren't available the officers put men familiar with the handling of yachts on board the lifeboats.

Also, Women and Children First was NOT what they now believe the captain meant when he gave that order, In fact, that order has NEVER meant Exclusively women and children were the only ones allowed on lifeboats.

An interesting fact/theory, Titanic was the catalyst to ending the Edwardian era, AND set back womens rights and suffrage at least 40 years, and it's never recovered.

Tron

 

[Limeoutsider]

I fail to see how it did so good at the box office, I mean, you all knew how it ended

 

[Neutron]

Actually Murdoch..

WAs a hero too. In fact the crew as a whole was quite heroic, A little known fact is the crews mortality rate exceeded every other class by over 20 %. Almost 80% of the crew died. More importantly. The crew was NOT legally responsible for saving anyone. Once it was determined the ship was going to sink the crew stopped being employees of the White Star Line.

Murdoch did an excellent job. The suicide they show on the movie wa in fact probably a real event, only Murdoch wasn't the one killing himself. It was an officer whose name was Wilde, the man was in fact the second in command of the Titanic (A job Murdoch was to have held)
After the intial collision Wilde pretty much lost his head, babbled, then disappeared.

I highly recommend reading Unsinkable. I think it's the most clear eyed, clear headed book written about the Titanic.

Tron