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  • Essay / Themes and Motifs in James Cameron's Titanic

    Directed by: The TitanicIn James Cameron's Academy Award-winning film, The Titanic (1997), themes of good versus evil turn awry when Jack and Rose fall in love at board the sinking ship, and the complications Social stratification appears both in James Horner's musical composition and in the film's epic scenes. Jack and Rose face problems as a duo due to the difference in social classes which is the ultimate evil of the film. The heartbreaking score is the ultimate tearjerker, especially when the ship sinks, and the melancholy “Hymn to the Sea” near the end of the film syncs beautifully with the characters and the audience's emotions. Titanic is full of specific instruments, voices, and themes for each character that follows them throughout the film. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay At the beginning of the film, a dark and melancholy theme is used to express the tragic side of the Titanic, and this theme is foreshadowed throughout of the film. the film and expresses the painful moments. This brief score correlates with the Hymn to the Sea theme and features pipes and soft vocals. This theme is also seen towards the end of the film as the ship sinks. The moving music is derived from Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" and appears at regular intervals throughout the film. The nostalgic theme of the film is linked to the epic love between Jack and Rose and their difficulties associated with unjust social classes. The sentimental theme remains in the major key for the majority of the film, and the leitmotif chorus changes the key to a minor key. This score highlights many instruments and orchestral aspects, including violin, piano and strings. The voices of Sissel Kyrkjebo and Celine Dion break through in parts of the film, when Rose sees the ship for the first time on the "Ship of Dreams" and at the tragic ending. Horder gives a whole new feel to the score when he incorporates a dramatic range of vocal orchestrations and textures, he creates a sound that is both sad and beautifully haunting. This moving melody follows Jack and Rose through their battle of social stratifications. The motif of good versus evil bodes well with the ideological theme of class status. Class status being a major element of the romantic film, this complication does not detract from the love of Jack and Rose. The Titanic has a separation between the ship's lower and upper class citizens and when the two merge via Jack and Rose's love, the result is cruel. In The Titanic, the realities of the characteristics of different classes and how people are treated based on their economic, social and genetic status. The film illustrates the prejudiced treatment of people based on their social position. The film shows that even people who have money, or "new money", are treated differently because of their economic status, and shows the hubris of the upper class. However, Rose falls in love with Jack despite his lack of finances and social status, she is interested in Jack and loses interest in his fiancée because he lacks self-awareness and only cares about money and status . The 1912 film is rich in visual styles that draw out the differences between the two classes. James Cameron dresses the two classes in very different styles to maintain a visual and social barrier between the two. Rose's family is full of royal colors - emerald greens and deep purples, while lower-class citizens, like Jack, dress in very simple, monotonous colors. These colors illustrate the differenceevident between the classes and the audience can easily see the vast difference between the monotony of Jack's class and the opulence of Rose's. Lighting also becomes a key factor in visually contrasting the two classes. Highly visible fluorescent lighting is visible when introducing Rose's family and highlights their faces to show their splendor, although the lighting is very different when the lower class is depicted. Regular, more subtle lighting is shown on ordinary people. Cameron cleverly distinguishes this visual design in order to further separate the two classes. The strong leitmotifs established throughout the film develop a deep association between the score and the cinematic components. The film's musical ideas are tied to specific motifs, concepts, and characters throughout the film. The score and leitmotifs of the movement are seen through many different instruments, including the use of the piano when Rose remembers the Titanic, and throughout the film when Rose plays her theme. This theme is also heard when Jack and Rose are at the bow of the ship, where Rose utters the iconic phrase: "I'm flying!" » Horner gives a different meaning to each scene while using specific themes for each part. The “ship theme,” for example, also correlates to a love theme because of the dramatic flare and accompanying refrain. Additionally, when Escort Jack embarks on a "real party" after the big dinner scene, diegetic music plays and the audience sees Jack and Rose fall in love in these tender moments. This third class dance scene shows joyous Irish dance music including horns, stringed instruments and fiddle. The sound of the film differs depending on the scene. Diegetic music is used in the third-class party and travel scene, and non-diegetic sound is used in romantic scenes such as the "robbery" scene and the shipwreck scene. The robbery scene in particular perfectly encapsulates the theme of good versus evil and Jack and Rose versus the social stratifications imposed on them. In this specific scene, Jack and Rose share a sweet moment at the helm of the boat where they both experience the sensation of flying together. Cameron uses several cinematic techniques to achieve the wonder and sense of intimacy in this scene. The grandeur of the ship is placed in their midst and draws them to the place where they meet in the middle of the two classes and that even with the weight of something like the ship, it cannot fault them. There are many visual elements present in this scene, many of which feel what the characters and audience are feeling at this point in the film. The colors demonstrated in this scene show the oranges, pinks and purples of the sunset, which create a soft backdrop to set the atmosphere of the gelled love scene. This color scheme further demonstrates their happiness and the expressions on their faces glow as the sun sets. The feeling of this shot implies power and control over their situation. This scene is foreshadowed earlier in the film when Jack exclaims, "I'm the king of the world!" ”, and in this scene, he found his queen. This idea presents a sense of freedom, and with the two hovering over the railing together, they take control of stubborn class roles on the ship. This scene is an appearance of their new independent strength to face the world together. The music in this scene bodes well with the feelings of both and is both sentimental and lyrical. The song “My Heart Will Go On” is played here slowly and instrumentally. This musical piece is very beautiful.