Netflix has proven to be an invaluable source when it comes to gauging the staying power of certain films when classics inevitably make the rounds on the streaming platform.
Such is the case with 1997’s Titanic, which is dominating the platform this month.
The epic romance by the visionary James Cameron has proven to be one that still resonates with audiences today despite being over two decades old. Indeed, the intelligent use of special effects, combining computer-generated imagery with real-life sets, still impressively holds up to this day.
At the heart of what makes the film compelling is the love story at its center between Leonardo DiCaprio’s Jack Dawson and Kate Winslet’s Rose Dewitt Bukater. With Rose coming from a high-class background and Jack being a penniless drifter who is more interested in creating art than accumulating wealth, the two characters thrust the story forward with their taboo love.
Rose is engaged to a loveless and cruel man but is saved by Jack when he encounters her on the cusp of throwing herself off the boat, then the largest ship ever created. This ignites a romance that sees the two going through the ordeal of the century when the ship that was thought to be unsinkable crashes into an iceberg during its maiden voyage in 1912.
It’s a story of man’s hubris and staying true to one’s heart in the face of societal pressures to conform. The second half of the film features nothing less than some of the best action sequences ever committed to film.
It’s no wonder that FlixPatrol is reporting that Titanic has been dominating Netflix since it sailed onto the platform in the beginning of October, generating 13 days in the top 10 spot.
A week ago, the film stood comfortably in the number five spot while yesterday and today, it’s floated back down to number 10.
Needless to say, if you’ve never seen Titanic, go watch it now on Netflix. It’s utterly fantastic and always will be.