Titanic (1997)
- To accurately portray their role in Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio spent weeks conducting hands-on research and rehearsing directly with director James Cameron.
- Titanic utilized mostly practical sets and locations to ground the story, a specific choice insisted upon by James Cameron.
Titanic is a 1997 American epic romance and disaster film written, directed, produced, and co-edited by James Cameron. Incorporating both historical and fictionalized aspects, the film is based on accounts of the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet star as members of different social classes who fall in love during the ship's ill-fated maiden voyage.
The supporting cast includes Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Gloria Stuart, Bernard Hill, and Bill Paxton. Cameron undertook extensive research to ensure historical accuracy, including diving to the actual wreck twelve times. The production budget of approximately $200 million made it the most expensive film ever made at the time.
Titanic was a monumental commercial success, grossing over $2.2 billion worldwide and holding the record as the highest-grossing film for twelve years until Cameron's own Avatar surpassed it. The film won eleven Academy Awards, tying the record set by Ben-Hur, including Best Picture and Best Director.
