James Cameron Reveals Science Has Proven the Answer to Viral Titanic Question
One of the most heartbreaking deaths in cinema took place in Titanic, when Leonardo DiCaprio's Jack sacrificed himself to make sure Kate Winslet's Rose could safely float on top of a door in freezing water, though fans have debated for 25 years if he really even need to make that sacrifice in the first place. According to director James Cameron, he collaborated with scientists to put the scenario to the test for an all-new special for National Geographic, which proved that, even with a door and lifevests, the pair couldn't both survive the conditions of the freezing water.
"We have done a scientific study to put this whole thing to rest and drive a stake through its heart once and for all," Cameron revealed to The Toronto Sun. "We have since done a thorough forensic analysis with a hypothermia expert who reproduced the raft from the movie and we're going to do a little special on it that comes out in February. We took two stunt people who were the same body mass of Kate and Leo and we put sensors all over them and inside them and we put them in ice water and we tested to see whether they could have survived through a variety of methods and the answer was, there was no way they both could have survived. Only one could survive."
In the 25 years since the release of Titanic, many audiences have merely looked at the surface area of the door and shown that there was room for two people to easily fit in the space. These critics also fail to take into account how two people would impact the buoyancy of the door and how much of their bodies would still be in the freezing water, potentially dooming them both to hypothermia.
Cameron also pointed out how the film wasn't merely about scientific accuracy and more about what Jack was willing to give up to ensure the safety of Rose.
"He needed to die. It's like Romeo and Juliet. It's a movie about love and sacrifice and mortality. The love is measured by the sacrifice," the filmmaker expressed. "Maybe ... maybe ... after 25 years, I won't have to deal with this anymore."
Stay tuned for details on the new special coming to National Geographic.
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