The film ?Titanic? reignited the world?s interest in the ill-fated luxury liner, with documentaries and historical tie-ins rampant on televisions as well as book shelves. The film, though, didn?t necessarily inspire those tie-ins or run to the top of the charts due to Leonardo DiCaprio?s performance or special effects. Instead, it was our collective intrigue with a story that?s historically recent in people?s minds yet somehow remains a distant mystery: how the grandest ship ever constructed could have met such an unfortunate end on its maiden voyage.
The man who brought us ?Titanic,? James Cameron, was as fascinated with the story as any of his movie?s fans, and his fascination, in many respects, bordered on obsession. Fortunately for movie-goers, Cameron has turned that obsession into ?Ghosts of the Abyss,? an incredible documentary expedition into the North Atlantic?s depths to explore the mysteries of the sunken ship. Released on DVD today, ?Ghosts of the Abyss? is a landmark motion picture for documentary enthusiasts and a must-have for any ?Titanic? aficionado.
The original theatrical release of ?Ghosts of the Abyss? was 60 minutes of footage highlighting Cameron?s journey to the bottom of the ocean and his exploration of the doomed ship?s decks. For the DVD, this original version remains intact, but there?s also a 90-minute extended feature, essentially similar to a director?s cut, that captures the magic of Cameron?s expedition so magically that there?s little reason you?ll ever watch the shorter cut.
?Ghosts of the Abyss? is as much a documentary of Cameron?s trip as it is a retelling of the Titanic?s own tale. From the original invitations to scientists and the pre-trip preparations to the underwater exploration and post-trip reflections, the DVD captures every relevant moment, essentially putting viewers in the cramped cockpit of one of Cameron?s submersibles.
This level of immersion is boosted by the DVD?s support of Dolby Digital and its THX certification. When you?re looking through the electronic eyes of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and the sounds of the deep sea echo from the rear speakers, the audio at times rivals the surround sound of a big-budget film. Couple that with outstanding footage and color correction, and you?ll feel as close to the Titanic as Cameron himself.
Throughout the film, the underwater footage is continuously superimposed by reenactments of the people and events that were happening at those same locations before the Titanic plunged 12,500 feet. For example, when the expedition?s ROVs enter the grand staircase, the coral-encrusted banisters are shown in their current condition, then shown briefly as an active thoroughfare with live actors dressed in period clothing.
This special effect, achieved by green screens and what must have been relentless research, helps viewers better connect with the human tragedy of the wreck. So many people, so many dreams, so many cries for help in the early morning hours. It?s a feeling that a shipwreck documentary alone couldn?t have achieved, but the ?ghosting? effect of semi-transparent actors can truly drive home. Naturally, the effect also gives rise to the film?s name.
The original and extended cuts of the film comprise but one disk of the DVD?s two-disk set. The second disk contains bonus materials, an odd inclusion for a documentary but one that adds surprising depth (pardon the pun) to the film.
?Reflections from the Deep? is the primary bonus, comprised of several featurettes on various aspects of the film and expedition. One featurette discusses the process of superimposing real actors on top of sunken-ship footage, while another one covers the ?Mir Cowboys,? who connected the research ship?s winches to the Mir submersibles regardless of the weather conditions. Other featurettes include interviews with Cameron and observer Bill Paxton, behind-the-scenes footage and additional footage of the rescue trips to save one of the ROVs after it?s lost in the Titanic.
The second major component on Disk Two, ?The Mir Experience,? is more interactive than it is a hands-off presentation. This featurette gives viewers a heads-up display comprised of multiple camera angles, almost as if viewers were on the research ship themselves determining which view they wanted to see. There?s one camera on each ROV, one inside each Mir submersible and one outside each Mir. The featurette documents portions of a 12-hour trip to the Titanic, and viewers can at any time switch their view to get a look at something different. You?ll inevitably find yourself switching between the two ROVs, since they spend the most time in the bowels of the sunken ship, but the freedom of ?movement? afforded by this featurette is astounding. Truly, this is an ingenious way to present additional footage.
?Ghosts of the Abyss? is an incredible documentary, but it also has dramatic and special-effects elements that you?d normally expect to see in a feature film. Is the DVD hard to classify, then? Not really. If you?re into Titanic lore, the feature film or documentaries in general, there?s only one way to classify ?Ghosts of the Abyss?: a Must Buy.
