MovieChat Forums > Saving the Titanic (2012) Discussion > Finally, something new

Finally, something new

posted 12 years ago by taylorl92
8 replies | jump to latest

The story of the engineering crew during the voyage of the Titanic is one of the most remarkable stories to have come out of the tragedy. Every other dramatization of the tragedy only briefly feature the events that happened in the engine and boiler rooms. Some dramatizations, like Jim Cameron's film, show the engineers staying at their posts to the end, while others, like A Night to Remember, show them making for the top deck before the ship dips under.

This docudrama puts the engineering crew at the center, focusing entirely on them. The actors are amazing, the sets are near accurate, and the events are as close as we can get to knowing what happened that fateful night.

Most dramas of the Titanic tragedy focus on what happened above decks, like the lowering of the boats, the plight of steerage passengers, etc. but if not for the engineers, electricians, stokers, firemen, trimmers, greasers, and others below decks, the ship would have sunk sooner, or the electricity would have given at an earlier time. They make the ultimate sacrifice, and this docudrama that I just saw on PBS is simply amazing!

[–] Grimm-Grimm 12 years ago

I agree. I just finished watching it on PBS Kids at 2am and I thought it was so good I gave it a 10. At the end the narrator said it was available on PBS online to view as well. I think I may watch it again. It's a must see.

[–] smackiepipe 12 years ago

I agree as well. Just finished watching it, and it was very informative for centering totally on the below deck events. For those that stayed, they had nerves of steel. I'd certainly watch it again.

Chuck Norris can punch a cyclops between the eye.

[–] randommovies2002 12 years ago

I agree. It was a fab program, beautifully told. And what an impressive cast playing the forgotten heroes. I really learned a lot from this one and was impressed by the amazing performances (esp. for a docu such as this).

There's another one that keeps showing on the Green Network called Titanic: Birth of a Legend. Not as good as Saving the Titanic, though.

[–] fstacle 12 years ago

I have yet to see the whole thing, but even in the first 35 minutes of viewing, I learned some new trivia about the ship (the type of coal used was possibly contributory and something not normally considered).

And I agree that it was nice to show what was going on below deck, especially with those you knew were going to be among the first to perish. Well done!

[–] eldel1974 12 years ago

Completely agree. Just finished watching it. It seems they finally got away from the passengers and focused on the heroes below decks. I liked the approach, it's impossible to ever know what really went on, even though we certainly know the outcome. I'm very proud of the Irish actors on the cast.

[–] steve-adams 12 years ago

I found it interesting but I think they overdid the English officers/Irish crew bit. The real Fred Barret was English, and how did he get to be a leading fireman (ie foreman) if he was as bolshie as he's sown in the film?

[–] michduncg-347-166519 12 years ago

A very good story, well told. While 'Night to Remember' did show scenes below deck, it always seemed to me that the cast in that film spoke far to much as if they were all from RADA and had been through WWII together (and made lots of war movies together afterwards!). 'Saving the Titanic' certainly seemed to show the scale of the massive engines on Titanic, as well as a lot of the other machinery and hardware on board. But more importantly the characterisation of these brave and courageous men really shone through. It was interesting to see how isolated they were, and how long it seemed for them to realise the true danger the ship was in. Thomas Andrews seems to have been their only contact with the 'outside world', and yet he was on board on behalf of Harland & Wolf. I wonder if it is true that none of the ships officers came down to assess the damage - I am sure that one them was dispatched almost immediately to do so.

[–] steve-adams 12 years ago

By "ships officers" do you mean the deck officers? It's not really their business. The engineers are the officers in charge of all the machinery in the ship. They are the ones who should assess the damage and report it. The Chief Engineer is the head of the department and reports directly to the Captain (he had 4 rings - same as the Captain). The only thing a deck officer could have done is act as a messenger between the Chief Engineer and the Captain.