Raise The Titanic is a 1980 American big budget adventure film directed by Jerry Jameson and written by Eric Hughes (adaption) and Adam Kennedy (screenplay). The film stars Jason Robards, Richard Jordan, David Selby and Anne Archer.
The film was inspired by Clive Cussler's novel Raise the Titanic. The filmmakers used a budget of $36 million dollars but only grossed about $7 million in the box office plus $6,800,000 of rentals totaling a $13,800,000 altogether.
Plot
A group of Americans who have had experience in raising small ships from the sea bed are hired to raise the famous ocean liner Titanic from the North Atlantic to obtain a rare mineral that the US armed forces can use for a sound beam that can take down missiles as they enter US airspace. The Soviet Union also wants to salvage the ship because they claim they own the rare mineral.
Rebuilding the Titanic
The production created both life-sized and a scale model of what the Titanic would look like 68 years after it sank. A great deal of the budget went into rebuilding the ship and shooting the underwater scenes. In the movie the wreck appears as an intact vessel on the ocean floor; a departure from reality due to the fact that in 1980 the Titanic had not yet been discovered.
Writing
The writers decided to make parts of the film different from the book. In the book Dirk Pitt and Seagram's wife Dana have an affair, leaving Gene Seagram near suicidal, eventually suffering a nervous breakdown, but in the film Dr. Seagram and Pitt reach a grudging friendship.
The rare mineral that prompted the raising of the wreck is eventually not found on board the ship, but in a false grave in Southby, England as per the book. A change was made to the end, instead of just digging up the mineral, and therefore altering the balance of power between east and west, Pitt tells Seagram to decide whether or not they should dig it up. Seagram decides not to, and they walk away, leaving the mineral undisturbed.
Music
John Barry, renowned Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning English composer, created the film's musical score, which became the most acclaimed aspect of the production.
Box office
The film received negative reviews and only grossed $7 million at the box office plus $6,800,000 in video rentals. Altogether the film only grossed a total of $13,800,000.
Awards
Raise The Titanic was nominated for 3 Razzie Awards for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, and (David Selby) was nominated for Worst Supporting Actor.
Reception
The film received tons of negative reviews but received good reviews because of its musical score. Clive Cussler was so disgusted with the film that he said no to every film company that wanted to adapt a film from one of his books. When the film Sahara was made Cussler sued the filmmakers. Although the film received a 60% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes it scores much better with users, currently rating it 75%.
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