National Film RegistryLibrary of Congress · Inducted 2017
“James Cameron's epic retold the story of the great maritime disaster and made mega-stars of both its leads, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Their upstairs-downstairs romance transported the audience to another world and time via spectacular sweeping scenes in the bow of the ship and beyond.”
Selected for preservation as culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.
Directed by
James Cameron
Studio
Paramount Pictures · British Film Institute · 20th Century Studios · 195 min
Sources: Wikidata · Library of Congress · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Titanic (1997) arrived as one of the most ambitious studio productions of its decade, a Paramount and Twentieth Century Fox collaboration directed by James Cameron on a scale that redefined blockbuster filmmaking. Its release became a cultural event, sweeping award season and holding box office records for years afterward. The film's blend of historical spectacle and romantic drama made it a touchstone of 1990s cinema, and its physical media, from posters to celluloid, remain sought after by collectors of American film history.
This cell comes from the opening credits sequence, the portion of a film reserved for introducing its production pedigree and leading performers before the story begins. DiCaprio refers to Leonardo DiCaprio, who plays Jack Dawson, the young artist whose romance anchors the film's narrative. Credits cells like this one are prized by collectors because they mark the very first frames tying a star's name to the picture, a point of origin for a performance that helped define DiCaprio's early career and the film's enduring popularity.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Titanic (1997).
Gauge
35mm, confirmed by four perforations per frame visible on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even and the punched holes appear cleanly cut with no torn edges visible.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along the bottom edge beside the picture area, showing the characteristic waveform pattern of an analog optical track; Dolby Digital pixel blocks are also visible in the inter-perforation gaps on the bottom edge, indicating a hybrid analog/Dolby Digital optical soundtrack.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture beyond the repeated title credit text 'LEONARDO DICAPRIO' printed within the picture area itself, which is a title card frame rather than edge print.
Base & colour
The base appears with a slight blue-grey tint consistent with a modern polyester safety base; the dye image appears neutral with no visible red shift or fading.
Projection history
No scratches, splice marks or cue marks are visible in this capture.
Picture
Positive image; all three frames appear to be consecutive title card frames from the same shot, displaying the 'LEONARDO DICAPRIO' credit, consistent with a release print of Titanic (1997).
Era check
The hybrid variable-area optical plus Dolby Digital inter-perforation data track combination is consistent with a mid-to-late 1990s theatrical release print, matching the 1997 release date of the film on record.
Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading in partnership with National Film Vault, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
CROWN SERIAL 000062575
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
