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 productions of its decade, directed by James Cameron for Paramount and 20th Century Fox. Its blend of historical spectacle, romance, and technical achievement made it a defining cinematic event, sweeping award ceremonies and becoming a touchstone of late-1990s filmmaking. The film's scale and emotional resonance cemented its place in popular culture, and its 35mm frames remain sought after by collectors who value tangible connections to landmark releases of that era.
This cell centers on Jack Dawson, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, alongside his companion Fabrizio De Rossi, portrayed by Danny Nucci. Jack stands as the film's romantic lead, a figure whose arc collectors prize for his charm and pivotal role in the story's emotional core. Fabrizio's presence alongside him reflects the camaraderie that grounds Jack's journey in friendship as well as romance. A cell naming these two together preserves a moment of connection between them, a fragment of character interplay rather than a posed studio still or promotional artifact.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm Dolby Digital theatrical release print of Titanic (1997).
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on each edge, evenly spaced; punched holes appear clean and regularly shaped with no visible tearing.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible along one edge, showing a dual bilateral waveform pattern; a separate row of small dense data blocks consistent with Dolby Digital encoding is visible between the perforations on the same edge.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read alphanumeric key numbers or manufacturer text.
Base & colour
Base carries a slight blue-cyan tint typical of modern polyester stock; the dye image appears warm and well-saturated with no visible fading or colour shift.
Projection history
No splices, cue marks or significant scratches are visible; the surface appears consistent with a projected release print.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, consistent with a release print of Titanic (1997).
Era check
The combination of polyester blue-base stock, dual variable-area optical track, and Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks is consistent with a mid-to-late 1990s theatrical release print.
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 000062581
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
