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
Released in 1997 by Paramount and 20th Century Fox, Titanic became a landmark of 1990s cinema, directed by James Cameron on an unprecedented budget and scale. Its sweeping love story set against the doomed ocean liner captivated audiences worldwide, dominating the box office and the Academy Awards. The film's blend of historical spectacle and intimate romance cemented its place in popular culture, and its two leads became defining stars of their generation.
This cell preserves the moment shared between Jack Dawson and Rose DeWitt Bukater, portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, as they kiss. It marks a turning point in their romance, the culmination of a connection that transcends class and circumstance. For collectors, this pairing represents the emotional heart of the film, the image most associated with its legacy. A 35mm cell from this scene stands as a physical fragment of the story audiences remember most vividly.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Titanic (1997).
Gauge
35mm; the strip holds three frames, each with four perforations visible on both the top and bottom edges.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even and the punched holes appear cleanly formed with no torn or deformed edges visible.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along the bottom edge beside the perforations; a blue-tinted Dolby Digital data block pattern is also visible in the inter-perforation gaps on the bottom edge, and a DTS timecode line appears as a fine dashed stripe adjacent to the optical track.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read any key numbers or manufacturer text.
Base & colour
The base shows a slight blue-violet tint consistent with a dye-based colour print stock; the dye image appears warm and well-saturated with no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
Light vertical scratches are visible running through the frame area, consistent with a print that has passed through a projector gate.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot, and the subject matter is consistent with a dramatic feature film matching the title on record.
Era check
The combination of Dolby Digital inter-perforation data blocks, DTS timecode stripe, and dual variable-area optical track is consistent with a mid-to-late 1990s theatrical release print, matching the 1997 release date 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 000062587
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
