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 arrived in December 1997 from Paramount and Twentieth Century Fox, directed by James Cameron on a scale that reshaped what studios believed a single production could cost and recover. It went on to dominate the Academy Awards and became, for a time, the highest grossing film ever released, cementing its place as a cultural touchstone that crossed generations. Its blend of historical spectacle and intimate romance made it one of the defining cinematic events of the 1990s, drawing audiences back to theaters again and again.
This 35mm cell centers on Jack Dawson, the free spirited artist whose presence anchors the film's emotional core and remains one of the most requested figures among collectors of Titanic memorabilia. As a name-only reel segment, this piece preserves a fragment of celluloid tied directly to his character, a physical remnant from the actual print rather than a reproduction. For collectors, owning a piece connected to Jack speaks to the character's enduring symbolism of youth, hope, and romantic idealism within the larger story of the ship's voyage.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm 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 both edges; spacing appears even and the punched holes appear cleanly cut with no visible tearing.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible along the lower edge, with what appears to be a Dolby Digital data-block strip in the gap between the lower perforations and the picture area, consistent with a dual-format optical release.
Edge print
Upper edge reads 'KODAK 389 42' followed by a partially legible sequence ending in what appears reversed as '1997' or similar key numbers; 'SAFETY' designation not fully legible in this capture.
Base & colour
Base appears with a slight blue-violet tint typical of Kodak Vision stock; dye image reads as warm and saturated with no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
Light vertical lines consistent with projection wear are visible across the frame area; no splices or cue marks seen.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single shot, and the subject matter is consistent with the film on record.
Era check
The Kodak Vision stock edge code, blue-tinted base, combined optical Dolby Digital soundtrack format, and four-perforation 35mm layout are all 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 000062619
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
