忘れられないアメリカ映画

I borrowed the “Titanic” DVD from the Joe Fortes Library a week ago and viewed it. 　Oh!…that was a fantastic film!—more than three-hour long, yet I viewed it without an intermission!

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Did you? 　But it was made in 1997, wasn’t it?

Yes, it was—14 years ago. 　For some reason, I didn’t see it when it was first released.

Do you know, Kato, the 3-D version of “Titanic” will be released in the next year.

Why released in 2012?

Remember! 　That sinking disaster took place in 1912.

Oh,… I see—The next year is its hundredth anniversary, isn’t it?

Yes, it is.

Diane, did you see it back in 1997?

Yes, of course, I did…it was reportedly a mega film that took $200 million—the most expensive movie ever made in the history, they said. 　Besides, I heard, it was a state-of-the-art fantastic movie. 　So I could hardly wait, and stood in a long waiting line to get a ticket.

Yeah, I’ve heard of it. 　The film earned more than a billion dollars worldwide, and set a record. 　Although I didn’t pay a cent, it was such a spectacle movie of such magnitude that it’s hard to imagine feeling you didn’t get your time and money’s worth. 　I really enjoyed the movie myself.

Oh, did you?

The first part is kinda eerie with underwater images of the Titanic’s remains resting beneath the Atlantic since its close encounter with an iceberg in 1912. 　When I first saw this part, I thought that I was viewing a different documentary movie, and wondered if I should return it.

You know, Kato, the director—James Cameron—is a underwater nerd who filmed the remains by himself. 　He was so preoccupied with the Titanic. 　That preoccupation was the motive to make the film in the first place.

Oh, was it?

Before filming the Titanic movie, he took part in the salvage expedition.

I see…Did James Cameron find that fabulous blue diamond?

That diamond didn’t exist in the first place, neither did the romance between Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) and Jack Dawson (Leonardo DiCaprio).

No kidding!

James Cameron created a “Romeo and Juliet” story on the Titanic so that he thought the movie would attract a great number of viewers and could get enough funding for making the movie from film companies.

I thought the movie was filmed based on the historical facts.

Yes, it’s true in part, but half the characters in the movie are fictional figures created by James Cameron.

Diane, how do you know?

‘Cause I’ve read about the background story—as much as possible on the Net.

Have you?…so, you’re saying that the “Romeo and Juliet” story on the Titanic didn’t actually happen at all, aren’t you?

No, not at all.

Well…, it’s such a letdown, isn’t it?

Kato, did you genuinely believe that the romance actually took place on the Titanic?

Yes, I did…that romance is the core of the whole movie, isn’t it?

Yes, it is, but that romance is a fiction. 　By the way, Kato, are you talking about another Titanic ship made in Sendai—your second home town in Japan?

Oh, no. 　There is no Titanic made in Japan as far as I know.

Then, how come you’ve picked up “Titanic @ Sendai” as a title.

A good question, Diane…well, as you know, the core of the romance goes like this:

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Distraught by her engagement to Cal Hockley—the wealthy yet caddish and bullish man, Rose considers suicide by jumping off the ship’s stern.
A drifter and artist named Jack Dawson stops her.
Discovered with Jack on the stern, Rose tells Cal that she was looking over the ship’s edge in curiosity and that Jack saved her from falling.
At Rose’s insistence, Cal invites Jack to dinner the following night to show his appreciation.
Jack and Rose develop a tentative friendship, though Cal and Ruth are wary of the young third-class man.
Following the first-class dinner that night, Rose secretly joins Jack at a party in the ship’s third-class quarter.
The couple enjoyed the party to their bone.

Forbidden to see Jack by Cal and Ruth, Rose attempts to rebuff Jack’s continuing advances.
She soon realizes, though, that she prefers him over Cal, and meets him at the bow of the ship during what turns out to be the Titanic’s final moments of daylight.

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They go to Rose’s stateroom and she asks Jack to sketch her nude wearing the Heart of the Ocean—Cal’s engagement present.

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Yes, this is the fictional Romeo and Juliet story on the Titanic.

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The same romance happened to me in Senday.

Are you kidding?

Oh, no, of cource not. 　I’m dead serious. 　In fact, I’ve already written the story in Japanese.

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■“Woman in Sendai （仙台の女）“

(December 18, 2011)

Kato, as I told you before, I cannot read Japanese. 　Besides, when I used the GOOGLE translator to read one of your stories, it tralslated the nitty-gritty of a tale into a confusing mass so that I couldn’t understand the story at all.

Well,…in that case, I’d better tell you now.

Please do…I’m all ears.

It all started when I was a college boy. 　First of all, take a look at the memo Naoko gave me.

Kato, is this a thnak-you letter from the woman in Sendai?

Yes, it is.

Are you saying, you—like Jack Dawson in the movie—drew the Sendai woman in the nude?

Yes, I am.

Show me the drawing, will you?

Here it is.

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So, you were an artist when you were a college student, weren’t you?

You’re telling me, Diane.

Did you draw many women in the nude?

Not quite many, but I took several drawing lessons. 　Actually, the above drawing was for somebody else.

Another girlfriend?

No, one of the models.

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I see…she is beautiful. 　By the way, where is Titanic?

There is no Titanic. 　The movie title reminds me of the occasion in which I drew Naoko in the nude just as Jack drew Rose.

I see…how about a blue diamond?

A blue diamond?…well, there is no jewel involved in the case of Naoko. 　I would say, the hot pants might be the “Heart of the Ocean,” though she wasn’t wearing those while posing for me. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, … By the way, Diane, would you like to pose for me?

For nude drawing?

Yes, I’m pretty sure I would be able to make a lovely drawing since you’re in such an enchanting shape.

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Do you really want me to soar up in the sky as Naoko did?

Yes, I do.

No, thank you. 　I’m scared of heights. 　But I’d rather have a blue diamond as Rose did.

Oh, yes…you’ll definitely have one called a “Heart of Love” while posing nude for me.

If you’ve got some time,

■“Hello Diane!”

■“I wish you were there!”

■“Jane Eyre”

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■“Jane Eyre Again”

■“Jane Eyre in Vancouver”

■“Jane Eyre Special”

■“Love & Death of Cleopatra”

■“Nice Story”

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■“Scrumdiddlyumptious”

■“Spiritual Work or What?”

■“What a coincidence!”

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■“Wind and Water”

■“Yoga and Happiness”

■“You’re in a good shape”

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■“Hellelujah!”

■“Ecclesiophobia”

■“Uncorruptible”

■“Net Travel & Jane”

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■“Net Love”

■“Complicated Love”

■“Electra Complex”

■“Net Début”

■“Inner World”

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■“Madame Riviera and Burger”

■“Roly-poly in the North”

■“Amazing Grace”

■“Diane in Paris”

■“Diane in Montmartre”

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■“Diane Well Read”

■“Wantirna South”

■“Maiden’s Prayer”

■“Bandwidth”

■“Squaw House and Melbourne Hotel”

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■“Tulips and Diane”

■“Diane in Bustle Skirt”

■“Diane and Beauty”

■“Lady Chatterley and Beauty”

■“Victoria Prudery”

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■“Diane Chatterley”

■“From Canada to Japan”

■“From Gyoda to Vancouver”

■“Film Festival”

■“Madame Taliesin”

■“Happy Days”

■“Vancouver Again”

■“Swansea”

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■“Midnight in Vancouver”

■“Madame Lindbergh”

■“Dead Poets Society”

■“Letters to Diane”

■“Taliesin Studio”

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■“Wright and Japan”

■“Taliesin Banzai”

■“Memrory Lane to Sendai”