Grays Almanac

Home/Episodes/Titanic

‘Titanic’ 25th Anniversary With Bill Simmons and Van Lathan

March 15, 2022 · Titanic (1997) · Drama · Romance · 1:44:34

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 50:41Rose's meltdown on the boat where Jack almost gets blamed, and the dinner party scene where Leo gives his 'life's a gift' speech

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 1:09:57Their video about Rose on the YouTube channel

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 1:10:38The 3 hour 15 minute runtime, Danny Nucci's Italian accent, and Billy Zane's over-the-top performance (especially the Picasso scene)
Van Lathan▶ 1:11:11Billy Zane's abusive character portrayal, though defends Zane as an actor and acknowledges the movie's lack of subtlety in character development

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:14:03Johnny Depp — Discusses multiple what-ifs including Johnny Depp turning down Jack, Jeremy Sisto being auditioned multiple times, Gwyneth Paltrow for Rose (thinks she would have been decent but Winslet was better), Matthew McConaughey offered Billy Zane's role, and Robert De Niro offered Captain Smith
Van Lathan▶ 1:15:37Gwyneth Paltrow — Gwyneth Paltrow would have been too refined/regal for Rose - 'there's something too regal about Gwyneth Paltrow' and agrees McConaughey turning down the villain role was smart for his career

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:17:09Frances Fisher — The mom (Terminator 2 lady) - the actress who was the evil lady in Terminator 2
Van Lathan▶ 1:17:21Frances Fisher — Agreed with another host's pick and noted the actress was also in Lethal Weapon 2

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:19:31Extensive trivia presentation covering movie vs. real life facts, including Cameron's 12 dives to film real Titanic footage, the J. Dawson gravestone coincidence, production details like the 160-day shoot costing $150 million, Kate Winslet getting pneumonia from not wearing a wetsuit, and the real $2.2 million necklace that was later auctioned for charity
Van Lathan▶ 1:22:42Reacted with amazement to the 160-day shoot duration ('That's longer than a football season. That's nuts.') and expressed surprise about the real $2.2 million necklace ('The necklace was real. Oh, wow. I did not know that.')

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:23:55Leonardo DiCaprio — Initially argues yes for Leo with Titanic making him biggest star in the world, but acknowledges 2006 (Blood Diamond/The Departed) as alternative. Says James Cameron has to be yes, Billy Zane yes, disaster movies yes, icebergs yes, heroes from Wisconsin goes with Jack
Van Lathan▶ 1:24:30The Departed — The Departed for Leonardo DiCaprio over Titanic, because people don't think of Titanic when they hear DiCaprio's name now

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:38:32Leonardo DiCaprio — Leonardo DiCaprio - becomes the biggest star of the last 25 years

Movies Referenced (41)

The Godfather (1972)

8 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 3:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

6 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 57:49IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Beach (2000)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 7:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gone with the Wind (1939)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 5:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

School Ties (1992)

5 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:18:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Departed (2006)

5 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:24:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Boogie Nights (1997)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 48:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Aliens (1986)

2 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 8:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Avatar (2009)

2 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 14:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Blood Diamond (2006)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:24:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cutthroat Island (1995)

2 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 16:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fargo (1996)

2 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 32:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (7)

Kevin Costner

2 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 16:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mel Gibson

2 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Braveheart, Conspiracy Theory▶ 15:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Bellany

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Stardust▶ 0:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Thomas Anderson

1 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood▶ 1:36:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Altman

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Gosford Park▶ 1:12:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roland Emmerich

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow▶ 11:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Steve Nash

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:02:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (47)

Jack Nicholson

85 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Chinatown, As Good as It Gets, The Departed▶ 7:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kate Winslet

25 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Revolutionary Road, Titanic▶ 2:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Billy Zane

16 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Titanic, Dead Calm▶ 8:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Leonardo DiCaprio

13 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Inception, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Departed▶ 2:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kathy Bates

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Misery, Dolores Claiborne, Titanic▶ 8:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

LeBron James

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 30:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Matt Damon

7 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Good Will Hunting, The Martian, The Departed▶ 0:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jeremy Sisto

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Wrong Turn, Clueless▶ 1:14:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jonah Hill

6 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for 21 Jump Street, 22 Jump Street, The Wolf of Wall Street▶ 26:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bill Paxton

5 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Aliens, Apollo 13▶ 11:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mark Wahlberg

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for The Fighter, Boogie Nights, The Departed▶ 48:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert De Niro

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver▶ 23:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

James Cameron

28 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Avatar, Aliens, Terminator 2: Judgment Day▶ 2:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

William Goldman

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men, The Princess Bride▶ 56:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fam Udeorji

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 43:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 48:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗