Ship of Dreams: Titanic Movie Diaries – Review

Ship of Dreams: Titanic Movie Diaries—a fresh little documentary that marked the 25th anniversary of Titanic’s cultural juggernaut release.

This isn’t your standard “making-of” special. Instead, it’s a deeply personal dive into the diaries and memories of some of the cast, crew and a few “super-fans” who worked on, and loved James Cameron’s Titanic back in the late 90’s.

It’s reflective. A bit dreamy. There’s a sort of wistful Gen-X nostalgia hanging over it all—like a mixtape of memories from the edge of an artistic breakdown. It’s also a bit more grounded than you’d expect, showing how fraught the production was with tension, all involved didn’t know if it would be a massive flop (it famously went over budget by double).

You get voiceovers from the diaries written during the filming (some of which haven’t been shared publicly before), and it paints a far less glamorous picture than the one we saw on the big screen. There’s a bit of heartbreak, some humour, and a healthy dose of “what the hell were we thinking?”

It’s definitely niche. If you’re not already a bit obsessed with Titanic, this might feel a tad indulgent. None of the main players are interviewed—their presence is mostly felt through other people’s accounts. Which, to be fair, is fascinating in its own way, but some might miss hearing from the main cast and crew. It’s also fair to say that unless you are that super-fan, you’re not going to recognise any of the people in this, it seems they’re mostly supporting artists. Having said that, it makes the overall documentary no less fascinating.

It’s beautifully shot and the sound is clear. If you’re a Titanic die-hard, a film history buff, or just love a good peek behind the Hollywood curtain, this is worth a watch. It’s not flashy—it’s more of a quiet, melancholy companion piece to one of the most biggest blockbusters ever made.

The documentary arrives on digital 31 March from Miracle Media