Sandwiched between 'Titanic' and 'A Night to Remember' from the 1950's, and Cameron's blockbuster from the 90's, 'SOS Titanic' is the weakest of the quartet, but still manages to be entertaining with all the elements of the basic story handled well.
In tune with its intended TV audience, the film begins more like a period soap opera with emphasis on the variety of characters on the ship, and particularly the class distinctions between them. The social and physical barriers are rather obviously shown, with the three decks containing the 1st Class, 2nd Class and steerage passengers all looking down from one to the other. Like 'Titanic' (1953) and 'Titanic' (1997), the concentration on the characters does detract from the historical aspects of the story, leaving 'A Night to Remember' as the most accurate depiction of the tragedy.
Some of the issues in the story do become laboured in 'SOS Titanic', with hymn singing intercut with shots of floating ice, characters asking about lifeboat drills, and a 1st Class passenger cutting open his lifejacket to show what the insides are made of. The Mills & Boon dialogue also begins to surface more frequently, with lines like "New York seems so far away" and "Tonight may be our last night but one".
Small gripes aside, the effects and acting are good throughout and the characters are made interesting enough for us to care about them when the inevitable happens. It may be the poor relation of the family of Titanic films, but it has more than enough credentials to justify a place of its own at the table.
David Warner had a prominent role in this film and in Cameron's 1997 version.
In tune with its intended TV audience, the film begins more like a period soap opera with emphasis on the variety of characters on the ship, and particularly the class distinctions between them. The social and physical barriers are rather obviously shown, with the three decks containing the 1st Class, 2nd Class and steerage passengers all looking down from one to the other. Like 'Titanic' (1953) and 'Titanic' (1997), the concentration on the characters does detract from the historical aspects of the story, leaving 'A Night to Remember' as the most accurate depiction of the tragedy.
Some of the issues in the story do become laboured in 'SOS Titanic', with hymn singing intercut with shots of floating ice, characters asking about lifeboat drills, and a 1st Class passenger cutting open his lifejacket to show what the insides are made of. The Mills & Boon dialogue also begins to surface more frequently, with lines like "New York seems so far away" and "Tonight may be our last night but one".
Small gripes aside, the effects and acting are good throughout and the characters are made interesting enough for us to care about them when the inevitable happens. It may be the poor relation of the family of Titanic films, but it has more than enough credentials to justify a place of its own at the table.
David Warner had a prominent role in this film and in Cameron's 1997 version.