"Making Of" Book On Film Coming

[Eric Paddon]

A two volume book set on the making of "Raise The Titanic" movie is slated to come out in early August from Bear Manor Media, a publishing firm that specializes in works on more obscure TV series and movies.

Information from the website of the author. I've picked up his "bonus" material.

"MAKING OF" MOVIE BOOK | Raise the Titanic

www.raisethetitanic.co.uk

 

[Eric Paddon]

And the order links for both volumes of this are now up! As it's two volumes this is going to be every last little detail about the story of this movie you could ever hope to have found. (Combined, both books add up to 1000 pages! Loads of illustrations and images too)

Raise the Titanic - The Making of the Movie Vol. 1 (hardback)

Raise the Titanic - The Making of the Movie Vol. 1by Jonathan Smith506 pages8.5 x 11 in.“That’s right sir. We can’t get divers down to the Titanic. Which leaves us with only one choice. We don’t go to the mountain. The mountain comes to us.”Dirk Pitt (Richard Jordan) It was claimed to be the...

bearmanor-digital.myshopify.com

Raise the Titanic - The Making of the Movie Vol. 2 (hardback)

Raise the Titanic - The Making of the Movie Vol. 2 by Jonathan Smith 520 pages 8.5 x 11 in. “That’s right sir. We can’t get divers down to the Titanic. Which leaves us with only one choice. We don’t go to the mountain. The mountain comes to us.” Dirk Pitt (Richard Jordan) It was claimed to be...

bearmanor-digital.myshopify.com

 

[Eric Paddon]

My copy of this arrived today and just in time since I'm moving in two days! Can hardly wait to start going through it and learning more inside details about the making of the film.

 

[J Sheehan]

I've got both volumes, both came fairly recently, and I'm very glad that I have them both. And the many photos in them, it's just a real treasure trove or a goldmine of new information about the movie.

Does anyone know if the author has any new Titanic books coming out in the future? If they're done to the quality of what I've read in these two volumes, with plenty of information and new photos, then I'll certainly pick up a copy of each.

 

[Eric Paddon]

It turned out my order was screwed up. The copy of Volume 2 I got had a Volume 2 cover but the internal contents were Volume 1! They sent me an e-book as a stopgap until I get it right but that is the first time I've ever seen that kind of a screw-up.

The production photos and extensive detail is outstanding. If I have one quibble it's the fact that with so much attention to the technical production, there isn't as much discussion on the changing nature of the scripts as I would have liked to have seen, especially since I have one of the earlier drafts from when Stanley Kramer was attached to the project and the final version. The need for US Navy cooperation is what clearly caused much of the suspense from Cussler's novel involving the US-Soviet clash to be eliminated, right down to its changed ending since official US policy was to not do anything to antagonize the USSR at that point in time. But contrasting the earlier draft with the final version I think deserved just a bit more attention since that info is out there.

It was also helpful to see it clarified that the footage of the sinking from the lost prologue that was used in the 1982 Voyagers episode was actually outtake footage trims, and not footage lifted directly from the cut prologue. Lew Grade had been insistent from the beginning that he didn't want to see the sinking depicted, so it's amazing it actually got filmed in the first place. That said, it should have been included.

 

[Jonathan Smith - Author]

It turned out my order was screwed up. The copy of Volume 2 I got had a Volume 2 cover but the internal contents were Volume 1! They sent me an e-book as a stopgap until I get it right but that is the first time I've ever seen that kind of a screw-up.

The production photos and extensive detail is outstanding. If I have one quibble it's the fact that with so much attention to the technical production, there isn't as much discussion on the changing nature of the scripts as I would have liked to have seen, especially since I have one of the earlier drafts from when Stanley Kramer was attached to the project and the final version. The need for US Navy cooperation is what clearly caused much of the suspense from Cussler's novel involving the US-Soviet clash to be eliminated, right down to its changed ending since official US policy was to not do anything to antagonize the USSR at that point in time. But contrasting the earlier draft with the final version I think deserved just a bit more attention since that info is out there.

It was also helpful to see it clarified that the footage of the sinking from the lost prologue that was used in the 1982 Voyagers episode was actually outtake footage trims, and not footage lifted directly from the cut prologue. Lew Grade had been insistent from the beginning that he didn't want to see the sinking depicted, so it's amazing it actually got filmed in the first place. That said, it should have been included.

Hello Eric, and thank you for your posting.

I registered with E.T to post a reply.

Regarding the early drafts of the script. While I had the information to hand in regards to versions created, I did not have all versions to hand in physical form. I did put out several requests publicly to anyone who may have any of these early drafts that they would be willing to share with me for use in the book - but, alas, no one came forward, so I used what I had at the time. Those early drafts are extremely difficult to find and are not public. I would have liked to have covered, to some degree, one or two early drafts as a comparison. But if I did have them to hand at the time of writing, anything chosen would be kept to a minimal as I wanted to concentrate more on the drafts that did make it into storyboards and onto film. However, that is not to say any future prints of the book will not include such early drafts. If someone is willing to share them with me to make that happen then I would be more than delighted to feature them.

Did the publisher/retailer supply you with the correct printing in the end?

 

[Seumas]

Hello Eric, and thank you for your posting.

I registered with E.T to post a reply.

Regarding the early drafts of the script. While I had the information to hand in regards to versions created, I did not have all versions to hand in physical form. I did put out several requests publicly to anyone who may have any of these early drafts that they would be willing to share with me for use in the book - but, alas, no one came forward, so I used what I had at the time. Those early drafts are extremely difficult to find and are not public. I would have liked to have covered, to some degree, one or two early drafts as a comparison. But if I did have them to hand at the time of writing, anything chosen would be kept to a minimal as I wanted to concentrate more on the drafts that did make it into storyboards and onto film. However, that is not to say any future prints of the book will not include such early drafts. If someone is willing to share them with me to make that happen then I would be more than delighted to feature them.

Did the publisher/retailer supply you with the correct printing in the end?

Hi Jonathan, congratulations on your book into RTT.

Curiously, RTT was formerly almost universally reviled among Titanic enthusiasts but in the last ten or fifteen years it has most definitely undergone a re-appraisal and been taken to the hearts of many with an interest in the Titanic as a kind of "cult film".

I notice you said you had trouble getting hold of alternate scripts (with some different content) and I was wondering if you had read through these two treatments before ?

Raise The Titanic! Movie Script-Second Revised Draft-December 15, 1977

Raise The Titanic! Movie Script-Revised Final Draft August 27, 1979

 

[Eric Paddon]

Hello Eric, and thank you for your posting.

I registered with E.T to post a reply.

Regarding the early drafts of the script. While I had the information to hand in regards to versions created, I did not have all versions to hand in physical form. I did put out several requests publicly to anyone who may have any of these early drafts that they would be willing to share with me for use in the book - but, alas, no one came forward, so I used what I had at the time. Those early drafts are extremely difficult to find and are not public. I would have liked to have covered, to some degree, one or two early drafts as a comparison. But if I did have them to hand at the time of writing, anything chosen would be kept to a minimal as I wanted to concentrate more on the drafts that did make it into storyboards and onto film. However, that is not to say any future prints of the book will not include such early drafts. If someone is willing to share them with me to make that happen then I would be more than delighted to feature them.

Did the publisher/retailer supply you with the correct printing in the end?

Hi Jonathan. Welcome to the Board! The publisher has still not sent me a corrected version of Volume 2. I did move recently and warned him that I would no longer be at my old address where the first shipments arrived, but I fear he didn't take that into account if he did send out a replacement (and packages I don't think get forwarded).

I was about to attach the 1977 draft, but I see that's been taken care of. When I read it, I was struck by how Pitt was being written with someone like Steve McQueen in mind, basically a slightly past his prime weary veteran as opposed to the more younger Bond-like rogue of Cussler's novel.

 

[Seumas]

How many scenes were actually filmed but were ultimately cut ?

The reason I ask that is because last night I was watching it for the first time in about ten years and noticed that there are several points in the film where a number of scenes don't really flow smoothly from one into the other.

It's almost as if something else had been there to bridge these scenes but had been removed.

Hi Jonathan. Welcome to the Board! The publisher has still not sent me a corrected version of Volume 2. I did move recently and warned him that I would no longer be at my old address where the first shipments arrived, but I fear he didn't take that into account if he did send out a replacement (and packages I don't think get forwarded).

I was about to attach the 1977 draft, but I see that's been taken care of. When I read it, I was struck by how Pitt was being written with someone like Steve McQueen in mind, basically a slightly past his prime weary veteran as opposed to the more younger Bond-like rogue of Cussler's novel.

I thought the '77 draft was alright.

The attempts at humour in it are not very good but otherwise it's fine. Crucially, Pitt and Seagram also work more as a team and we learn more about their personal background and motivations.

 

[Eric Paddon]

Yeah, in the 77 script, adding the detail of Seagram being haunted by his father being a Los Alamos scientist to explain his obsession with wanting the Sicilian Project to succeed was the kind of touch that was missing from the novel regarding his character. There's no reason why Seagram is this character on the edge of a nervous breakdown throughout the book.

As for the film, a VERY critical scene of Anne Archer's Dana reappearing at the Titanic after she arrives in New York was cut. She talks with Pitt and then we see her meet with Seagram with the implication they've patched things up. The absence of that scene made the whole plotline with her come to an abrupt halt with zero resolution.

 

[Seumas]

Yeah, in the 77 script, adding the detail of Seagram being haunted by his father being a Los Alamos scientist to explain his obsession with wanting the Sicilian Project to succeed was the kind of touch that was missing from the novel regarding his character. There's no reason why Seagram is this character on the edge of a nervous breakdown throughout the book.

As for the film, a VERY critical scene of Anne Archer's Dana reappearing at the Titanic after she arrives in New York was cut. She talks with Pitt and then we see her meet with Seagram with the implication they've patched things up. The absence of that scene made the whole plotline with her come to an abrupt halt with zero resolution.

The late Clive Cussler himself I gather (Jonathan will likely know better than I) approved of the '77 script which suggests maybe he would agree with you that he (Cussler) should have fleshed out Seagram's background and motivation more. Seagram in my opinion is also a much more likeable character in the '77 script.

In the final production of the film, one I didn't find very satisfying was how the identity of the Soviet agent aboard USS Denver was arrived at too quickly and much too conveniently.

 

[Jonathan Smith - Author]

I've got both volumes, both came fairly recently, and I'm very glad that I have them both. And the many photos in them, it's just a real treasure trove or a goldmine of new information about the movie.

Does anyone know if the author has any new Titanic books coming out in the future? If they're done to the quality of what I've read in these two volumes, with plenty of information and new photos, then I'll certainly pick up a copy of each.

I have two new books out which are available via the Blurb Bookstore at either www.blurb.com or www.blurb.co.uk. One is Raise the Titanic: The ITC Entertainment Collection which is a full colour book covering the film company publicity material.

This past week I also released via Blurb Titanic on Screen which is a beginner's guide to the Titanic disaster in movies, documentaries, television and news reels. Starting from 1909 right through to the 2020s, it is presented as a decade by decade guide to what is out there on film, news reels, video, DVD and Blu-ray. It is not a full comprehensive guide, but there are over 250 entries to whet your appetite.

 

[ladonnafidler0]

It turned out my order was screwed up. The copy of Volume 2 I got had a Volume 2 cover but the internal contents were Volume 1! They sent me an e-book as a stopgap until I get it right but that is the first time I've ever seen that kind of a screw-up.

The production photos and extensive detail is outstanding. If I have one quibble it's the fact that with so much attention to the technical production, there isn't as much discussion on the changing nature of the scripts as I would have liked to have seen, especially since I have one of the earlier drafts from when Stanley Kramer was attached to the project and the final version. The need for US Navy cooperation is what clearly caused much of the suspense from Cussler's novel involving the US-Soviet clash to be eliminated, right down to its changed ending since official US policy was to not do anything to antagonize the USSR at that point in time. But contrasting the earlier draft with the final version I think deserved just a bit more attention since that info is out there.

It was also helpful to see it clarified that the footage of the sinking from the lost prologue that was used in the 1982 Voyagers episode was actually outtake footage trims, and not footage lifted directly from the cut prologue. Lew Grade had been insistent from the beginning that he didn't want to see the sinking depicted, so it's amazing it actually got filmed in the first place. That said, it should have been included.

Well, finally, I've been waiting for more than two years. Have they finally decided on this! Lately I've been reading compare and contrast, you can view it if you like. It incredibly exhausted me, I already wanted something new and interesting. All these books from the university, to put it mildly, are boring.

I agree with you

 

[Jonathan Smith - Author]

Regarding the changes to the screenplay, the whole saga of filming Raise the Titanic was nothing short of a cluster f***. Everything that could go wrong, did. The signs of troubles were there from the very start. But as the film quickly turned into a vanity project for its financier, Lew Grade, no one could come up with a decent script that would work on screen. As I mention in the book, Clive Cussler was dealt a blow after agreeing to not have any input in the writing side of the film. Whether that would have made any difference if he did is something we will never know other than Cussler never had any background in screenplay writing. The biggest mistake made to the film came from Jerry Jameson for thinking that the film would be supported by the Navy. The navy's involvement is what put the final nail in the coffin for that film. Jameson should have kept clear of the navy's involvement and focused on the fictional salvage team to raise Titanic. Then again, Jameson was getting fed up with Raise the Titanic to the point that he too nearly walked off the project.

 

[Eric Paddon]

I have two new books out which are available via the Blurb Bookstore at either www.blurb.com or www.blurb.co.uk. One is Raise the Titanic: The ITC Entertainment Collection which is a full colour book covering the film company publicity material.

This past week I also released via Blurb Titanic on Screen which is a beginner's guide to the Titanic disaster in movies, documentaries, television and news reels. Starting from 1909 right through to the 2020s, it is presented as a decade by decade guide to what is out there on film, news reels, video, DVD and Blu-ray. It is not a full comprehensive guide, but there are over 250 entries to whet your appetite.

I just got around to ordering these two books. Looking forward to them!