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I Guess I Can't Argue With That

James Cameron Sinks Our Ship (Or, At Least, Our AU)

by Zoe Chevat | 3:28 pm, September 13th, 2012


Yeah, we all think about this stuff too much

James Cameron doesn’t care what you think. It’s one of the many privileges of having made billions of dollars. But even mega movie tyrants can get sick of myths that float around the internet. Especially if they have to do with Titanic.

In response to the long-standing theory explored by a Reddit user that Jack could have easily fit onto that door with Rose (don’t pretend like you don’t know what we’re talking about), Cameron has gone on the record stating that it’s not a question of space, but a question of buoyancy.

As we all recall (yes, you do, don’t pretend), when they first find that piece of door, both of them try to get on it, only to have it start to sink/flip over. As Cameron says in the accompanying video (skip to 4:20 for relevant raft-talk), “Jack’s not an idiot, he doesn’t want to die…but it’s clear there’s only enough buoyancy available for one person.” Obviously, the only sensible thing to do in the situation is to let Kate Winslet live.

(We bandied this idea around the office a bit today, and our esteemed chief editor decided that she didn’t even need the buoyancy argument. As she asked me, after looking at the lovely dry photos of Redditors on a gym floor, “Have you EVER tried to get from the water in a pool onto an inflatable raft? Fully clothed?” There was a certain amount of barely-concealed ire involved that indicated I should never ask about getting two people into a hammock. Perhaps there is some unspeakable trauma to that story. I weakly countered by pointing out that the prospect of living and getting to be with Kate Winslet is a great motivator that should not be underestimated.)

For those still unsatisfied with this answer, Cameron also announces in the video his future plans to collaborate with the Mythbusters, and put this meme to rest on the ocean floor once and for all.

(via Neatorama, Flavorwire)

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  • Adam R. Charpentier

    I cannot WAIT for that episode of Mythbusters. Promise you’ll cover it, for those of us that don’t pay careful attention to TV schedules?

  • Zoe Chevat

    Oh, we are all about the relevant Mythbusting here. Can’t promise, but we’ll keep an eye out.

  • Terence Ng

    Ugh, there goes my fanfic about the two of them surviving, making it to America, appealing to Rose’s snobby parents, running away together in defiance to get happily married, and then divorcing 28 months later due to irreconcilable differences…

  • http://twitter.com/bunny_peep Gouka

    I expect, then, for Mythbusters to also test whether they could have both survived by alternating who got to be on the raft. Person starts to fall asleep, time for a change! *visualizes mad tea party scene from Alice in Wonderland*

  • Alicia Pierro

    Not only were they fully clothed, they were wearing cumbersome Edwardian garb! That just adds to the poundage and the climbing-out-of-water-awkardness. They weren’t wearing the comfy and lightweight yoga gear modeled above. I questioned the bouyancy of door as well, and would love to see this explored in an episode of Mythbusters.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1780916799 Jennifer Dougherty

    It was obvious that there was only enough buoyancy for one of them. What really bothered me was Rose’s lack of realization that if she’d just stayed in the damn boat with her mother then Jack might have used the door and the whistle to survive, too.

    Still buying the 3D Blu Ray, though.

  • http://twitter.com/XandraDust Alexis the Unicorn

    But she couldn’t bare to be without him. It kills me that their downfall is them being too loyal.

  • Anonymous

    Thank you, James Cameron! (Huh, never said that before…) I’ve been making that argument for years, and it bounces right off people’s heads. Maybe seeing it on Mythbusters will work.

  • http://www.wulfmojo.com Wulfy

    I’m not sure it was obvious. I remember when I watched it thinking it was rather pathetic that Jack makes one half-hearted attempt to get on, it rocks slightly and they give up.

    Not to mention, why didn’t any of the other drowning people try to get on? Even if buoyancy was an issue, you’d think that people drowning in freezing water would try it.

    Wait, why am I trying to apply logic to that film? Ah well.

  • http://twitter.com/AmyTheFreak Amy C.

    Hopefully after they bust the myth they can detonate Buster and the door to see how big of an explosion it makes.

  • http://twitter.com/tennysonestead Tennyson E. Stead

    It’s true. Water-logged people are heavy – but when submerged in water, not so heavy.

  • http://twitter.com/HunterBlackComx Justin Peniston

    Why is this the controversy? If Rose had gotten in #@#@%! lifeboat, Jack could’ve been on the floaty bit, and they could have found one another later, when they were picked up. THAT is what has always bothered me.

  • Anonymous

    Why did Jack sink, though? Dead bodies usually float at or near the surface when fresh.

  • Anonymous

    (that way she could have dragged his body back when the rescue boat came and had him stuffed as a reminder …)

  • Taste_is_Sweet

    That had me O_O and LOL at the same time. Well done.

  • http://twitter.com/phuul Michael Krzyzek

    Here is the problem with that theory. Water is water, it’s neither buoyant or not buoyant in a medium of water. What is buoyant is air. All of the air pockets in clothing are filled with water which removes the buoyancy and therefore makes clothes “heavier”. Not to mention when people inhale water into their lungs and fill up that large air sack.

    Now Jack didn’t drown, well not right away but the weight of his clothes did contribute to his descent. He could have continued to hold on and hope for the best or tread water but apparently decided that he wanted to see the brand new resting place for the Titanic instead. Although with the temperature of the water either option would be short lived in any case.

    As someone who has had life saving and water safety instructor training I can tell you that clothes are a significant factor in water.

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