Buzz
by Simon Brew
Following the criticism George Lucas faced for constantly tweaking his Star Wars saga, most filmmakers now avoid the urge to re-edit their movies post-release. Even Steven Spielberg, who adjusted sections of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial for its 20th-anniversary edition in 2002, later expressed regret and reverted his edits.
However, the chance—and allure—to tweak minor details when necessary remains ever-present. This is precisely what writer/director James Cameron did with his Oscar-winning blockbuster, Titanic.
First hitting theaters in 1997, the film showcases Cameron's infamous attention to detail from start to finish. This is why he felt driven to make changes after receiving a "snarky" email from the celebrity astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.
In his message, deGrasse Tyson pointed out that the starry sky depicted in one of the movie's pivotal scenes was completely inaccurate.
“Neil deGrasse Tyson sent me a rather sarcastic email stating that, during that specific time of year and location in the Atlantic in 1912, the star field Rose sees while lying on the driftwood is incorrect," Cameron explained. “Given my reputation for precision, I should have known better and ensured the star field was accurate."
Cameron immediately replied: “I told him, ‘Fine, send me the correct star data for that exact moment, and I’ll update the film.'" DeGrasse Tyson promptly provided the necessary details.
As a result, when Titanic was re-released in 3-D in 2012, Cameron used the 15th anniversary as an opportunity to make a subtle adjustment: he replaced the incorrect star map with one precisely matching deGrasse Tyson's specifications, which now appears in all subsequent releases. (Though you probably didn’t even notice.)
