20th Century FoxWhen HMS Titanic sank in 1912, little did the mourners know the tragedy would remain in the hearts and minds of generations through the art of cinema – or be ruthlessly picked apart by film theorists.
James Cameron’s 1997 romanticised re-telling of ‘The Unsinkable Ship’ and two star-crossed lovers that boarded her went on to win Academy awards and give Hollywood two burgeoning talents, Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio.
After all, it was the love between Jack and Rose that made the tragedy of Titanic come alive.
GIPHYBut, two decades since its release, the power of hindsight has apparently driven film analysts mad and some have even conjured up various theories which are guaranteed to completely ruin Titanic for the rest of us.
After sifting through the film with a fine-toothed comb and unearthing a few inevitable historical inaccuracies, theorists on Reddit are now convinced Jack Dawson is a time-traveller.
20th Century FoxWhile it’s unbelievable that Cameron has hidden a sci-fi undercurrent in Titanic, the theorists have put forward a series of inaccuracies as ‘evidence’ that jack was some sort of time-travelling cross-dimensional dandy sent to 1912 to save Rose.
Firstly, observers have picked holes in Jack’s haircut – Leonardo’s trademark nineties curtains – which were little too long for the fashion in 1912.
Furthermore, fashion historians have dated Jack’s rucksack to 1939; years after the real Titanic sank.
GIPHYWaxing lyrical about his future with Rose, the character promises to take her for a ride on the roller coaster at Santa Monica Pier.
That particular landmark would not be built until four years after the Titanic sank.
Finally, speaking of his past, Dawson remembers fondly afternoons spent ice fishing on Lake Wissota, a man-made lake that in reality would not be completed until 1917, five years after the film’s events took place.
GIPHYAdding insult to these historical inaccuracies, the theorists seem to genuinely believe Jack Dawson’s time-travelling caused a fatal butterfly effect and subsequently sealed the fate of the Titanic.
They think Jack travelled through time to save his one true love, Rose, by talking her down off the top deck before she plunged to her death in a moment of desperate despair.
Actually, in saving Rose, the theory states Jack altered the trajectory of the ship – which would have almost certainly stopped with the suicide of a passenger and thus avoided the iceberg – sealing the terrible fate of the ship and passengers.
20th Century FoxObviously this is all unconfirmed hearsay from theorists who have seen the film so many times, it’s fair to say they’re verging on obsessive.
Still. Stop the internet. We want to get off.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.