LOS ANGELES — A filmmaker and advocate for the IMAX format has launched a public campaign to restore and re-release the original 1992 IMAX documentary 'Titanica', directed by Stephen Low. The initiative calls for IMAX to grant access to the original film materials so the long-unavailable director's cut can be properly remastered for a 4K UHD Blu-ray release and special engagements in IMAX 70mm theaters.
Released in 1992, 'Titanica' was one of the first large-format films to document an expedition to the RMS Titanic wreck site. Shot on IMAX 70mm, it captured what remains the highest-resolution footage ever recorded of the shipwreck — the equivalent of 12K image quality. The 95-minute original theatrical version, however, has been unavailable for decades, existing only on outdated VHS and LaserDisc; the version in circulation is a shorter, re-edited and rescored television cut.
According to the campaign, IMAX has not granted the Stephen Low Company access to the original negatives needed for a proper remaster. In a recent conversation, Low shared previously undisclosed production stories and his continued hope that the original version might one day return, noting that Titanic survivor Eva Hart attended a theatrical screening and “was enchanted by it.”
“A 70mm IMAX print of 'Titanica' still contains the most pristine visual record of the wreck as it appeared when first discovered,” the filmmaker said. “As the ship continues to deteriorate underwater and public interest grows, it is more important than ever that this material be restored and made available to audiences.” Supporters can sign the petition on Change.org.
