“Star Wars” will be sunk. “Forrest Gump,” “Jurassic Park” and every other movie in history have felt the undertow. “Titanic” will soon pass the billion dollar mark and is on its way to becoming the highest-grossing movie of all time.The phenomenal success of the movie is a continuation of the fascination with the story that has not subsided since the night in 1912 when the grand ship settled at the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean.”Titanic was the paradigmatic disaster of the 20th century,” said James Hikins, associate professor of journalism and communication at Ohio State. “The people who died represented a real cross section of American and British life. The rich and famous as well as immigrants died that day.”That cannot be the extent of the fascination, however. Frank Gabrenya, film critic for the Columbus Dispatch said a number of other aspects account for the continued fascination. The fact that the Titanic, the largest ship at the time, was on its maiden voyage, deemed unsinkable, yet went down in a freak accident have all contributed to the interest.Hikins also said the disaster occurred at the end of what he called the Gilded Age. He said it was a time when people thought they had complete control of nature. “The disaster dashed all of those hopes and dreams,” Hikins said. Hikins said that the disaster genre has been popular since the start of time.”Disasters are in bible stories, Psalms, poetry, music and movies,” Hikins said. “Humans are drawn to disasters like metal filings to magnets.”Gabrenya said that there have been countless movies about the disaster. Although there has always been interest, none of them have done this well. “‘Titanic’ has everything in it,” said Adam Gregory, a recent photography graduate from The Columbus College of Art and Design. “It has action for the men and romance for the women.”Gregory said viewers got what they wanted. The roles of survival and romance are both explored. He said viewers get emotionally involved with the love and hate relationships that exist between the movie’s three main characters.Suneel Betkerur said that he was seeing the movie for the second time because it had everything from good acting to special effects.”I liked the way they recreated the minute details,” Betkerur said. “It was $200 million well spent.”Gregory said that although the special effects were very impressive, he was happy they were not the basis for the movie.”I thought the important part of the movie was the story, the sense of rebellion and the way they dealt with the romantic scenes,” Gregory said. “The sex scenes were done in such an artistic manner that it is not discouraging to younger viewers.”Gabrenya said that the appeal to the younger viewers, particularly females, is something that is very unique.”For a change it is not 14-year old boys going to see ‘Star Wars,'” Gabrenya said. “Females are coming to see this seven to eight times. They are just as legitimate consumers.”He said that part of the appeal for the young female is the way Leonardo DiCaprio’s character fit the mainstream ideal of what young women want: a charming, handsome and free-spirited rebel who lived life on his terms.Gabrenya said the success of any movie is going to depend on their time and place. Details have got to fall into place for anything to do well.”Timing and luck have more to do with the success than anything,” Gabrenya said. “The movie, book, soundtrack and single are all number one at the same time.”