Do you remember James Cameron’s Titanic? Did you know that almost all of it was filmed in Baja, just below Rosarito? Well ... it was.
By Ann Hazard
Photos courtesy of Fox Studios Baja
Remember James Cameron’s
Titanic? Did you know that almost all of it was filmed in Baja, just below
Rosarito? Well ... it was.
Do you remember James
Cameron’s Titanic? Did you know that almost all of it was filmed
in Baja, just below Rosarito? Well ... it was.
Built in 1996, after a worldwide search for an affordable location for Titanic, Fox Studios Baja is located on 40 acres overlooking the Pacific. It encompasses more than 2,000 feet of oceanfront property and is three miles south of Rosarito. Its unique location provides access to the dynamic technical and artistic expertise of both the US and Mexico. Plentiful hotels and visitor services in nearby Rosarito make its location convenient for tourists and visiting production companies alike. With the studio’s unobstructed ocean views and combined tank volume (in four tanks) of over 20 million gallons, its modern filtration plant with the capability of delivering 9,000 gallons of filtered sea water per minute, Fox Studios Baja is the premier facility for water related film work of any kind in the world today.
Back in 1996 and early ’97, every time my
kids and I made the trip south to La Bufadora, we rubbernecked like your
typical, gawking tourists whenever we drove by the brand-new Fox Studios
Baja. We were curious to see what was going on with the enormous, nearly
life-sized ocean liner that floated there in the world’s largest saltwater
tank. We watched the ship being built. We watched it “sail.” We watched
it sink—and it didn’t go down fast, like it did in real life or appeared
to in the movie. Actually, it took several weeks to film Titanic’s descent
into the deep.
I’ll never forget driving south on the toll
road one night in January of 1997. I was by myself, with Snugs as my traveling
companion. The sky was pitch black. The full moon had just risen up over
the mountains. From almost a mile away, I could see floodlights. Titanic,
listing at more than a 45-degree angle, loomed up in front of me—solitary,
stark and hanging there, suspended in its death throes out there in the
darkness. My kids saw it too on our next trip down. Later, when I watched
the movie on the big screen, one of my favorite scenes was when Rose and
Jack stood together on the ship’s bow, as the aftermath of a spectacular
sunset colored the sky in varying shades of magenta. We were supposed to
believe they were in the north Atlantic. But I knew better. “Sunset over
Rosarito Beach,” is always my comment whenever I see that scene in the
movie.
You
can bet it caused quite a stir in northern Baja when Hollywood came to
town. In addition to regular star sightings and plenty of new jobs for
the locals, Fox Studios’ arrival gave the resort town an extra boost of
sexiness. It isn’t widely known that Titanic was filmed here. Hardly
anyone knows that six other movies (thus far) have been made (at least
partially) in Baja as well … movies like Deep Blue Sea, In Dreams, Weight
of Water, Kung Pow—Enter the Fist, Tomorrow Never Dies, Jackass the Movie
and Pearl Harbor. Just this year, Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany
were in town filming the soon-to-be-released film, Master and Commander—The
Far Side of the World. The TV series, Tremors—is filmed at Fox
Baja. This spring, James Cameron came back to Rosarito to film part of
the 3-D Imax film, Titantic: Ghost of the Abyss. According to Studio
Manager Charlie Arneson, when several extras from the original Titanic
returned to work on the project, it amazed him that Jim still remembered
their names!
In May 2001 Fox Studios Baja opened Foxploration,
its behind-the-scenes, movie-making park. This isn’t a kiddy theme park,
although kids love it. As Charlie explained to me, Foxploration was conceived
with a more sophisticated idea in mind—to offer the public an opportunity
to go behind the scenes at a real working movie studio, and to learn firsthand
about the production process in an entertaining and interactive way.
Imagine yourself turning right off the free
road and entering Fox Studios Baja, a 40-acre complex overlooking the Pacific—with
more than 2,000 feet of oceanfront property. When you walk into Foxploration,
you begin with a stroll down Canal Street, New York, an actual movie set
depicting a typical lower Manhattan street. Behind the set is Cinemágico,
which houses a variety of interactive exhibits, and gives you a chance
to experience hands-on movie making. Exhibits include special visual and
sound effects, model making, set construction, art design, editing, animation,
cameras, lenses, lighting techniques and makeup. You and your kids can
direct, act in and film your own movie sequence, take photos of yourselves
flying in an old biplane against a green screen, putting your hand in Jaws’
mouth or climbing up the side of a skyscraper like Spiderman!
There’s a huge Titanic exhibit called
Titanic Expo. Actual props, sets and costumes from the blockbuster film
are on display. You can take a guided tour, learning the history of the
ship and the making of the movie. Other interactive exhibits and movie
footage from deep submersible dives reveal the Titanic, as it exists
today on the sea floor. It’s a must to get a picture of yourself playing
“King of the World” on the bow of Titanic.
Fox/JVC Presents is a state-of-the-art video
screening room that allows you to view behind-the-scenes footage of recent
Fox films, new Fox film previews, as well as other "making of" footage
from productions filmed at Fox Studios Baja. There is also an art gallery
that features different artists every month, showcasing the cream of Baja
California art. Nearby is Xavier's School for the Gifted, where kids of
all ages can have fun with 50,000 specially designed foam balls.
But,
in my mind, Dolly Plaza is the centerpiece of Foxploration. Set against
the dramatic backdrop of the Pacific, it features the original fountain
from Hello Dolly. It’s also a "Sets Boneyard" where you can see
and touch actual set pieces from well-known Fox films. Right next to the
fountain is Las Olas Open-Air Amphitheater, the perfect venue for a concert
under the stars. I know. On a perfect summer evening not too long ago,
I enjoyed a combination art exhibit, wine tasting and concert by the multi-talented
Cecilia Garcia. I also got to see a behind-the-scenes exhibit from Planet
of the Apes II.
There’s even more to Foxploration, including
the Props and Wardrobe Bodega that is a working part of Fox Studios Baja
and is used by movie production companies that film at the studio. There
is food, and shopping too. Because Foxploration is dedicated to promoting
the best of Baja, you can expect to find Tecate beer, brewed nearby in
the town of the same name and topnotch wines from the nearby Guadalupe
Valley. If you visit, don’t expect to be allowed to photograph the twin
ships left over from the filming of Master and Commander. Movie
companies are very particular about keeping things secret until after a
film’s release date!
You can drive to Foxploration or hop a ride
on an air-conditioned MexiCoach bus at
the border. If you’re driving, take the scenic Tijuana-Ensenada Toll Road
road from the border to Rosarito. Right before the second tollgate, you’ll
see a sign there that reads, “La Paloma, Popotla, Calafia.” Exit to the
right (or cut through the Pemex parking lot if you miss it) and make a
left turn (south) on the free road. Follow this road for about five minutes,
until you reach Fox Studios Baja and Foxploration at Kilometer 32.8—right
before the huge white arch at Popotla. If you want more information, or
if you’re ready to head south but don’t want to drive, visit Foxploration.com.
For hotels, restaurants and other tourist information, visit www.rosaritobch.org
or call 1-800-962-BAJA.
© 2001 and 2003 Ann Hazard. No part
of this article may be reprinted without permission.
This story is featured in Ann's newest book,
Agave
Sunsets. This article was printed
in the Coast News, May 31, 2001 issue and The Baja Tourist Guide,
June 2001 issue. This updated version of the article was printed in
the Summer/Fall 2003 issue of Sister Cities Magazine.