Most Titanic buffs are familiar with at least one remarkable coincidence related to that great tragedy – the fact that, fourteen years before that fateful day, author Morgan Robertson penned a novella entitled “Futility”, about the largest, grandest, most luxurious ocean liner ever to set sail. This ocean liner was considered to be the safest, most unsinkable ship around due to it’s new, water tight compartments. Coicidentlly, the ship in that story also sank after hitting an iceberg. And an even bigger coincidence? The name of the ship in the story was “The Titan”!
But here’s a little known fact you can use to amaze your friends and family. On that fateful last night aboard the Titanic, over 200 Second Class passengers were eagerly holed up in the Second Class dining room. What was keeping these passengers so entertained? Why, a new fangled contraption called a Motion Picture! And what were they watching? What else? “The Poseidon Adventure”!
In 1912, the film industry had just begun producing motion pictures. They were all still silent features and all filmed in black and white. Most were no more than one real long, only lasting for 8 to 10 minutes. But this new form of entertainment captivated audiences everywhere. To show that it was the most luxurious liner on the seven seas, the Titanic carried it’s own movie projector and a library of movies.
However, the film industry still had a somewhat unsavory image due to it’s Nickleodeon days. The First Class passengers aboard the Titanic were offended by this new form of entertainment. So the films were shown at 11 PM, after the First Class Passengers retired, and only in the Second Class dining room.
In the Second Class dining room, the audience of well over 200 Second Class passengers was so enthralled with the tale of “The Poseidon Adventure” that they either didn’t fell the Titanic shudder as it hit the iceberg or they shrugged it off. There were, in fact, so entertained by the movie that they watched it over again!
The Poseidon Adventure was an unusually long movie for it’s time, and with 2 back to back showings of 53 mnutes each, it was well after 1AM when these Second and Third Class passengers finally returned to the deck. By that time, the few lifeboats that there were had already been launched, most at only partial capacity and occupied by First Class Passengers.
This grim coincidence could explain why barely one third of the Titanic’s Second Class Passengers survived while nearly two thirds of the First Class passengers and crew made it to safety.
Are you ready for Doomsday? Don’t ignore the warnings! Visit Kal Endar’s new blog at 2012 Mayan Predictions for the latest research on December 12, 2012!
