James Cameron and the Keldysh vessel: one more “Titanic"

Life again brought them together: the producer of True Lies and Titanic, James Cameron, and the unique scientific vessel Academician Mstislav Keldysh equipped with two 6,000-meter deep-water devices. The new aim of the vessel is the Titanic's nearest (in Atlantic Ocean) neighbour, the battleship Bismark.

The battleship Bismark launched in 1939 had to symbolize, according to the Third Reich leadership, the military power of German fleet. However, it was unlucky from the very begining: for example, while being launched, the Bismark nearly rammed a neighbouring ship. It found its underwater grave at a distance of several meters from another epoch vessel: the Titanic. The Titanic's story is clear, while the Bismark is clouded with mystery. So, Cameron decided to uncover it with Keldysh.

The film Titanic shot with help of underwater devices made a real revolution in the world cinema industry. The ocean's bottom was turned into a great background for the developing the plot. This time, James Cameron, using underwater Mir devices, produced a documentary film about another sea tragedy, about the Bismark.

Last year, the Mirs, 6-thousand-meter underwater devices, were already lowered to the place of the battleship wreck. Then, unique shots were shown on TV screens throughout the world.

The hull of the battleship, which found its last wharf at a depth of 4,660 meters, was almost not touched with rust: the ship was built of high-quality steel at the Krupp Works. While its wooden deck has also held out.

According to Anatly Sagalevich, the leader of the expedition, the shooting will be carried out with special devices: with a 3-D high-clearance camera and remotely operated modules that will enter into the Bismark hull. This will allow the “lifting” Bismark without really lifting it and to virtually go along its decks.

Emma Nesterova St Petersburg

Translated by Vera Solovieva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/north-west/2002/07/19/44391.html