In the Netflix documentary “Titan: The OceanGate Catastrophe,” filmmaker Mark Monroe delves into the events leading up to the tragic 2023 submarine accident.
The explosion of the underwater craft, happening during its sixth dive to the remains of the Titanic in the North Atlantic, resulted in the tragic loss of five lives, among them being Stockton Rush, the billionaire co-founder and CEO of OceanGate.
The film, created by Story Syndicate and Diamond Docs, delves into the backstory of Rush, who aspired to follow in the footsteps of billionaire innovators such as Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. In this production, Bonnie Carl, a former OceanGate bookkeeper, recalls that Rush often referred to these men as “big swingers” – a term he admired.
Testimonies from Carl and other ex-OceanGate workers, as well as chilling audio clips and videos from the startup’s initial phase, shed light on the unfortunate outcome of the OceanGate expedition.
Rush proposed lightening the doomed submarine’s weight and cost by replacing its titanium hull with carbon fiber. However, this innovative material had never been employed for such purposes before, leading to carbon fibers breaking prematurely. Regrettably, the submersible collapsed in 2023 before that could happen. Despite warnings from peers and experts about the vessel’s safety, Rush persistently ignored their concerns. Furthermore, he declined third-party inspections for safety certification.
In a more concise way:
Rush wanted to use carbon fiber instead of titanium for the submarine’s hull, a first in its intended purpose. The carbon fibers failed before the sub imploded in 2023, causing concerns about safety that Rush dismissed despite warnings from experts and refusing third-party inspections.
In my perspective as a follower, Dennis Harvey, the film critic, likened “Titan: The OceanGate Disaster” to Werner Herzog’s “Grizzly Man.” Both, according to him, depict deaths resulting from ego-fueled overconfidence, where one unfortunate individual bears the brunt of the posthumous blame.
Jon Bardin, who leads Story Syndicate’s documentary and nonfiction division, mentioned that at first, the OceanGate incident seemed captivating. However, they conducted thorough investigations and studies prior to deciding to support the project.
In every tale such as this, a thought arises: ‘Could there be a hidden narrative? Is there more depth to this event than what’s portrayed in the news, social media response, and the immediate shock of that day?’ This is the kind of thorough investigation we undertook from the start, and our findings indicate that indeed, there was more to the story.
“Titan: The OceanGate Disaster” made its world premiere at Tribeca Fest on June 6.
EbMaster spoke to Monroe and Bardin ahead of the doc’s June 11 release on Netflix.
Jon, what did you find during your digging that convinced you that this story could be a doc?
In our encounter with David Lochridge, OceanGate’s ex-director of marine operations, it became clear there was a tale to be shared. As portrayed in the film, he wasn’t shy about voicing his concerns internally and later publicly, suggesting something was amiss. The manner in which Stockton handled him and his wife after he spoke up added an intriguing layer to this narrative.
Mark, was there a larger story you were trying to tell with this doc?
Monroe: Indeed. Within our community, there’s a group of individuals who think the rules don’t pertain to them. They even see it as beneficial to disrupt things and act swiftly. This behavior was evident throughout this narrative repeatedly.
The behind-the-scenes footage of Rush creating OceanGate and the vessel was fascinating. How did you find the footage and get the rights to use it?
Lily Garrison, our producer, discovered the person who filmed the footage we’re talking about. This individual was specifically hired to record Stockton’s dream coming true from the very beginning. That shows you how confident and self-assured Stockton was, wanting someone to capture his early days as he embarked on this journey. We owe a debt of gratitude to Stockton for that footage because he arranged deals that ensured the rights remained with the cameraman.
Stockton’s wife, Wendy, who was very involved in OceanGate, and their children are not in the doc. Did you request interviews with them?
Monroe: From the outset, our producer could contact them, and it quickly became apparent that they preferred not to speak about the matter.
In May, Warner Bros. Discovery released their OceanGate doc titled “Implosion: The Titanic Sub Disaster.” It’s not unusual that two or even three docs about a popular topic get made, but was the Discovery doc a cause for concern during production?
Monroe: It didn’t really affect me because of David Lochridge.
As a passionate cinephile, I recognize the importance of forging strong relationships during the pre-production phase. Establishing trust with individuals like David (and others featured in the film) was essential, ensuring they would commit to working solely with our team. This exclusive arrangement is something you won’t find replicated in other films, as it’s built upon a foundation of time and trust.
I was aware of my resources and understood what others lacked. This unique position gave me an advantage, a valuable viewpoint. However, remember, with such a large tale as this, there’s likely more revelations ahead.
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2025-06-10 02:47