Responsible for the revival of the pirate film, many thought that this was bound to be real box office flop. I mean, come on, another movie made from a Disney ride that had been around for decades??? And this one was NOT meant for kids. Sounded awful. But then on Friday July 9 2003 it hit the theaters and became a HUGE success! People soon forgot that they had ever expressed any doubt in the first place (I saw this first hand amongst the English grad student at the U. of Notre Dame).
This is universally regarded as the fan favorite, and despite Captain Barbossa's return at the end of Dead Man's Chest for a full role in At Worlds End, this is a fully stand alone film. It's plot of pirate plunder and Aztec gold coins is completely self contained.
Of course, despite universally excellent performances from a strong cast that includes Jeffery Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightly, Jonathan Pryce, Jack Dvenport and even Zoe Saldana; the movie was literally made be the introduction of this man...
Captain Jack Sparrow! Johnny Depp says that he based Captain Jack's character behavior on a combination of the cartoon skunk Pepe Le Pew and Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. For a time Richard's even entertained an offer to play Jack's father in one of the sequels--a role that he ultimately turned down for silly reasons--he said he didn't want to get caught dead in a "bleedin' Disney movie."
Specs:
Runtime: 143 minutes
Rated: PG-13
Language: English
Color (Panavision Panaflex Platinum cameras, w/ Panavision Primo Lenses)
DTS
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Filming Locations in Caribbean: St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, Dominican Republic
Directed By: Gore Verbinski
Best Tagline: Over 3000 Islands of Paradise--For Some it's a Blessing...For Other--A Curse.
Trivia:
The script was certainly well tooled, by no less than 6 writing credits!
The figure head on the British ship carrying a young Elizabeth Swan in the opening of the film was a copy of the one adorning the HMS Victory, which participated in The Battle of Trafalgar captained by Lord Horatio Nelson in 1805. Although the ship still has an official captain and crew, she is no longer seaworthy and has been in dry dock since 1922.
This was the very first PG-13 rated film ever to be released by Disney. Good decision Disney!!
The young actress, Lucinda Dryzek, who portrays young Elizabeth, also makes an appearance later in the film as an anonymous girl sweeping a porch.
A mishap with Keira Knightley's transportation boat, returning her and her mother from an on-location night shoot, determined the fate of more on-location night shoots. While returning the two from a long night of work, the little boat struck a reef and went down. She, her mother and the boat's skipper all escaped unharmed, and were rescued a few hours later; but the studio did not want to risk any more such incidents that might actually hurt someone, so the decided that all "night shoots" would be done in the studio back lot.
Trivia To Watch For: The last gun (cannon) blast from the Black Pearl when the ship is laying siege to the town blasts out a smoke cloud that is in the shape of Mickey Mouse.
PIRATE FACT NUMBER 1:
The so-called "Jolly Roger" Flag, the traditional black flag with the white skull and crossbones, actually had many variations. The simple traditional design was used by English pirates sailing in the Spanish Main.
PIRATE FACT NUMBER 2:
Unless a few really "potted" stories of Captain Kidd are true, then pirates did not have talking parrots, or indeed, any predilection toward birds of any kind sitting on the shoulder or any other place for that matter. At least in this film, the parrot is explained away nicely--he talks for a pirate that had his tongue cut out!
Below is something that there is not evidence that pirates did on any regular basis, or even at all.
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| Walking The Plank... |
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