Sunday, November 30, 2008

The Pirates of the Caribbean - Swashbuckling Good Fun

By Steve Collins

Whether it is Johnny Depp's famous portrayal of Captain Jack Sparrow, or Orlando Bloom's dashing Will Turner, the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN has quickly become an audience favorite. A story of love, family ties, and curses, the film deftly balances humor with edge-of-your-seat thrills. Entering the murky world of pirates will transport your and your family to faraway places lost to time and memory. The series of films has managed to win over audiences and critics alike.

The first in the series is THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL, which is a haunted ship rumored to be crewed by the undead. Throughout the film, Captain Jack Sparrow is bent on regaining control of the craft. Along the way, he is joined (reluctantly) by Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan, played by Keira Knightley. Love is in the air even as the cannonballs sail through the air. What follows is a hilarious, well-scripted story that leaves your wanting to sail way on the Black Pearl.

The sequel, DEAD MAN'S CHEST, finds Jack Sparrow enslaved by the horrific pirate king, Davey Jones. Meanwhile, on the Black Pearl, Elizabeth and Will are in the midst of saying their vows when they are arrested for aiding Jack's escape. The race is soon on to see who can get a hold of the eerie compass in Sparrow's possession. This compass leads the holder to his or her heart's desire. For Lord Beckett that desire is to find Davy Jones's locker, for Will it is to find his father and for Captain Norrington, it is to excel his career. As you can imagine, the competition is fierce and the laughs non-stop.

The last installment of the trilogy, AT WORLD'S END, takes you to the place where Jack Sparrow has been imprisoned. Captain Barbossa has returned to lead the dejected friends of Sparrow on a rescue mission to the end of the world. The zenith of myth and legend come together in outstanding fashion. This film ties up all the loose ends of family, betrayal, and lost love in the usual, breathtaking way.

The conception of the film is based on the popular theme-park ride at Disney World and though the characters are indeed fictional, some of them are based on actual people and places. The Isla De Muerto or Island of Death is an actual island off the coast of Ecuador. Around 1680, the Santa Cruz sunk just off the coast taking with it tremendous sums of Spanish silver. The pirate Bartholomew Sharpe ran the ship onto the reef off Santa Clara Island, which was later nicknamed Isla De Muerto. Before he could steal the ship's treasure, her crew set her on fire and sunk the ship where it lay until it was recovered in 1997. It is easy to see the writers of this series knew their pirate lore. To get your copy of any or all of the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN movies visit Disney Movie Club online. - 16651

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