A FILM TO REMEMBER: “PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL” (2003)

Before I get into this, I want to make mention “A FILM TO REMEMBER” will be a series about films that have reached a milestone anniversary since their origin in being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. The articles will contain the film’s plot outline, director, cast, a compilation of trivialities, various photos, movie trailer, critical reception and more. So, let’s start:

We are here to mark the celebration of the 15th Anniversary of Gore Verbinski’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl”. Let’s take an inside look at the film:

PLOT OUTLINE:

Blacksmith Will Turner teams up with eccentric pirate “Captain” Jack Sparrow to save the love of his life, the governor’s daughter Elizabeth Swann, who has been kidnapped by the feared from Sparrow’s former pirate allies led by Captain Barbossa, who are now undead.

STUDIO:

Buena Vista Pictures

DIRECTOR:

Gore Verbinski

CAST:

• Johnny Depp … Captain Jack Sparrow
• Orlando Bloom … Will Turner
• Keira Knightley … Elizabeth Swann
• Geoffrey Rush … Captain Hector Barbossa
• Jack Davenport … Commodore James Norrington
• Jonathan Pryce … Governor Weatherby Swann
• Lee Arenberg … Pintel
• Mackenzie Crook … Ragetti
• Kevin McNally … Joshamee Gibbs
• Zoe Saldana … Anamaria
• David Bailie … Cotton
• Greg Ellis … Theodore Groves
• Damian O’Hare … Lt. Gillette
• Giles New … Murtogg
• Angus Barnett … Mullroy
• Michael Berry Jr … Twigg
• Isaac C. Singleton Jr … Bo’sun
• Martin Klebba … Marty
• Treva Etienne … Koehler
• Guy Siner … Harbormaster
• Ralph P. Martin … Mr. Brown
• Paula J. Newman … Estrella
• Paul Keith … Butler
• Dylan Smith … Young Will
• Lucinda Dryzek … Young Elizabeth
• Greg Ellis … Officer
• Christian Martin … Steersman
• Israel Oyelumade … Crippled Man
• Trevor Goddard … Grapple
• Vince Lozano … Jacoby
• Lauren Maher … Scarlett
• Matthew Bowyer … Sailor / Edinburgh
• Brye Cooper … Mallot
• Vanessa Branch … Giselle
• Félix Castro … Moises: Jack’s Crew
• Mike Haberecht … Kursar: Jack’s Crew
• Rudy McCollum … Matelot: Jack’s Crew
• Gerard J. Reyes … Tearlach: Jack’s Crew
• M. Scott Shields … Duncan: Jack’s Crew
• Christopher Sullivan … Ladbroc: Jack’s Crew
• Craig Thomson … Crimp: Jack’s Crew
• Fred Toft … Quartetto: Jack’s Crew
• D.P. FitzGerald … Weatherby: Barbossa’s Crew
• Jerry Gauny … Ketchum: Barbossa’s Crew
• Maxie Santillan Jr … Maximo: Barbossa’s Crew
• Michael Earl Lane … Monk: Barbossa’s Crew
• Tobias McKinney … Dog Ear: Barbossa’s Crew
• David Patykewich … Clubba: Barbossa’s Crew
• Tommy Schooler … Scarus: Barbossa’s Crew
• Michael A. Thompson … Simbakka: Barbossa’s Crew
• Michael W. Williams … Hawksmoor: Barbossa’s Crew
• Jose Zelaya … Katracho: Barbossa’s Crew
• Finneus Egan … Scratch: Barbossa’s Crew
• Don LaDaga … Nipperkin: Barbossa’s Crew
• LeJon Stewart … Lejon
• Christopher S. Capp … Parrot’s Voice (voice)

GENRE(S):

Action | Adventure | Fantasy

TAGLINE:

Prepare to be blown out of the water.

The film is known for being one of a handful of legitimately bold, original summer tentpoles of the 2000s that is one giant ride — which considering its origins is perhaps to be expected — all while delivering a much-needed overhaul to the classic pirate films of the golden years. Director Gore Verbinski echoes the ambition, mischief, boyish glee and whimsical wit of 1980s adventure films while adding a full display of vivid visuals and wondrous special effects in this giddily goofy bit of old-fashioned scurvy dog shenanigans. The film is filled with villains, heroes, scalawags, ghosts, skeletons, daring rescues, audacious escapes and treasure aplenty with a solid cast and juicy performances by Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley and especially, the star-making and mesmerizing bravado of Johnny Depp in this rousing, swashbuckling adventure, redefining touchstone. The film is based from a story created by the studio executives Brigham Taylor, Michael Haynes, and Josh Harmon. Once producer Jerry Bruckheimer came on, he brought screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio in to add supernatural spin to the genre, it received generally positive reviews from critics but did get criticized in certain respects, nevertheless, it’s become a pirating genre classic.

Here’s what some of the critical receptions have been for the film over the years:

David Ansen from Newsweek says: “Here — in a Jerry Bruckheimer produced high-seas adventure that incorporates roaring cannons, oddball comedy, a love story and more than a touch of the supernatural — Johnny Depp unleashes his theatrical bravado. He’s hilarious.”

Claudia Puig from USA Today says: “‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ will enthrall kids and amuse adults. It’s only failing is that at 2 hours and 15 minutes, it’s about 20 minutes too long.”

Bruce Newman from San Jose Mercury News says: “‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ is a movie that you ride around in circles for 2 hours and 23 minutes, until at last it brings you back where you began, exhausted and a lot dizzier.”

Kirk Honeycutt from Hollywood Reporter says: “This is one time when a cartoon approach in live action is exactly right: The movie’s flamboyant personalities and tongue-in-cheek action push the envelope of high camp without ever succumbing to sheer silliness.”

Rick Groen from Globe and Mail says: “Forget the film and check out Johnny Depp, because there’s a superlative to be witnessed here: This has gotta rank among the weirdest performances in the zany annals of the silver screen.”

As you can tell by the critical reactions, the film garnered an admirable critically reception overall though a portion of critics felt it was overlong, dumbed-down with too many pirate clichés. Regardless, this overfed, action-tractioned adventurer with a voluptuous wit and spry spontaneity is a “yo, ho-ho and a bottle of rum” of an entertaining romp as Verbinski brings good spirits and narrative vigor to its chore of refurbishing the pirate genre. The film is an affectionate, tongue-in-cheek homage to the famous ride — jam-packed with energy, ambition and jaw-dropping special effects with dazzling sword fights, striking stunts, piratical doings, a curse, romance, a parrot and a cunningly evil monkey in a rascally entertaining, excitingly thrilling and engrossingly adventurous feel, that’s anchored with a brawny cast and shipshape performances from Rush, Bloom, Knightley and particularly, the scene-stealing Keith Richard-inspired ponce foolery spectacle of Depp in this high seas swashbuckler of a cinematic theme park riding tour de force. But I’ll let you decide…

So, to get a better look at the film, here’s a link to the movie trailer of Gore Verbinski’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl”:

Here I have provided 12 interesting and intriguing trivia facts (I wanted to keep it limited) about “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl”:

• Walt Disney Pictures had Jay Wolpert write a script in 2001 based on the theme park ride, which was based on a story created by the executives Brigham Taylor, Michael Haynes and Josh Harmon. Stuart Beattie was brought on to rewrite it in early 2002, because of his knowledge of piracy. This story featured Will Turner (played by Orlando Bloom) as a prison guard who releases Jack Sparrow (played by Johnny Depp) to rescue Elizabeth Swann (played by Keira Knightley), who is being held for ransom money by Captain Blackheart. When Disney’s studio head Dick Cook managed to persuade producer Jerry Bruckheimer to join the project, Bruckheimer rejected the script because it was “a straight pirate movie.” As Bruckheimer became involved in the project; he brought on screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio in March 2002 to work on rewriting the script, who suggested making a supernatural curse — as described in the opening narration of the original theme park ride — the film’s plot.
• Disney was unsure whether to release the film in theaters or direct-to-video. The studio was interested in Matthew McConaughey for the character role of Jack Sparrow because of his resemblance to Burt Lancaster, who had inspired the script’s interpretation of the character. If they chose to release it direct-to-video, Christopher Walken, Michael Keaton or Cary Elwes would have been their first choices.
• In May 2002, director Gore Verbinski signed no to helm the film. Verbinski was attracted to the notion of using modern technology to resurrect a genre that had disappeared after the Golden Age of Hollywood and recalled his childhood memories of the ride, feeling the film was an opportunity to pay tribute to the “scary and funny” tone of it.
• Although Dick Cook had been a strong proponent of adapting Disney’s rides into films, the box office failure of “The Country Bears” (2002) made Disney’s CEO Michael Eisner attempt to shut down production of the film. However, Gore Verbinski told his concept artists to keep working on the film, and when Eisner came to visit, the executive was astonished by what had been created.
• As recalled in the book DisneyWar, Michael Eisner asked “Why does it have to cost so much?” Jerry Bruckheimer replied, “Your competition is spending $150 million,” referring to franchises like “The Lord of the Rings” (2001–2003) and “The Matrix” (1999–2003). Eisner concurred, but with the stigma attached to theme-park adaptations, Eisner requested Verbinski and Bruckheimer remove some of the more overt references to the ride in the script, such as a scene where Jack Sparrow and Will Turner enter the cave via a waterfall.
• Gore Verbinski did not want an entirely romanticized feel to the film: he wanted a sense of historical fantasy. Most of the actors wore prosthetics and contact lenses. Johnny Depp had contacts that acted as sunglasses, while Geoffrey Rush and Lee Arenberg wore dulled contacts that gave a sinister feel to the characters. Mackenzie Crook wore two contacts to represent his character’s wooden eye: a soft version, and a harder version for when it protrudes. In addition, their rotten teeth and scurvy skin were dyed on, although Depp did have gold teeth added, which he forgot to remove after filming.

• The role of Jack Sparrow was originally written especially for Hugh Jackman, thus the name “Jack Sparrow”; however, he was not well known outside of his native Australia. Robert De Niro was offered the role of Sparrow, but he declined, thinking that the film wouldn’t do well in the box-office as many other pirate films in the past. De Niro was proven wrong, and later accepted the role of Captain Shakespeare in the film “Stardust” (2007). Jim Carrey was also strongly considered for the part of Sparrow. However, the production schedule for the film conflicted with “Bruce Almighty” (2003). So, Disney decided to cast Johnny Depp for the part. Depp found the script quirky: rather than trying to find treasure, the crew of the Black Pearl were trying to return it in order to lift their curse; also, the traditional mutiny had already taken place. Initially Sparrow was, according to Jerry Bruckheimer, “a young Burt Lancaster, just the cocky pirate.” Originally, Depp wanted the character of Sparrow to have no nose and be afraid of silly things like pepper and the common cold. Disney rejected the idea. But at the first read-through, Depp decided to go a different route and surprised the rest of the cast and crew by portraying the character in an off-kilter manner. After researching 18th-century pirates, Depp compared them to modern rock stars and decided to base his performance on musician Keith Richards. Although Gore Verbinski and Bruckheimer had confidence in Depp, partly because it would be Orlando Bloom who was playing the traditional Errol Flynn-type. However though, Disney executives were confused, asking Depp whether the character was drunk or gay, and Michael Eisner even proclaimed while watching rushes, “He’s ruining the film!” Depp answered back, “Look, these are the choices I made. You know my work. So either trust me or give me the boot.”
• Principal photography began on October 9, 2002, and wrapped by March 7, 2003. The quick shoot was only marred by two accidents: as the character Jack Sparrow steals Interceptor, 3 of the ropes attaching it to Dauntless did not break at first, and when they did snap, debris hit Johnny Depp’s knee, though he was not injured, and the way the incident played out on film made it look like Sparrow merely ducks. A more humorous accident was when the boat Sparrow was supposed to arrive in at Port Royal sank.
• The script often changed with Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio on set, with additions such as the character of Joshamee Gibbs (played by Kevin McNally) telling Will how Jack Sparrow allegedly escaped from an island — strapping 2 turtles together with rope made of his back hair — and the character of Governor Weatherby Swann (played by Jonathan Pryce) was written into the climactic battle to keep some empathy for the audience.
• Because of the quick schedule of the shoot, Industrial Light & Magic immediately began visual effects work. While the skeletal forms of the pirates revealed by moonlight take up relatively little screentime, the crew knew their computer-generated forms had to convince in terms of replicating performances and characteristics of the actors, or else the transition would not work. Each scene featuring them was shot twice: a reference plate with the actors, and then without them to add in the skeletons, an aesthetic complicated by Gore Verbinski’s decision to shoot the battles with handheld cameras. The actors also had to perform their scenes again on the motion capture stage. With the shoot only wrapping up four months before release, Verbinski spent 18-hour days on the edit, while at the same time spending time on 600 effects shots, 250 of which were merely removing modern sailboats from shots.
• The film was first released under the Walt Disney Pictures banner to be rated PG-13 by the MPAA; one executive noted that she found the film too intense for her 5-year-old child. Nonetheless, the studio was confident enough to add “The Curse of the Black Pearl” subtitle to the film in case sequels were made, and to attract older children. Gore Verbinski though disliked the new title because it is the Aztec gold rather than the ship that is cursed, so he requested the title to be unreadable on the poster.
• Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio have said in interviews that they wrote the script in the early ’90s. Somehow, filmmaker Steven Spielberg got hold of the script, and wanted to direct the film with either Bill Murray, Steve Martin or Robin Williams playing the character of Jack Sparrow. But Disney did not give permission for the film to be made at the time.

To conclude, Gore Verbinski’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” has cobbled together all of the pirate genre’s tropes — the cannonballs, the sword fights, the double-crosses, the glittering treasure — and freshened them up, throwing in a couple of nods to the theme park ride for good measure. Gore Verbinski steers a continual course for a sheer, savvy, rope-swinging, crow’s-nest-hollering wild ride that’s filled with a touch of the supernatural, rollicking action, hearty dialogue, creative scares, romance to boot and flamboyant personalities ushered with an ensemble cast of attractive performances by Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley and specifically, the zany, oddly magnetic and irresistibly entertaining Johnny Depp in a grand, old-fashioned sense of matinee serial wonderment that raises the Jolly Roger into a swashbuckling, plank-walking, yard-arm-spinning, rum-drinking, double-crossing, battens down the hatches and all-around yo-ho-ho-ing of a cinematic high seas treasure.

NOTE: The article contains sources from IMDb and Wikipedia.

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