Pirates on DVD
Just in time for school holidays, Pirates of The Caribbean 2: Dead Man’s Chest
is upon us, the sequel to the phenomenally successful blockbuster,
Pirates Of The Caribbean: Curse Of The Black Pearl (2003). But before
Johnny Depp donned lashings of black eyeliner to do his best
Keith Richards impression, a veritable treasure trove of movie pirates
came before him.
Pirate movies have proved a popular staple in cinema: from Captain Blood and
Captain Kidd to Fletcher Christian and Captain Hook, they have swashbuckling
has entertained audiences for decades.
For much of his film career
Errol Flynn’s name was synonymous with ‘pirate’: Captain Blood (1935),
The Sea Hawk (1940) and Against All Flags (1952) all mandating his need for
facial hair and a dashing frame. But it was actually in his blood - reportedly
Flynn was a descendant of the real Fletcher Christian, no doubt an advantage
for his first film role, playing the tormented Lieutenant in one of the most
historic pirate films, Australian production, In The Wake Of The Bounty (1935),
directed by Charles Chauvel.
“The Bounty” story has been retold many times on film. In 1962
Marlon Brando also played a brooding Fletcher Christian torn between
his conscience and his duty, as did Clarke Gable in 1935, opposite the great
Charles Laugton as Captain William Bligh. And let’s not forget our
Mel (Gibson) and his famous “I am in hell sir” howl, as he shoved
Anthony Hopkins’ tyrannical Bligh off the boat and into the depths of
the deep blue sea.
Hook (1991) gave
Dustin Hoffman the chance to wear frilly cuffs, don a British accent
and – like Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow – lashings of black eye-liner, playing
Captain Hook in Steven Spielberg’s telling of the much-loved children’s story,
Peter Pan. And an evil Hook he was, terrorising the good-hearted little
kiddies, as did Jason
Isaacs (Harry
Potter and The Chamber of Secrets) who also did a mighty fine job as
the hook-handed pirate in PJ
Hogan’s beautifully crafted, highly underrated
Peter Pan (2003).
But who can go past Jim Henson Productions’ very cute take on Robert Louis
Stevenson’s classic tale, Treasure Island -
Muppet Treasure Island (1996). (It was directed by the son of late
muppet creator Jim Henson,
Brian Henson).
The “human” cast featured some great comedic actors including
Tim Curry as Long John Silver,
Jennifer Saunders and an aptly beardie
Billy Connolly… Ahaaargh me hearties. Sounds like fun to me.
- Megan
Megan Spencer has spent way too much of her life in the dark, all for a good
cause though - watching movies as a professional film critic. For the last six
and a half years she has been serving the ever-increasing hunger for film and
DVD reviews as radio triple j's resident film critic, and a year ago joined the
new line up of long-running SBS-TV film review program, The Movie Show.
Every now and then she pops up into the light to make her own films,
documentaries (her latest is 'Fantastic Brutality', a documentary about an
obsessed wrestling fan, to be released next year). She has also written about
film for many publications including J-Mag, Limelight, Inside Film Magazine and
the Age Green Guide.
And the impossible question to ask a film critic: what's her favourite film?
"Blue Velvet would be at the top of the list, so would Fight Club... But then
again American In Paris makes me cry every time."
Megan has also been part of the Foxtel's Project Greenlight Australia as an
on-air panelist and judge.
Ten Pirates Movies on DVD
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Bounty, The (PG) 1984
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Oscar winners Anthony Hopkins and Mel Gibson lead a stellar cast that includes Sir Laurence Olivier, Daniel Day Lewis and Liam Neeson in this action packed adventure bursting with sensational battles, raging storms and an intensity as powerful as the mighty sea itself! Bristling with commanding perf...
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Cutthroat Island (PG) 1995
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Morgan Adams, is the brave, beautiful daughter of the infamous pirate, Black Harry. Minutes before Harry's death at the hands of his own brother, Harry gives Morgan a piece of a map that holds the key to finding the world's most sought after treasure on Cutthroat Island.
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Ice Pirates, The (PG) 1984
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Have an ice day! It's a parched future, and water, the galaxy's only valuable commodity, is controlled by the evil Templars. Their only foes: a handful of daring Ice Pirates. Spoofy-goofy comedy, otherworldly special effects, spectacular space creatures, bedraggled 'bots, and biceps-rippl...
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Muppet Treasure Island (G) 1996
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Robert Louis Stevenson's classic pirate tale takes on a life of its own in the hands of the hilarious Muppets! Muppet Treasure Island is the fun-packed, music-filled, high-seas swashbuckler the entire family will enjoy over and over. It all begins when young Jim Hawkins inherits a long-lost map to p...
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Mutiny on the Bounty (PG) 1935
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In this classic true adventure, HMS Bounty leaves Portsmouth in 1787 for Tahiti with Midshipman Roger Byam joining Captain Bligh (Charles Laughton) and Fletcher Christian (Clarke Gable) on board. Bligh proves to be a brutal tyrant and, after six idyllic months on Tahiti, Christian leads the crew to ...
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Pirates (PG) 1986
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Sit back and enjoy this lavish and bawdy tale of adventure on the high seas. Directed by acclaimed film-maker Roman Polanski, the Academy Award nominated PIRATES is the tale of the infamous British buccaneer Pirate Red (Walter Matthau). Red and his first mate are shipwrecked and set adrift on a make...
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Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (M) 2003
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Loosely inspired by the time-honored Disney theme-park ride, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL is a swashbuckling high-seas tale directed by Gore Verbinski. When Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), an eccentric rogue, arrives at Port Royal, he barely avoids going down with his s...
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Princess Bride, The (PG) 1987
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A young boy (Fred Savage), bedridden with the flu, is less than thrilled when his grandfather (Peter Falk) arrives to read him the Princess Bride - a fairytale adventure passed on by grandfathers and fathers to their sons and grandsons, generation after generation. As this tale of true love unf...
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Shipwrecked (Haakon Haakonsen) (G) 1991
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Set sail for high-seas adventure in the classic Disney tradition as a boy named Hakon embarks on an extraordinary voyage! When his ship is sunk in a hurricane, Hakon ends up alone on a jungle island, only to discover his shipmates have been kidnapped by a gang of ruthless pirates. Now he must summon...
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Treasure Island (G) 1950
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In this swashbuckling, high-seas adventure, Walt Disney has vividly brought to life Robert Louis Stevenson's thrilling tale of buccaneers and buried gold - presented for the first time in its original, uncut theatrical version! Authentic locales and musket-roaring action set the stage for the stout-...
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Megan's previous editorials...