# Pirates of the Caribbean: It's rated "Arrrr!" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 9, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308 "2003-07-09T19:54:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![ladybug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@ladybug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladybug)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/101 "2003-07-14T00:38:39Z")
I saw POTC this afternoon and absolutely loved it. Johnny Depp was fantastic as Jack Sp … err, _Captain_ Jack Sparrow. This one will definitely be added to my DVD collection. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/102 "2003-07-14T01:41:36Z")
Grrrrreat movie! Especially after having been on the Disneyland ride (always my favorite) at least a dozen times. 🆒 I noticed there is going to be a Disney “Haunted Mansion” movie with Eddie Murphy in it. ---
**Author:** ![HelloKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecccb3/32.png) [@HelloKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelloKitty)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/103 "2003-07-14T02:43:01Z")
I didn’t even realize “Haunted Mansion” was another Disney-ride movie until I read this thread. Guess I need to get down to DW to check out all the rides. Hey…wait a minute–you don’t think Disney is doing this to get people to come BACK to DW…Nah, that’s crazy!! Anyway…excellent movie!!! (I should know better since it’s the SDMB after all, but all you ‘nitpickers’ really crack me up. It’s like nitpicking a cartoon–just enjoy the ride and save your nitpicking for **T3**! Sorry to nitpick about nitpickers.) Totally agree about the fabulous music!! If nothing else, that and the visual effects should garner Oscars for sure. The hubby loves any and all things Pirate, and this is the first one I’ve ever been able to watch and enjoy. Who would have thought!!? A pirate movie in 2003??!! Johnny Depp was wonderful. Here’s a Disney-ish thing I noticed that hasn’t been brought up: Elizabeth’s mother is not mentioned once the entire movie! It’s just her and her father. Since Bambi’s mother was killed (should I have spoiler-boxed that??) I don’t think any major character in a Disney movie has had a mother figure into the story…even Nemo’s mother isn’t around, it’s his father that is searching for him. ---
**Author:** ![ratty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ccd318/32.png) [@ratty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratty)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/104 "2003-07-14T02:54:51Z")
There’s one thing about the movie which I don’t get. Maybe I’m just being dumb and can’t spot it: Okay- anyone who stole a piece of the Aztec gold was cursed. This is why the Black Pearl’s crew turned into zombies, but the people who they originally gave the money to (they spent it first, and then had to track it all down) did not turn into zombies. Jack becomes a zombie because he steals a piece of the treasure, but Will isn’t a zombie because it was legitimately given to him by his father. So…what about Elizabeth? She basically stole the coin from Will when he was a child- he says at one point that he thought he’d lost it in the shipwreck at the beginning of the movie. Why is Elizabeth not a zombie when moonlight hits her? WARNING: Horribly pedantic nit-picking to follow. Also, a date is never given for the movie. Granted, it’s an action flick and historical accuracy was probably not a big concern. But I’ve read that the “Age of Piracy” in the Caribbean effectively ended around 1725. From the costumes used, it’s obviously supposed to take place during the 18th century, but dress styles are all over the place and mainly portray the late 18th century. I’m mainly basing this on the cut and style of the dresses we see Elizabeth wearing. The dress her father gives her looks to be a closed robe of the style worn in the 1760’s, while the dress Barbossa gives her looks more the style of 100 years previously. She also seems never to have worn a pair of stays before, which is frankly unthinkable for a woman of that time period and especially for a governor’s daughter who would presumably have access to better made and more fashionable goods coming out of England and France. The dress itself looks to be printed cotton which, again, was a much later style and did not become widely available (or even legal) as a dress material until the last 2 decades of the 18th century. The men as well have some trouble: while her father’s wig is a full-bottomed wig and consistent with pre-1725, the Commodore wears a bag wig which was a much later style. The tricorne hat was also not really popular until slightly later in the period, and everyone’s breeches are too fitted and their waistcoats too short. Frock coats look good though, especially the large slashed sleeves. Arrr. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/105 "2003-07-14T02:55:52Z")
I saw it again today, w/o the Mr. (shhhh. he doesn’t know.) I loved it more the second time around. I love a sword fighting movie. [spoiler] I think the Jack slicing his hand at the end/tossing the coin/shooting Barbarossa is going to end up playing into a sequel. How can it not? Essentially, there was no reason for Jack to slice his hand as he was not of William Turner’s blood. Unless I missed something. [/spoiler] What I thoroughly enjoyed: [spoiler] Geoffrey Rush running around chasing the Fiesty Chick or even Johnny Depp shouting “Arrrrr!” He looked like he was having fun. How can anyone _not_ have fun shouting like a pirate? And the line about " Welcome to the Caribbean" was a scream. [/spoiler] But, what I want to know is: [spoiler] What in the hell was Jonathan Pryce - Elizabeth’s Dad - saying at the end to Stick Up the Ass Norrington about Piracy and whatnot as Jack was leaving/in water. I was quite confused. And hoping that they (Will and Elizabeth) would dive off the cliff thing to follow Jack, but that would have been a rip off another lesser heard of pirate film: Nate and Hayes. Which is superb in itself for fun and adventure. [/spoilers] When this comes out on DVD, it is mine. I’ll shut up now. ---
**Author:** ![BuckleberryFerry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f9b8f/32.png) [@BuckleberryFerry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BuckleberryFerry)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/106 "2003-07-14T03:08:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ratty \* > \*\*There’s one thing about the movie which I don’t get. Maybe I’m just being dumb and can’t spot it: Okay- anyone who stole a piece of the Aztec gold was cursed. \ Why is Elizabeth not a zombie when moonlight hits her? As to that, I think the only ones cursed are those who stole _directly from the chest_. Elizabeth stole from someone who was given the gold by someone who stole from the chest, so she is not cursed. > [@](#): > > Also, a date is never given for the movie. \ Arrr. \*\* From [url=]here: > [@](#): > > Set in the Caribbean Sea in the 17th century… That’s the best I can do. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/107 "2003-07-14T03:09:29Z")
Ok, I have a question that I just remembered: [spoiler] When the two british guards in the beginning notice/hear a boom under water and there is a ripple. What in the hell was that? I know it had to do with the Black Pearl, but help me out. [/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![richardb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/96bed5/32.png) [@richardb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/richardb)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/108 "2003-07-14T03:19:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shirley Ujest \* > \*\*[spoiler] I think the Jack slicing his hand at the end/tossing the coin/shooting Barbarossa is going to end up playing into a sequel. How can it not? Essentially, there was no reason for Jack to slice his hand as he was not of William Turner’s blood. > > Unless I missed something. [/spoiler]\*\* No way you could have missed it… you just sort of didn’t realize what you were watching (that is, you didn’t put “two and two” together: When Barbarossa spears Jack with his sword, and Jack doesn’t fall over dead, Jack smiles and holds up the piece of the treasure THAT HE HAD JUST STOLEN EARLIER IN THE SCENE; thus he was now cursed and unkillable as well. They even emphasise this by letting the moonlight in at that point and you see the skeleton Jack Sparrow flipping the treasure piece over and over through his skeleton fingers a few times. So to remove the curse on everyone, Jack’s stolen piece and his blood had to be returned as well. ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_Mondegreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Lady\_Mondegreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_Mondegreen)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/109 "2003-07-14T04:01:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SolGrundy \* > \*\*the not-quite-Natalie-Portman did a good job as well. \*\* Funny you should say that. I looked up the IMDB entry for PotC and the actress (Keira Knightley) played the decoy queen in Episode I. [http://us.imdb.com/Bio?Knightley,%20Keira](http://us.imdb.com/Bio?Knightley,%20Keira) ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/110 "2003-07-14T04:32:38Z")
YES! What a wonderful, fun movie!!! Thanks to all who recommended it - can’t wait to see again - Thought all the cast did a fine job with the types of roles they were - Depp the obvious standout. Woo Hoo!!! And everyone who mentioned the music - you’re so right - the music was just right. 2 of my favorite moments: When Barbossa says he’s going to eat apples when the curse is lifted; When he dies we see him dropping an apple he had all ready. Nice touch. ---
**Author:** ![Jane\_D\_oh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/839c29/32.png) [@Jane\_D\_oh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jane_D_oh)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/111 "2003-07-14T13:20:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by HelloKitty \* > \*\*…Here’s a Disney-ish thing I noticed that hasn’t been brought up: Elizabeth’s mother is not mentioned once the entire movie! It’s just her and her father. Since Bambi’s mother was killed (should I have spoiler-boxed that??) I don’t think any major character in a Disney movie has had a mother figure into the story…even Nemo’s mother isn’t around, it’s his father that is searching for him. \*\* Here’s my take on that. Warning - wild ass guess ahead. That is what the sequel is going to be. She really is Cptn Jack Sparrow’s daughter. That explains her born affinity to pirates. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/112 "2003-07-14T13:29:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Shirley Ujest \* > \*\*Ok, I have a question that I just remembered: > > [spoiler] > > When the two british guards in the beginning notice/hear a boom under water and there is a ripple. What in the hell was that? I know it had to do with the Black Pearl, but help me out. [/spoiler] \*\* That was the cursed coin sending out a signal to the cursed pirates. The treasure ‘calls to them’ if you recall. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/113 "2003-07-14T14:10:28Z")
Thanks, Zebra. It makes sense now. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/114 "2003-07-14T17:02:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BuckleberryFerry \* > \*\*I checked this on my second viewing–there’s a fair amount of slack chain between his wrists–what Sparrow does is bring his wrists together to the slack folds in on itself, and he flips that slack over the rope, so the slack is on one side and his wrists on the other. He then grabs the slack from under the rope so that it encircles the rope, slides down, then releases the slack so that he is free of the rope. Pretty easy and if you know what you’re doing (which of course Sparrow does) it can be done in an instant. \*\* That would work, but it didn’t look to me like there was enough slack. I’ll have to analyze it on DVD. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/115 "2003-07-14T19:18:00Z")
Regrading the use of blood to lift the curse, I got the impression that anyone who took gold directly from the chest (and kept it, presumably, since Johnny Depp seemingly playfully picks up four pieces and drops three back in the chest, keeping the fourth hidden for later) is cursed and can only lift that curse by restoring the piece to the chest, along with a sample of blood from himself _or a descendant_. Other people who acquire the gold indirectly from the pirates are unaffected. There are inconsitancies, though, including the sonar-ish “ping” when the gold piece falls (along with the girl) into the water. Such a “ping” should have occured when Will was in the water as a boy, shortly after the ship he was on was wrecked. Strangely, the _Black Pearl_ is clearly the ship that caused the wreck, but they didn’t bother retrieving the gold on the spot. Were they just booty-hunting (accumulating the considerable stash seen in the caves) and ignored or were unaware of the presence of the precious last piece of Aztec gold? It’s fairly easy to pick this movie apart, but I enjoyed it anyway. In the spirit of piracy, I almost wish I’d brought a camcorder with me to make my own bootstrap, er, bootleg. I’ll have to wait for the DVD. Of course, that damned monkey doesn’t make any sense… ---
**Author:** ![Undead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b3f665/32.png) [@Undead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Undead)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/116 "2003-07-14T19:45:24Z")
I really loved this flick. Definately recommend it to all. The best part is Captain Jack Sparrow’s half-drunken walk and hand movements. I try to imitate it every day in my apartment but just can’t quite get it down. Great acting by John Depp IMO. Thanks everyone for clearing up that coin thing at the end. I, too, was confused and missed the part with Jack slashing his own hand and smearing it on the coin. ---
**Author:** ![jmizzou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/edb3f5/32.png) [@jmizzou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmizzou)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/117 "2003-07-14T20:51:01Z")
**BuckleberryFerry** , no need to apologize. You were right: Jack tosses the coin to Will, then shoots Barbosa. Will says Jack didn’t waste the shot, and drops the coins into the chest. The cut on Will’s hand _does_ look like it’s healed (or at least heal_ing_), but they only show it for a few seconds, so it’s hard to tell. They never show him cutting his hand, though. Oh well, still a very fun movie. Depp was superb in every scene (and I **loved** his entrance into the movie). I’ll eagerly be waiting to add it to my DVD collection. ---
**Author:** ![Peg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Peg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peg)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/118 "2003-07-14T21:59:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ender\_Will \* > What’s a pirate’s mother’s name? > ARRRRlene > > What’s a pirate’s sister’s name? > MARRRRla > > \*\*What’s a pirate’s daughter’s name? > Peggy \*\* Apparently Dad was a pirate! This explains a lot… Fun movie. Definitely! ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/119 "2003-07-15T06:31:10Z")
There is no way I would have gone to see this. “A Disney movie about pirates? Based on a _ride at the park_?” I just want to thank **everyone** here for giving me a heads up on an amazing flick that never, ever would have crossed my radar otherwise. I mean, _ **damn** _, what a fun movie! Methinkis I’ll be dressed as a pirate this year’s Halloween party: “Ooh, a pirate! So where are your buccaneers?” “On my buccan’ head, you buccan’ moron! ARR!” ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308/120 "2003-07-15T07:58:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lady Mondegreen \* > **Funny you should say that. I looked up the IMDB entry for PotC and the actress (Keira Knightley) played the decoy queen in Episode I.** Wow, I had no idea. (And I was _in_ that movie!) I always thought that Portman played both parts in _Phantom Menace_. And as a side note, those pictures on the IMDB make her look much, much better than she does in PotC. That almost never happens. And I guess I’m satisfied with the explanation of why Elizabeth didn’t suffer from the curse, but just barely. It was an interesting twist to the story – since she stole a piece of the treasure as well – that they didn’t touch. I’m surprised that so many people are talking about sequels, although I guess one is inevitable. But this seemed to me to be a rare example of a big Summer Blockbuster that had a completely self-contained story, and wasn’t screaming “sequel” the whole time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pirates-of-the-caribbean-its-rated-arrrr/187308.md?page=7)