Editor's note: We received a first-look into a few of the special
features that will be included on the Pirates DVD. This is what writer Robin
Wilner has to say about the film itself and the special features included on
this demonstration DVD that "showcases highlights" from the upcoming
disc.
By Robin Wilner
It may be Disney, but don’t be fooled. Pirates of the Caribbean:
the Curse of the Black Pearl is no cartoon. Those of you familiar with
the popular theme park attraction should be prepared for the cinematic ride
of your life. This film is packed with action, adventure, romance, and astonishing
visual effects that could only be eerily colored by its medieval setting. At
least, according to the theatrical trailer it is.
At the start of the special features DVD, we sneak a peak at a blockbuster film
with an epic flavor. As the story unfolds, a young girl discovers an Aztec gold
necklace, the last amongst a much sought after group of cursed gold pieces.
Geoffrey Rush, who plays the evil leader of a gang of pirates, exposes the truth
of the curse in his croaky, ghoulish voice. With this remaining piece of gold,
he and his bandits will complete their quest and rid themselves of an insufferable
curse. Hmmm…what could be so frightening?
The curious girl becomes a young woman, only to be discovered and kidnapped
by Rush and his crew. Her handsome suitor, played by Orlando Bloom (Lord of
the Rings) wishes to save her and suggests the one man who may know where to
find her kidnappers. Enter Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), a longhaired, drunken
pirate who enjoys mischief and women. He is to be the hero who will find the
cursed Black Pearl ship and its pirates.
But wait! There is a catch. These aren’t just regular pirates…no!
They are vicious ghouls, cursed by moonlight as demented immortals. Images flash
across the screen of swordfights, ambushes, screams of terror, and humans transforming
into frightening, skeletal creatures. Sounds like fun, huh? With stunning visual
effects and dangerous stunts, the film seems to become a war between man and
monster. It is a classic story of good versus evil, mixed with a lot of action
and adventure, a taste of romance, and unexpected comic relief (thanks to Depp’s
unique character). An absolute must see!
The rest of the special features are a big disappointment, though. Following
such a spectacular trailer, I felt a little gypped. There are two short bits
about the making-of scenes. The first demonstrates the difficulty of the film’s
choreographed fight scenes, emphasizing the importance of speed, agility, and
timing in sword fighting while maintaining a sense of character for the actor.
The second bit changes the viewer’s perspective to that of the production
crew. A scene unfolds from a simple stunt direction to the execution of the
stunt with dialogue. Both features are interesting in that we get the feeling
of being on the set during the creative process, but they end too abruptly.
Maybe this is only a taste for what's to come on the final DVD version?
Next comes a piece narrated by one of the supporting actors, taking us through
a few days on set. It was too reminiscent of a homemade video, with the actor
narrating everything that we clearly see on screen as though we were an audience
of children. Maybe that was a little too Disney-influenced.
Usually the most exciting part of a film with great special effects is seeing
the complexity of the work behind-the-scenes. With commentary by Tech Director
Tom Fejes, my favorite feature shows a scene’s progression before and
after the use of computer graphics. From simple drawings and sketches to complex
animation, actors decay into skeletons while the image on screen maintains authenticity.
I could easily have done without the last two features. First comes a brief
history of the legends of piracy. There are some cool sketches of devilish men
and old ships, but giving the commentary is an unnamed man who doesn’t
connect myth with the making of the film. Second comes an advertisement for
the Disneyland attraction in classic multi-million-dollar franchise style. A
clip from a 1965 television show has Walt Disney describing his plans for the
Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Laid out before him are sketches
and models of the elaborate city and characters to come alive in the park. We
are left with a picture of the Disneyland sign…CHEE-ZY!
If you have a computer with a dvd-rom drive, check out the enhanced computer
features. You can look at the script, storyboard, history of the Disneyland
attraction, a virtual reality view of the ride, an attraction image gallery,
and the effects studio. Maybe you’ll find something interesting, although
I can’t give any guarantees.
For those of you who missed Pirates of the Caribbean in theaters,
be sure to pick up the DVD as soon as it becomes available. Even though the
special features leave much to be desired, at least the trailer leaves a tremendous
spark of hope!
