Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

THE FLICK: Fans of Johnny Depp will say itÕs about time the rest of the country woke up and appreciated one of the most interesting and eccentric actors of our generation. But ÒPiratesÓ didnÕt exactly shove the smelling salts under John Q. PublicÕs nose; most folks already had a good idea what Depp was capable of from modest hits like ÒEdward ScissorhandsÓ and ÒSleepy Hollow.Ó More accurately, it was Depp himself who finally broke down and channeled his independent spirit into the Hollywood mainstream. Director Gore Verbinski captures the feel of classic swashbucklers past and the squeaky clean fun of the Disney thrill ride the filmÕs based on. But without his leading pirate the movie would be just more big budget eye candy. Depp, famously basing his performance on StoneÕs guitarist Keith Richards, is a fumbling, mumbling wreck of a pirate whoÕs much cleverer than he looks. As Captain Jack Sparrow, he overwhelms even the most elaborate special effect in the film and lifts the material from something youÕd catch on cable now and then to something you want to add to your collection. THE FEATURES: Of course, it looks and sounds phenomenal. But what else do you get? •1 Two commentary tracks: one from the writers, and another with Verbinski, Depp and other cast members. •2 An Epic At Sea: which is your usual 40-minute ÒMaking OfÓ affair, chock full oÕ facts and interviews about locations, props, ships, make-up, stunts and miniatures. ItÕs all part of producer Jerry BruckheimerÕs memorable mantra, ÒTo make memorable films, you have to go against the grain.Ó •3 A Fly on the Set: Relatively raw footage of the filming of several scenes. If youÕre interested in the filmmaking process without a lot of promotional fluff, this is your personal highlight reel. •4 Diaries: Broken into three sections, the first of which is BruckheimerÕs personal photos taken during production. Next is the ÒDiary of a Pirate,Ó or more specifically actor Lee Arenberg who played Pintel, one of the comic relief characters in the film. His camera catches some of the cast and crew during their more relaxed moments. And finally, the ÒDiary of a ShipÓ chronicles the journey of the Lady Washington to the St. Vincent location where it is revamped to fit the bill as a period vessel. •5 Below Deck: A point-and-click encyclopedia of pirate facts provided by a guy surrounded by lots of heavy books (so he must know what heÕs talking about). •6 Blooper Reel: Proof that actors arenÕt the infallible objects of worship People Magazine says they are. •7 Deleted Scenes: 19 minutes worth of mostly shortened conversations, but there are some choice moments, including yet another wooden eyeball gag. •8 Moonlight Serenade Scene Progression: Remember when the pirates all turn into skeletons when the moon hits them just right? Did you really think theyÕd make a DVD and not brag about how they did it? •9 Image Gallery: A substantial amount of drawings, sketches, photos, and advertising stuff. •10 Pirates in the Park: I love these retro episodes of the Wonderful World of Disney that promote the magic that goes into creating WaltÕs animatronic illusions. Especially since my parents were too cheap to ever take me there in person! Why didnÕt you love me, Daddy? •11 DVD-ROM Content: And thereÕs a lot of it, including a Script Scanner and Storyboard Viewer that play along with the film, ÒDead Men Tell No TalesÓ Ð a brief history of the Disneyland attraction Ð and a photo effects studio that lets you change yourself into a rotting skeleton just like Keith Richards himself! Unfortunately, I couldnÕt access any of it because I use Mac OS. Thanks, Walt! FINAL SCORE: ÒPiratesÓ (with ÒX2Ó as a bookend) is the best movie of the summer blockbuster season past. And the DVD comes into port with enough extras to put some meat on your bones. Still, itÕs the movie that is the main attraction Ð turning Òfamily friendlyÓ into a term of endearment rather than an unimaginative insult.