"Pirates" Cannibal Scene Irks Natives?
Arghh! Thar be controversy brewin' ahead, me hearties.
The brain trust behind Walt Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean sequel now shooting on location is taking heat from an indigenous leader over a scene in which Johnny Depp's swashbuckling hero Captain Jack Sparrow gets roasted on a spit.
The Los Angeles Times reports that Chief Charles Williams, head of the 3,500-strong Carib people--a minority who live on the island of Dominica--is calling on his fellow tribe members to boycott Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest because the fantasy film supposedly perpetuates the incorrect view that their ancestors dined on human flesh.
The sequel is one of two to 2003's blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl being filmed back-to-back on location in Dominica and several other Caribbean islands.
Dead Man's Chest is scheduled to hit theaters in summer 2006, while the as-yet untitled third film is due out in 2007.
The spit spat boils down to a scene that's said to take place in the middle of the movie, when Captain Jack gets is captured by natives and ends up hog-tied and generously sprinkled with fruits and vegetables in, as one Disney exec puts it, a human "shish kebab."
"It's a funny, almost campy sequence," Bruce Hendricks, Disney's executive in charge of production, tells the Times about the five-minute scene. "There are a lot of silly moments in it."
Although Captain Jack escapes (and goes on to fight ghostly scalawags and rum-lovin' zombies), the depiction of natives as flesh-craving savages bothers Williams, who says it's un-P.C. and untrue.
"Pirates did come to the Caribbean in the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries," Williams tells the Times. "Our ancestors were labeled cannibals."
Caribs migrated to Dominica from South America over a 1,000 years ago. History books used to portray them as cannibals, but historians have since found sufficient evidence to suggest that the Spanish frequently made up such stories as a way to vilify the natives and justify colonization..
"Today, that myth, that stigma is still alive," Williams adds. "Today, Disney wants to popularize that stigma one more time, this time through film, and film is a powerful tool of propaganda."
Disney declined to comment on the spit spat beyond a brief statement.
"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest is an action-packed adventure full of comedy, romance, and fantasy all born out of the imaginative minds of our writers. While we cannot give away any plot points, any island and tribe depicted in the film are purely fictitious and there is no reference to any particular actual people or group," the statement says.
Williams, as head of the Carib Territorial Council, met with filmmakers in October about shooting scenes in the tribe's stomping grounds and employing the tribe as extras and crew members, and he rejected the idea.
But despite his objections, he was overruled by the council in January. Many fellow Caribs say the film shoot is a boost to the local economy, which suffers 70 percent unemployment. Besides, they argue, the film makes no mention of Dominica or Caribs: It is set on a fictitious island and the cannibals in question are called Pelegosto. Hundreds of Caribs are now working on the project.
"To my mind, this is as much a mythical story as Batman or Superman or Dracula," says Dominica's tourism minister Charles Savarin.
Following the rebuke, Williams went public with his protest, even refusing to allow anyone associated with the project to shack up at his Carib Territory Guesthouse.
But so far the shooting has been unaffected.
"There's been nothing but a very welcoming atmosphere," a production insider tells E! Online. "We're working with 400-plus Dominicans, which includes a very large number of Carib people. The shooting's going beautifully on schedule and we have had a fantastic reception from the Dominicans working on the film and around the towns."
you know irony is mainstream when even Disney is hiding behind it. aww PC, sweet PC, come back please.
Depp Talks Pirates 2
Captain Jack is back.
If you've seen Johnny Depp in any recent interviews, you can tell he's back in character as Captain Jack Sparrow. The Pirates of the Caribbean sequel is now shooting, with occasional footage being filmed for a third film in the high seas adventure franchise. Depp recently shed some light on the production during a talk with Blackfilm.com.
So, are the two sequels actually being shot back to back or what? Depp says, "As much as we can, we are doing two, and every now and then, you may have to slot something in from Pirates 3, but the majority of what we have done so far have been 2 and then we will start moving into 3 after the hiatus. It's been great fun so far."
Depp says he chose to reprise the role just to get back in Captain Jack's skin. "For me," he says, "there was only reason ... it was Captain Jack. It was selfishly to have the opportunity to play Captain Jack again. Some people can look at it and say, 'Depp sold out.' I don't believe that I have. It certainly wasn't my attention to sell out but I wanted to play again because I think he's so much fun to play and I think there is so much more to explore with that character that I would keep going. If they wanted me to do 'Pirate 7,' why not."
Sold out? It was one of his best performances and got him the Oscar Nomination. I think that goes beyond money considering he has enough.
Why is everyone so negative always!
Teaser here: http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/piratesofthecaribbeandeadmanschest.html
Quote from: Tictacbk on October 08, 2005, 01:25:34 AM
My friend scored an internship with the cinematographer of Pirates of the Carribean 2&3 and while on set one of the special fx guys asked him if he could take a picture of his armpit to use in an effect where Johnny Depps hand starts to turn black and hairy looking. Apparently they have similar skin tones. Why he couldn't take a picture of Depp's armpit i do not know...but that might make him kinda famous?
...and there it is!
Shocking, Depp's character is star. The most popular element of the first one is the main one here. Watch out sequel cliches, here comes Pirates of the Carribean Part 2!
yeah orlando and keira are hardly in the trailer. i wonder if that has anything to do with their recent string of flops... marketing guy "maybe people DONT think they're big stars."
wait, Depp wasnt the star in the first one...i thought bloom sucked think bloom sucks....
Quote from: The Gold Trumpet on December 01, 2005, 07:28:53 PM
Shocking, Depp's character is star. The most popular element of the first one is the main one here. Watch out sequel cliches, here comes Pirates of the Carribean Part 2!
Not this one, GT. We're just gonna have fun with this one, okay?
You heard me.
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fffmedia.ign.com%2Ffilmforce%2Fimage%2Farticle%2F690%2F690332%2FPirates2_Onesheet_1140556715-000.jpg&hash=2c719557431d70e2dfadcf46495d73d11afec366)
Dont know why but Im starting to hate Keira Knightley... used to think she would be the bomb... but not anymore (she will probably still be big, but I just dont like her)
I think she will be big one day if she keeps doing blockbusters. They're sure-fire big-makers. And Speaking of sure-fire I also think it's a bad sign that the skeleton in the poster is on fire now unlike last time because things on fire never last and they eventually turn into cremation and no one wants to see a movie about that. Otherwise I would definetly see this poster again.
Thanks
Quote from: kal on February 22, 2006, 12:02:26 AM
Dont know why but Im starting to hate Keira Knightley...
what you see is what you get with her. and while that makes her a nice enough person, she doesn't possess enough mystery to be an interesting actress. unless she gains weight or starts getting the portman roles (unlikely cos portman is chosen precisely for her womanly/mysterious allure, which is in sharp contrast to knightley's rabbit-in-your-headlights look), she will disappear into obscurity faster than that nobody pictured next to her.
Quote from: Pubrick on February 22, 2006, 05:22:05 AM
unless she gains weight or starts getting the portman roles (unlikely cos portman is chosen precisely for her womanly/mysterious allure, which is in sharp contrast to knightley's rabbit-in-your-headlights look), she will disappear into obscurity faster than that nobody pictured next to her.
The rabbit-in-your-headlights look can be attributed to her being only 20. Kate Winslet, Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, etc. can/could play older when they were at that age but they're exceptions. If Keira is still at this level when she's 25, then there's a problem.
But for now, Keira is just a normal looking 20 year old girl who could do with a sandwich... or hypothyroidism.
Normally I'd let Mac or Modage link to the new trailer (http://www.totaleclips.com/Player/Bounce.aspx?eclipid=e27307&bitrateid=242&vendorid=566), but I just couldn't wait to comment on how much fun this looks. The creature designs and FX, in particular, are outstanding.
I agree, the squid face pirate is fucking awesome, especially when he's playing the organ.
Mine only gets half way through and then quits. whutdaheckisupwitdat?
Or download it from Rapidshare:
http://rapidshare.de/files/19414093/PotC2_trailer_e27307_b24.mov.html
Trailer here. (http://progressive.playstream.com/screenplay/progressive/273/e27307_b24.mov)
It wasn't the drugs, it was the palm tree mishap?
Interview : Johnny Depp
Source: Moviehole
Johnny Depp sports his perennial cowboy hat, neatly trimmed beard and wearing a simple white T-shirt and jeans. Back on deck as Captain Jack Sparrow in the continuing exploits of the "Pirates of the Caribbean", Depp is consistently charming, in good humour and clearly relishes his pirate within. It may have taken this surprising actor almost two decades to find fame and fortune in mainstream Hollywood, but the actor is philosophical about his varying degrees of success, as he disclosed to Paul Fischer.
Why is this character one you can revisit over and over?
Depp: I just feel like I'm not done. I just feel like there are more things you could do. Because, I suppose, with a character like this, the parameters are a little broader, so there are more possibilities I think And he's a fun character to play. I was really not looking forward to saying goodbye to him.
Any pirate adventures you still want to do, not touched on in part three yet?
Depp: Time travel, why not? No, I don't know. Ted and Terry, the writers, and Gore, what they were able to do on the first one and then taking that to what they've done now with the second one and then going into the third, it's pretty amazing. We're getting close to just even stretching the boundaries a bit more.
How much freedom do you have to improvise?
Depp: I think with everything you do, it's always- - you have the basic structure, you have your basic bones and a solid foundation. But with every one, you do your best to kind of explore it as much as possible while you're shooting. It could be something that comes to you, like sometimes it just comes to me when I'm reading a script. A line will just come to me and I'll incorporate it into the thing and obviously run it by Ted and Terry and Gore and the other actors certainly. So it can happen that way or it can just happen in the spur of the moment which is more fun in a way, when something just happens because if you feel it and you do it in a big, wide master shot, it alters the rhythm for a second and it kind of throws the thing, takes the bottom out from under you for a second which is quite fun because you sort of see honest reactions all around. People panic for a second, and that kind of panic is fun and I think important, good for you.
The executives panicked the first time. Did the audience prove you right?
Depp: The executives did panic. I mean, bless 'em, they did panic on the first one. And probably to some degree for good reason. But also, I think it's prerequisite to become an executive, you have to have that capability to panic instantly and do your best to resolve it as quickly as possible. So breaking the thing yourself and then fixing it so you look good it was a case on the first one where I was totally supported by a few in the sort of close knit group. Like Gore was a great support during that time but really it was a case where the audience, the viewers actually came in and they were the ones that saved me.
Were you surprised it became so popular, that you're a crowd pleaser now?
Depp: I was definitely never a crowd pleaser. May not be after this one, you never know. I was very surprised, incredibly surprised, still am that Pirates did as well as it did and that the character made some friends out there. I am still surprised and touched.
Why did it strike a chord?
Depp: I think- - I've said for a long time, I for the most part had in terms of commercial success or box office bonanzas, I had about 20 years of sort of studio defined failures. To me they were all great successes because we got them done. In terms of what struck a chord with Pirates, I said for a long time and I really believe that studios were underestimating the intelligence of the audience or their needs. I think that people want to- - I mean, you go to the movies to be stimulated certainly, but you don't go to the movies to know what the end is going to be. You want to be stimulated so I think that it was such a kind of different angle, that film, that people were ready for that kind of thing. That hyper kind of realism, the action sequences were insane. It wasn't something they've seen all that much I think. I believe that's what it was.
Is Tim Burton still doing Edgar Allen Poe with you?
Depp: No, not that I've heard of but boy, that's an exciting possibility. We've been talking about doing Sweeney Todd together which is very exciting.
How close is that?
Depp: Don't know. Tim and I talked about it a long time ago actually, or the possibility a long time ago so now the people who panic are panicking.
It is the musical version?
Depp: I'm assuming.
Do you sing?
Depp: Not yet.
What was it like to stay in character when you went home to your family?
Depp: See, I'm never aware of it, that I'm in character. It never feels like I'm in character. It always feels like you have those moments just before the take and it kind of winds down after the scene is done.
Did you wear the dreadlocks to bed?
Depp: No, I did not, no. There's still time. We've still got to finish 3.
You laugh about the apprehension towards you now- -
Depp: I laughed way before that.
Are you at peace with the frustrations of the industry, were you always?
Depp: I'll tell you what made it a lot easier to roll with the punches for me was having kids, or at least even before really. Knowing that I was going to be having a kid. That put a lot of things in perspective for me, like instant perspective. I think for a number of years, I was frustrated by the whole thing. I didn't understand any of it. But in terms of success or career or all that stuff, it never made any great deal of sense to me so I guess, yeah, when I found out Vanessa and I were going to have a baby, you find out what's important like [snaps fingers] real quick.
Was that a maturity for you, or camaraderie?
Depp: It was more like just finally understanding what it was all about for me, really. Because for years, there were the two things. there was the sort of business of Hollywood and the business and the business of that career and people saying, 'Well, you have to do this kind of movie because you've got to make money because you've got to do this and that.' And I always felt like, you know, 'Money is all it's about, well, hopefully it'll come at some point. But if it doesn't, that's all right. I know that I've done the things that I felt were right in terms of movies and stuff.' So it was that sort of business thing. And then there was work which I've always just done what felt right to me, so I don't know. I never really had any problem. The only problem I ever had in terms of frustration with the industry and Hollywood and stuff was basically I didn't think they understood the movies that I did and I think they didn't know how to sell them properly because they didn't know how to label them. And if you can't label the product, it's sort of this vague thing. If you don't understand the product, you can't sell it and they couldn't sell it.
You've done a lot of really inventive characters- -
Depp: You're saying I'm a weirdo?
Have you ever thought of playing a straight romantic character? Or am I missing something?
Depp: It's probably me missing something. I'm probably missing a lot. For example, Donnie Brasco was one that I felt was a straight-ish- -
He was pretending to be someone else.
Depp: Yeah, but I guess in terms of playing like a straight leading man type thing, I feel like all these guys are kind of not necessarily leading men but straight kind of characters. Even though they may seem bizarre or strange, I feel like I think everybody's nuts. I mean, I really do. And the weirdest thing in the world is to see some guy who is just super earnest. He's probably crazier than any of the guys I've played. And as far as really doing that, it would have to make sense to me somehow. It'd have to be something underneath for me to make that work. Otherwise, there are a bunch of guys out there, actors, actor types who do that kind of thing very well. I don't think I could for myself. I've got to have- - there's got to be a bunch of different things going on, layers to stuff.
Now that it's almost over, are you getting sad again?
Depp: No. I figure because we've got a few more months to go. It's the home stretch so I think probably the last month I'll start going into that deep, dark depression.
Do you have the rights to the Nick Hornby book?
Depp: Oh, A Long Way Down. I don't know that I'll be acting in it but just kind of hoping to get it made I suppose.
They're doing a 21 Jump Street movie- -
Depp: I think it's a great idea.
Are you far enough past it that you'd do a cameo?
Depp: Wow.
He speaks very highly of you.
Depp: Does he? He didn't then. No.
He hopes you'll come back.
Depp: Well, I certainly- - why don't I just go back and play- - it'd be good at 42. That would be interesting. To go back and play the same character I played 20 years ago with no one saying anything. A bunch of people going, they don't' say anything to him but they talk behind his back, 'Is he out of his mind? He's really old now but he thinks he's still young.' That, I would love to play.
How do you enjoy being part of the Disney ride?
Depp: Boy, that's so exciting. I've only seen like they showed me the drawings and the plans for what it might be.
QuoteJohnny Depp sports his perennial cowboy hat, neatly trimmed beard and wearing a simple white T-shirt and jeans.
and just like that, I'm aroused.
Quote from: Bethie on June 27, 2006, 02:05:49 AM
QuoteJohnny Depp sports his perennial cowboy hat, neatly trimmed beard and wearing a simple white T-shirt and jeans.
and just like that, I'm aroused.
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fus.movies1.yimg.com%2Fentertainment.yahoo.com%2Fimages%2Fent%2Fap%2F20060629%2Fnyet468_film_johnny_depp.sff.jpg&hash=2effdc280322bd27e96a9801b6dd973a5669f544)
hehehe.
now I'm a school girl.
Message to Pirates Moviegoers
Seeing Dead Man's Chest this weekend? IGN has a tip for you.
Planning to see Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest this weekend? If so, we'd like to ask of you just one simple thing: when the movie ends, when the credits start to roll, don't abandon ship! Because, you guessed it... Just like the first movie, Pirates 2 has a coda.
We're not going to spoil things for you here, but we will say this: It's not really that important to the story. It's just a funny little scene you'll likely get a kick out of. So, don't fret if you miss it because your friends nagged you to get going.
they should put a whole movie after the credits. that would be something.
Quote from: picolas on July 07, 2006, 09:08:42 PM
they should put a whole movie after the credits. that would be something.
ha, Irreversible.
Quote from: The Gold Trumpet on July 07, 2006, 09:35:15 PM
Quote from: picolas on July 07, 2006, 09:08:42 PM
they should put a whole movie after the credits. that would be something.
ha, Irreversible.
or
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00003CWTL.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg&hash=fbe1a17a7ef747038d9c59c05333420cdc144f94)
or
every film before 1970whatever.
this was a good time. but i felt suffers from a bit of sequelitis in that it jumps right into the film and never stops to catch its breath. its also long, and stuffed to the gills with like shit happening. the audience i saw it with was loving it though, moreso than any of the other films i've seen this summer. the creature effects were completely seamless/awesome though.
Quote from: Pubrick on July 08, 2006, 12:08:53 AM
every film before 1970whatever.
yeah that was the reference.
modage pretty much nailed it.
It was fun but this was the most self-aware sequel I've ever seen, in that the acting, script and directing just oozed, "We're making a bigger sequel to a surprise hit movie." What I liked the most was treating Gareth from The Office UK and the guy who fought with George over a parking space in that Seinfeld episode as a sort of Shakespearean comic relief. I thought that was a nice touch.
I just wish that I had had a better audience. The one I saw it with wasn't really into it, at least not as much as the audience I saw Superman with.
Ok anybody can say whatever the fuck they want to me about bein obssesed about the Box Office... but this movie just made 55.5 MILLION DOLLARS on its openning day, biggest openning day EVER, and it will probably be the biggest openning weekend ever... amazing. Johnny Depp is officially the biggest movie star in the planet... bye bye Tom Cruise.
that is pretty amazing and quite surprising, especially considering the lukewarm reviews.
Quote from: kal on July 08, 2006, 11:47:58 AM
Ok anybody can say whatever the fuck they want to me about bein obssesed about the Box Office... but this movie just made 55.5 MILLION DOLLARS on its openning day, biggest openning day EVER, and it will probably be the biggest openning weekend ever... amazing. Johnny Depp is officially the biggest movie star in the planet... bye bye Tom Cruise.
you are the reason simplified spelling will prevail. god help us all.
Quote from: JG on July 08, 2006, 11:50:09 AM
that is pretty amazing and quite surprising, especially considering the lukewarm reviews.
Are you really surprised? Mediocre films make tons of money all the time.
Quote from: kal on July 08, 2006, 11:47:58 AM
biggest openning day EVER
Great! Everyone's already seen it... I can see it today without the crowds!
Anyone know what they show after the credits? I would've stayed to watch but I made the mistake of drinking coors light before the movie so I really had use the latrine.
Quote from: Ultrahip on July 09, 2006, 12:32:07 AM
Anyone know what they show after the credits? I would've stayed to watch but I made the mistake of drinking coors light before the movie so I really had use the latrine.
dog's on the throne.
Walt Disney Pictures' highly-anticipated Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley and Bill Nighy, broke Spider-Man's ($114.8 million) four-year-old opening weekend record with a massive $132 million from 4,133 theaters, the fourth-widest release ever. The movie made $55.5 million on Friday (the biggest single day and opening day in box office history, surpassing Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith ($50 million)), $44.7 million on Saturday (the fifth-biggest single day) and $31.8 million on Sunday, for an average of $31,944 per theater for the weekend. If estimates hold, this means that "Dead Man's Chest" crossed the $100 million mark in two days, which has never been done before - the previous fastest time was three days. Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Gore Verbinski, the movie cost about $225 million to make. The third installment, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, hits theaters on May 25, 2007.
spoilerish...
the shish kabob bit was good, great & grand fun - bounces his way off the fire - pull volts his way over to the other cliff - falls through the bridges with the fruit and all... quite enjoyable sequel.
bring on your heavy disagreement, gt.
Quote from: hackspaced on July 08, 2006, 10:43:56 AM
modage pretty much nailed it.
It was fun but this was the most self-aware sequel I've ever seen, in that the acting, script and directing just oozed, "We're making a bigger sequel to a surprise hit movie." What I liked the most was treating Gareth from The Office UK and the guy who fought with George over a parking space in that Seinfeld episode as a sort of Shakespearean comic relief. I thought that was a nice touch.
i agree.
it's absolutely the most self-aware sequel i've ever seen, surpassing even "damn! he's not going to be in rush hour three!"
it was pretty much exactly the movie i expected to see. it's nothing designed for close scrutiny, but it's entertaining.
spoiler by virtue of paraphrasing:"it does (point to what i want most). you're sitting on it." :bravo:
SPOILERS, KINDA, I GUESS
The new trilogy strategy is to find a movie that everyone loved and make two sequels... the first sequel will make a ton of money based on name alone... even if it's not very good... then you just make sure that the second one leads into the third because even if people didn't like the second one, they'll see the third just to find out what happens.
I didn't hate this or think it was bad, even, but a lot more could have been put into it and it could have been an hour shorter (especially if it's not really going to end).
It felt like a three-hour long trailer for the third movie. every action setpiece I saw in the trailer looked EXACTLY like what I saw on the big screen, with no elaboration. the cutest sequence was the cannibal sequence, but that was more comedic than thrilling. everything else was really standard--bad guys show up, then good guys lose, enter jack sparrow who says something. a lot of the scenes could've been brilliant, for example, orlando bloom stealing the key, but ended so terribly disappointing. the first movie had very exciting action scenes that were both thrilling and funny, this one relied too much on exposition and took the joy out of the setpieces.
disappointed.
Not Enought Capt. Jack! If I was an Orlando fan, I'd be all over this.
The film kinda felt flat to me; laying there. I missed the cannon of laughs the first one had.
My problem with it was that this go around the filmmakers seemed to be taking the material more seriously than with the first movie. That is, this one lacked the whimsical fun of the first because it seemed to me that the goal wasn't simply a fun summer movie, but a grandiose flick alluvasudden. It wasn't as funny, and there were bits that could have been skipped as the middle portions were definitely lagging. It was a good sequel, but in the end it just feels like the second movie of the trilogy and nothing more. They could have done a lot more with it.
And the ending was a little lame, I thought.
A little?