Small But Clever Details From The 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' Movies
You have to give Disney a lot of credit when it comes to the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. When the first one was released, few people thought it would do well. After all, it was based on a ride in the Disney parks, and that made it something of a brand new IP almost nobody could relate to. Add to that the fact that the last big pirate-themed movie (Cutthroat Island) was so bad, it tanked its production studio, and it seemed like a massive gamble.
Of course, it's been nearly 20 years since Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was released, and Disney's been raking in the cash. There have been four sequels with another in development, and there's even going to be a spin-off, which will likely get its own franchise. Disney is in the pirate business, and business has been good.
With so many movies released in the franchise, there are tons of clever little details hidden throughout. Some fans have picked up on a lot of these, and they have taken to the MovieDetails subreddit to share what they've found. The most interesting findings are found below, so take a look, and if you see something you didn't already know, go ahead and give it an upvote to see which one rises to the top!
- 15,819 VOTES
Captain Jack Isn't Always Intoxicated Despite Appearances
Jack may look like he's always had a few too many, but as Redditor u/itty53 noted, the reason isn't always due to intoxication:
In the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, Jack Sparrow isn't constantly drunk, he has sea legs. When he's on land, he walks with a distinct sway. When he's on a boat, he walks straight as an arrow.
- 24,816 VOTES
Johnny Depp Improvised The Song From 'Dead Man's Chest'
Redditor u/melalegolas revealed that Johnny Depp showed off his improv skills in the first sequel:
In the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006), the little song "I’ve got a jar of dirt" sung by Captain Jack Sparrow was completely improvised by Johnny Depp. That’s why the surprised reactions from the other actors are completely real.
- 32,832 VOTES
The Costume Department Took Some Strange Steps In Getting The Right Look
The costumes found in the film franchise are some of the best in the industry, and as Redditor u/Tokyono noted, even the eyes had something to wear:
In Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead man’s Chest (2006), actor Mackenzie Crook had to wear two contact lenses on top of one another, to portray his character's wooden eye. He said: “It’s uncomfortable…but not painful. And it helps the character because, without it, I’m just any other pirate.”
- 43,278 VOTES
Captain Jack's Pistols Were Real
Because the films take place in the 18th century, few people could imagine the weapons on-set were real, but as Redditor u/Numerous-Lemon noted, one pirate had the real deal:
In Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) Jack Sparrow’s pistol was the only real gun in the movie. Johnny Depp used a set of two flintlock pistols that were made in 1765. However, they were only used in scenes where they needed to be fired. Otherwise, he used replicas.
- 53,397 VOTES
Will Turner Was Killed By A Weapon He Made
It's said that 'you reap what you sow," and as Redditor u/hypotheticalfive noted, that was certainly true of Will Turner from across the franchise:
In Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Will Turner's opening scene is him presenting a sword he made to Governor Swann, that same sword is eventually used by Davy Jones to kill Will at the end of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.
- 64,170 VOTES
Captain Jack's Makeup Has A Venereal Connection
If you ever noticed a red spot on Jack's jaw, Redditor u/please-kill-me-69 offered up a somewhat whimsical explanation:
In the Pirates of the Caribbean series (2003), Jack Sparrow has a red spot on this jaw. This red spot is a joke between Depp and the makeup department. The red spot is actually supposed to be syphilis, and it gets progressively more noticeable in each film.
