June 11, 2006
We're watching "The Pirates of the Caribbean" for about the millionth time. And even more than usual, I'm thinking about how good the script was. Not just the story, which works on a bunch of different levels and manages to have engaging, unforgettable characters (Primarily Captain Jack Sparrow, but Barbossa et al) and includes so much pirate "mythology" that they played off so well...

But I was thinking the dialogue.

There's a scene later on in the movie where Cap'n Jack appears in the cave in Isla de Muerta, doing his usual weird negotiations, and Wil Turner is captured, and Jack comments something along the lines of: "I'm here to rescue you, as I promised, and Elizabeth's going to marry Commodore Norrington as she promised, and you're going to die for it, as you promised. So we're all men of our word... except for Elizabeth, who is, as a matter of fact, a woman."

They nail Jack so completely in his dialogue. One of the pirates telling Wil about the death of his father, when he was tied to a cannon and dumped to the bottom of the ocean: "...and the last we saw of him was him sinking into the crushing blackness of Davey Jones's locker... Of course, that was before we knew we needed his blood to lift the curse... that there is what you would call ironic."

The dialogue is so fitting with the tone of the movie--dramatic, colorful, entertaining. Each character has his own way of talking, especially Jack, but also Commodore Norrington and Captain Barbossa and Wil and Elizabeth... and the individual pirates (including the one who can't talk, but whose parrot talks for him). It's something we should strive for, don't you think?

And hell, July 7th, folks. "Pirates of the Carribean 2: Dead Man's Chest." I can't wait.

Best,
Mark Terry