Arrrr you ready for an all-Pirates edition of Why For?

Gore Verbinski to direct ‘Bioshock’ | The New Worlds Alliance

Jim Hill — Sat, 10 May 2008 04:02:17 GMT

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re: Arrrr you ready for an all-Pirates edition of Why For?

Jim Hill — Sat, 10 May 2008 09:57:19 GMT

Ironic, isn't it, that the blockbuster of 2003 should have dropped almost off the globe due to so many mis-steps.

It took Disney almost a year to decide to fund the sequels and then insisted on the sequels being released as quickly as possible to cash in on the hype.

They never - "NEVER" - recognized how big the first film was and took advantage of any merchandise possibilities until it was too late.

Once sequels were being filmed, the rather interesting habit of dropping hints only to have them pulled at the last minute became apparent. It appeared that someone wanted to test the waters with the fans to see what would play.

The sequels themselves seemed to forget where they came from. The original POTC was a pirate story that had a little bit of CGI story involved.

The sequels were mostly CGI that had a few pirates thrown in.

I knew the game was up when I read the rumor that Disney/Depp had auctioned off the Jack Sparrow sword. I don't know if this rumor was fact or not, but if it was then it was clear to me that folks involved had had enough.

Top it off with some comments Verbinski made months after the last film had been released about how grueling the project had been - coupled with a very interesting documentary about how the films were made on the DVD for AWE and this viewer walked away with the impression that Gore had had his fill and was looking for a long rest.

POTC had a lot of potential. COBP was a keeper of a movie, clearly evidenced by the number of people who kept returning to see it again and again.

The sequels (and I sat in several times for each in different theaters) were met with audiences who were, for the most part, dead silent. It was almost laughable that when the AWE DVD was issued, it came with plot explanations.

Given the lack of truly original and exciting film, what a shame and a waste.

re: Arrrr you ready for an all-Pirates edition of Why For?

Jim Hill — Sat, 10 May 2008 12:03:09 GMT

The reason the POTC merchandise didn't sell was that it was overpriced crap. Fill a POTC skull or a treasure chest with a bunch of bug wigglies and gross eyeballs kids, boys anyway, have by the scores aleady. How about a skull with the piece of eight in it? Small PVC action figures of the Bretheren Court -- not the doll like action figures that bombed in the regular markets. T-shirts with a fierce, scary Cap'n Jack? Jack isn't scary -- he's a rock star and a clown! That's why he's loved! Talk about going for the wrong flavor of design. How about Pirate ships a kid could actually build? If they really wanted to make it a "boys' line", all they would have had to do was get in bed with LEGO. Build your own Black Pearl, Wicked Wench, Port Royal Tortuga, etc. It's worked pretty well for Star Wars.

The marketing people again missed the boat on this franchise -- first by not providing mechandise in time for the original movie and then by poor choice of product for the sequels

re: Arrrr you ready for an all-Pirates edition of Why For?

Jim Hill — Mon, 12 May 2008 10:44:23 GMT

Off topic: Here's to hoping Gore doesn't screw up BioShock. It's one of the most creepy and inventive video games to come out in a while. Seeing Big Daddy on the big screen should be a treat, as long as the director doesn't go crazy with the computer graphics.

Back on topic: I finally went on the new POTC a couple weekends ago at Disneyland. I was impressed by the Davey Jones effect, but overall I was a little sad that parts of the old attraction are gone. I think Imagineering's logic in changing the attraction was sound. Kids now know POTC for the movies, not the ride.

I'm just glad the Haunted Mansion movie bombed.

re: Arrrr you ready for an all-Pirates edition of Why For?

Jim Hill — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:48:48 GMT

campdisney, Disney actually had Mega Bloks make POTC building toys. I happen to own them all.... granted, they're nowhere near as nice as LEGO.... but they're still POTC.

Jim, the thing about Pirates is... they only really have public appeal if they're Disney Pirates. Going to those other places... it feels cheap, and everything tries to be a knockoff of POTC these days. So at least in my family, it's Disney Pirates or no pirates at all.

re: Arrrr you ready for an all-Pirates edition of Why For?

Jim Hill — Sat, 17 May 2008 15:34:55 GMT

WestCOT: Yeah, I know about the Megablocks POTC toys. Megablocks have been a source of frustration for my son any time we've ever bought them. Pieces don't fit together at times (cheap manufactoring? who knows). We don't buy them anymore. Nor do I remember the POTC selection being that great. 'Course, this from a family that has about 20 different Harry Potter Lego sets and several Star Wars Lego ship models as well.