MovieChat Forums > Cutthroat Island (1995) Discussion > Woman Pirates in History and the unjust ...

Woman Pirates in History and the unjust views towards this film

posted 12 years ago by Je_suis_le_vampire_Lestat
12 replies | jump to latest

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_piracy

http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/famous-women-pirates.htm

http://www.history.com/videos/special-true-caribbean-pirates---mistres ses-of-the-sea#special-true-caribbean-pirates---mistresses-of-the-sea

The Film flopped because of bad luck with the timing and no advertisement for it.

The Pirate thing was not popular at the time also strong female leads weren't as big as they are today.

It is no worse than any other action film. It is just as good as some of the best Pirate films.

They spoke colloquially in it had decent costumes, it all was done as real as possible with very little CGI.

Was it a tad cheesy? Yes but all action films are.

Was it an adventurous Swashbuckler? Yes I feel it was.

I watched this at first at a young age on TV so I had no idea it was a huge flop. I got to see it without any preconceived notions and just enjoyed it for what it was. I just recently heard about it being a flop and was really surprised by that. I just saw it again today I feel the only thing I thought it needed was some editing down to make it a bit shorter and the soundtrack could have been stronger. Its a fun film to watch with kids. Nothing wrong with that IMHO.

Im not saying its the best film ever but it certainly isn't the worst. If you like Pirate movies give it a go don't just listen to the critics.

[–] berzelmayr 11 years ago

The thing is that moviegoers want to see "sexy pirate women" and not some ugly looking ones as it would havee realistically. This contrast makes these movies so corny (and also the many films about Cleopatra, who looked nothing like all these actresses when you see her portraits on ancient coins).

[–] Je_suis_le_vampire_Lestat 11 years ago

Who says any of those real pirate ladies were ugly? So that should go the same for Johnny Depps character is Pirates of the Caribbean.

[–] rj-27 11 years ago

I just find the whole "slender female in traditional male role kicking male ass" so tiresome.

I suppose at the time this turkey came out, hardly anyone was ready for it. Now it's become cliche.

But, if you find it entertaining, good for you.

[–] Je_suis_le_vampire_Lestat 11 years ago

Em thanks I guess.

[–] ccr1633 11 years ago

Just face it. People in general simply don't want to see women as swashbuckling pirates. And that includes other women. Your tortured analysis dances around this very basic fact.

[–] Je_suis_le_vampire_Lestat 11 years ago

Oh yea cause people hated Xena, Buffy, Alias, they hated when Elizabeth Swan became a pirate Queen.

What I presented was just fact, what you just said is only your opinion. ''Tortured'' that word wasn't really used in the right context now was it. Sorry if reading it hurt you in some way.

[–] Dream_Demon 11 years ago

I just saw movie again less than an hour ago and I enjoyed it. Although I do prefer male leads in action movies, I do like female action stars, especially if they're credible like Sarah Connor in Terminator II, Leeloo in Fifth Element, Ripley in Aliens, Valeria in Conan the Barbarian (Not a lead role but still an action role), etc. It's only if they're Mary Sue-ish (Alice in Resident Evil) or not that competent but touted up to be (Anna in Van Helsing) is when I dislike them.

Welcome to my Nightmare- Freddy Krueger

[–] red_rackham_77 10 years ago

It maybe old but I would rather see this then another stupid POTC with Johnny Deep in it, he and Jerry Bruckheimer ruined it for pirate movies in Hollywood.

[–] louiseculmer 10 years ago

I thought it was good fun, but then i generally enjoy pirate movies (apart from the Caribbean series). Also, female action heroes were more of a novelty then, and i found that fun too. nowadays there are so many of fhem it has, as others have pointed out, become a cliche.

[–] Je_suis_le_vampire_Lestat 10 years ago

(apart from the Caribbean series)

Agreed although I enjoyed the first one because it had been so long since a big scale Pirate movie had been made and I think they did a good job. Wow did it ever fall off the deep end after that. Can't believe they keep making them and people actually watch them.

nowadays there are so many of fhem it has, as others have pointed out, become a cliche.

Yea but there are so many male action heroes so why is that not a cliche?

[–] rj-27 10 years ago

Yea but there are so many male action heroes so why is that not a cliche?

Cliche: a phrase or expression that has been used so often that it is no longer original or interesting.

The attempt to make action heroes out of muscle-less females fits the definition of cliche. It was meant to be innovative or original, but is so overused it has lost whatever innovative impact it may have had.

This cannot be said of male action heroes. Traditionally, men have been the protectors and the providers, so there is nothing cliche about rendering them as such in any movie.

As I've said before, I find the female action heroine so incredible, it will usually ruin an otherwise enjoyable movie for me.

Democracy is the pathetic belief in the collective wisdom of individual ignorance. H.L. Mencken

[–] Sidewindr 9 years ago

Black Sails is my favourite for Pirate and swashbuckling related entertainment :D