Black Sails, Historical Accuracy, and the Pirate Genre in Hollywood

[Brit.Privateer]

I decided to make a Black Sails editorial for my website to replace my old review I wrote a couple of years ago. I condensed my critique of the accuracy and created a whole new section explaining the significance of Black Sails in the realm of the pirate genre in Hollywood and why it took so long to get a show like Black Sails.

http://csphistorical.com/2016/02/07/editorial-black-sails-historical-accuracy-and-the-pirate-genre-in-hollywood/

Edited February 7, 2016 by Brit.Privateer

[PhilJohnson]

That's a really great comprehensive look at the show. Since they've got historical experts on hand I imagine there's been lots of discussion as to what to keep legit or not. They know the audience has certain expectations and it looks like they're trying to meet them while still pushing it in a more historically correct direction.

I was curious how they were going to deal with the slave trade and it came out like I thought. One character is strongly against it and the others are ambivalent. But that's enough to keep it on the side of politically correct.

I think one reason they've been able to treat the characters more realistically as bad guys is because we've seen so many characters in the last few years that have a dark side to their otherwise good character. Batman is a good example.

Really nice job on this piece. :)

[Swashbuckler 1700]

I think pirates and bad guys is a concept that, while in literature goes back of course to the General History of 1700s, is not so unfamiliar as often presented even in hollywood. The most famous pirate adventure Treasure Island that has many adaptations gives picture of cruel, dangerous, dishonest and alcoholic men for example.

But certainly it is pretty unique in this scale so Black Sails offers something new. THe continuum with Treasure Island is interesting in this way too.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Swashbuckler 1700

[lwhitehead]

That Pirate republic was mostly full of lower class people who wanted a better life then the one back home, the show also has a timeline of what I called miss happenings that caused the thwarted plans of most of the characters and the doom of the republic.

LW

[Jib]

I enjoyed the article! Thanks so much!