True Caribbean Pirates

[the Royaliste]

Aw, heck..considerin' that I had a good taste of how low the budget was, it came out o.k. Already shot out historical accuracy, so..it was a fair 'pirate flick', all considered...the repated harbor scene was c.g., so.....Yeah, Louie and Michael, and Frankie, and Raul and Jimmy,etc as different pirates,but..Bully for them, eh??...I'll buy a copy and wait for the next one; my conscience is pretty clear, ( little 'out of period-ness' visible on my decks)....Here's to Piracy, however it plays out; beats 'cowboy movies'...........

[Desert Pyrate]

Yep, you sure as heck did a nice job, RR. Even the MOB pole was covered up - did well for the brief closeup of it. The only thing that really bugged me a whole lot (aside from the costumes) was the ships. Like has been already said, a few of them weren't even designs in the 18th century. Whatever, though. It pays the bills for the boats, and that's what I'm worried about. Plus, it was cool to watch meself on the ol' TV.

[hurricane]

My gripe is once again, someone advertising the "True Pirates" when it wasn't true. Much of it was just as whacked as PotC, but sold to the publice under the guise of history. The Modern Marvels segment on weapons was far, far better than this piece.

-- Hurricane

[Rumba Rue]

Well I watched it, saw LOTS of people I know in it. But sadly I felt it was lacking badly when it came to 'true'.

Kinda perturbed to see the same people playing pirate one minute and then on the opposition side the next. Also seeing the same ships, and sorry none of them was a Man o' War at all.

Bad hair and make up on Blackbeard and others. Geesh talk about low-budget...

[Red Maria]

Like I said someone who was invovled with this ("Roy" Robert C. Ritchie) said this was done on the cheap. However lacking incredibility the re-enacment was the information given was very good. Kudos to Roy, Christine. Gail , Dave and all the others!

And also to my friends Jerry, Louie, Micheal, Dwayne, Frankie and the late Jon Rose for having survived what had to be a miserable filiming experience. Remember they were being paid to do a job and had little or no input on how that job was to be done. :)

As too using the same people in scenes over and over again it isn't only cheap documentaires that this has been done. I saw my friend Mario atttacking himself in the last battle scene in "Master & Commander ..."

[Rumba Rue]

LOL! I lost track of how many times I saw Jerry Reyes and Louie Lambie on both sides.

[John_Young]

It was decent enough...

My gripes was the pirates with eyeliner (yes there were one or two), the cheesy Blackbeard, the MardiGras beads in the treasure, someone was wearing a pair of modern boat shoes, the blue striped shirts...

[Lady Alyx]

I taped it but have not watched it yet. I heard some bits of peices of it while I was doing chores...seemed some information was interesting....but still have yet to watch...

[Bilgemunky]

This documentary was far from perfect - Blackbeard's appearance was the biggest eyesore from my perspective. But all told, I think most viewers were exposed to some good information, and were hopefully entertained enough to actually retain some of it.

It's important to remeber the audience. Granted, The History Channel could have spent ten times the money and ensured all the pirates had historically correct footware, but 99.9% of the viewers wouldn't notice one way or the other. And the money & effort needed to ensure all ships were fully historically accurate? Forget it.

My sympathies to any director that decides to make a pirate documentary that makes everyone happy - the average viewer, the expert, AND the accountants

[Cap'n Pete Straw]

My kids loved it. It kept them entertained and out from underfoot this morning (first time I played the tape) while I got some stuff ready. But it only held their attention for an hour. After that, it was Nintendo DS and Xbox.

I, too, cringed at the Mardi Gras beads in the treasure chest.

I was annoyed that I forgot to tape the Pirate Tech episode of Modern Marvels (which immediately preceded "True" Pirates), but I believe it was replayed after the show (along with an Atlantis "documentary"), so I still get to see it.

[Red-Handed Jill]

I saw "Pirate Tech" - it was great! I'm still kicking myself for not taping it!

[Tatu Ni'all]

Well said Bilgemunky. It would be great to see something we all would think is spot on but that is very diffcult with money often being the bottomline.

I think having these shows (True Pirates, Blackbeard, Conquest) all help expose pirates and hopefully raise interest which could mean more fests for us to invade. LOL

Cheers!

Tatu

[Captain Jim-sib]

After completing me demonstrations at Pepsi Sail, I went out to Ocracoke for some "AARR & AARR"...and actually did two days of sib demo's there. Since many folks I know there do not have cable...or TV's, I invited several to me humble motel room to view "True Pirates".

One that came was Capt'n Rob Temple of the schooner Windfall-- who had a fair amount of air time on the show as did Jim Nelson. It was great to view his reaction to the show. We joked about the "cliff" scenes at Ocracoke and how the sloop Adventure looked like a schooner. Rob's saying is that folks consider him an expert on Blackbeard since he has sailed thru Teach's Hole so many times. He is modest about his knowledge. The general consenses was that the content was great, the period etchings that were computer enhanced to give 3-d were good, and the ship action scenes were impressive. Certain period vessels are not available now, and we discussed how the producers had to make do with what is available. For informed individuals, this would be a criticism of the show. Certainly in any production like this some historical inconsistancies will occur. Yet in viewing it as something to primarily entertain and then to educate the general public within a particular time frame, the producers should be commended for their efforts.

Best regards to ye all

Rob Temple's schooner Windfall

http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g276/2go...e/100_3197a.jpg

[blackjohn]

I think they should've run Alan Alda's film Sweet Liberty beforehand. While it's not a great film, it is a good film about the interaction between Hollywood and history. Having experienced Hollywood first hand while working as an extra on the set of The Patriot, I have a good idea what goes on behind the scenes... the interplay between the movie folk and the reenactors.

As for low budget... I'm reminded of the words of the lady from National Geographic Explorer's Hall, when I told her (back in the late 90s) that I had been contacted by National Geographic tv for some work on a show about the Whydah. She said something like, "make sure you nail them good, they've got tons of money."

[hurricane]

If they only had $100 more we could have supplied them with much better treasure for their chest - what pirate would be thrilled with Mardi Gras beads...

-- Hurricane

[The Doctor]

If they only had $100 more we could have supplied them with much better treasure for their chest - what pirate would be thrilled with Mardi Gras beads...

-- Hurricane

That all depends on who you get to throw them to.

[hurricane]

Too funny!!!!!

[Captain Jack Daniels]

Far be it for me to say,(I will anyway) but I do think most of you are being WAY to critical of the showing of True Carribean Pirates.I personally liked it. It was meant as an informational, 2hr, documentory for those that know nothing of/about pirates and their lives. It was just something to set straight some of the myths about the pirate life and to show that it was NOT as happy and gay, as Disney and fiction writers show it to be. I believe it did just that.

It was NOT designed to pay homage to all of us(re-enactors, pirate enthusiasts, Ren and pirate fest goers). I have been into pirates since I was a child, I REALLY started getting deep into the true facts about what really happened as I got older, it changed my view some, but it gave me a better idea of what it was really like. Just as this show intended to do for others.

Yes it was a television production, yes some things could have been shown better, but the information that was given and conveyed, is what really counts. To all those that didn't know anything at all of it, they will feel and be better informed, and it may even produce some more people like ourselves....

Take it for what it was, don't tear it to shreads because the garb was TOO clean, or the fight scenes weren't up to your expectations. Please do remember, it would takes weeks to properly show everything YOU would like to see about pirates(and that would be just one pirate not all of them) and this wasn't made just for you, it was made for the masses.

*stepping down off the rail, lighting me pipe, and watching as the sun sets in the distance*

[blackjohn]

But the point some here are trying to make is this -- this show was billed to be the best yet offered, and it... wasn't. At least, that's what I believe some here are trying to say.

[Captain Jack Daniels]

Well you know, just as in hollywood, a movie slated to be "the best ever", isn't always, so to base commenting on such a billing rather than the content and it's intent is unfair. I don't know most of the people here, nor do I know any historians or people that did any of the re-enacting, But I did what people from outside our pirate relm did....I watched and listened, and learned some things I didn't know. Maybe instead of tearing apart each and everything in it, as I have read through all 5 pages of this post, we should just watched (like or dislike) and take it for what it was...a low budget, fair attempt to inform and entertain the masses.(as I somewhat stated previously).

I honestly have never seen a group of people so brutal and demeaning to an attempt at enlightening the masses. In all honesty, if you really think it was that poorly done, ( that means all the comments about location, actors doing multiple parts, the wrong type of ships, clothing, authenticity, and the like), I would like to see you do better. It is easy to cast stones when sitting at your computer or in your easy chair, but if it were you out there, I think things would be different.

I do sincerely hope this is not the way all things are treated here. I am new here still, but from what I have seen thus far it may be a short stay at this port.

[Sheila]

If you are an outsider who does not know much you could learn something from this special..............but for those who know better 'OMG'!!! I had a really good laugh!

WOW! not only did Louie and Jerry live about 100 years, Louie was killed and came back from the dead! How cool was that Also if you go back Durring the Anne Bonny Mary Read fight scene they accidentally get the town in the background. If you have not been to Puerto Rico, you have now seen the country because EVERYTHING was filmed there.

It was bad when you could see the mesh in the goveners wig. It looks like everyone provided thier own costumes. Very interesting to see Jerry's Cut Throat Island coat in a scene. And what was with the captain in pink velvet?

[JoshuaRed]

I've got it tivoed and am still working my through it. It's no better or worse than any other mainstream low-budget "documentary of pirates" type thing. I'm enjoying it because it's about pirates, as I enjoy almost anything about pirates...even Bob Hope playing pirate.

With that said, I think that a once-respected brand such as the History Channel, with the big imposing red H as the logo should strive to do a little better. Small efforts can make a big difference in the integrity dept. and don't cost that much more. Little things like realizing it might not be a good idea to use tricorn/cocked hats & redcoat uniforms during the mid 17th Century Henry Morgan sequence. Or foregoing the skull n' crossbones bandanas and hoop earrings. If armchair weekend warriors like us can know these things, surely The History Channel can, and should. This was honestly more of what I'd expect from the Travel Channel or something.

Look at Deadwood...proof positive that the public has a voracious appetite for some stank on their history and will not change the channel just because it's not really about cowboys having gunfights and chasing Indians around the desert.

[Sir Eric]

Well... it is a board populated by pirates... charity is not a strong point around here! LOL

At least give them a break for re-using cast members... I don't know any of those folk, and quite honestly, I didn't recognize them from shot to shot... or if I did I simply assumed that they would be using the same actors again and again. It's a little like saying "wasn't that the same stormtroper who died on Genosis in the last movie?" (Okay... bad example.) But when you've got a limited budget and resources, you can't exactly hire a few hundred extras.

I am also of the opinon that this show wasn't the best, but compared to others I have seen, it was at least better than what I've had a chance to see previously. And, as mentioned above, it really isn't for the dyed-in-the-wool hardcore reenactor crowd as much as for the general public. Yes, they misfired on details, yes they could have done better, but then again they weren't doing so deliberately. I agree that the main idea was to show that pirates were not charming anti-heroes cutting cutesy capers while smirking at the law... but downright nasty criminals who you would NOT want to fall afowl of... and they did that well.

Question... if this documentary wasn't the "best ever produced," then what is? Not trying to be conflictive, just currious as to opinons on what the most accurate, best researched and closest-to-truth documentary that's been made is?

[Desert Pyrate]

Well you know, just as in hollywood, a movie slated to be "the best ever", isn't always, so to base commenting on such a billing rather than the content and it's intent is unfair. I don't know most of the people here, nor do I know any historians or people that did any of the re-enacting, But I did what people from outside our pirate relm did....I watched and listened, and learned some things I didn't know. Maybe instead of tearing apart each and everything in it, as I have read through all 5 pages of this post, we should just watched (like or dislike) and take it for what it was...a low budget, fair attempt to inform and entertain the masses.(as I somewhat stated previously).

I honestly have never seen a group of people so brutal and demeaning to an attempt at enlightening the masses. In all honesty, if you really think it was that poorly done, ( that means all the comments about location, actors doing multiple parts, the wrong type of ships, clothing, authenticity, and the like), I would like to see you do better. It is easy to cast stones when sitting at your computer or in your easy chair, but if it were you out there, I think things would be different.

I do sincerely hope this is not the way all things are treated here. I am new here still, but from what I have seen thus far it may be a short stay at this port.

Ok, speaking as someone who was there for the filming, I can tell you that they could have done better for no extra money. They utterly ignored input from people on set who knew better than they did. They outright told the sailors that once the ship is sailing, pirates just sat around blind-drunk. On other historical points (terms used in the language, etc.), they told us to stop bothering them with these details, that "no one will care".

So in summary, I was "out there", mate. And they could have done better.

But like I keep saying, it paid the bills for a lot of boats.

[JoshuaRed]

See, people? SEE? Thanks Desert Pyrate, I KNEW something was rotten with this show. When the HISTORY Channel stops caring, there's a problem. I tried to keep watching this show last night, but the sight of "Henry Morgan" wearing an 18th century outfit was the deal-breaker for me. The History Channel might argue "who cares, people think that is what pirates looked like, so that's what we're showing"....but this particular offense is SO much of a stretch that it literally would be akin to the History Channel doing a Revolutionary War show and allowing reenactors to wear Civil War uniforms. Same stretch of time difference.

Pathetic.