Short Musical (in Technicolor)

 

 

 (imdb)

PIRATE PARTY ON CATALINA ISLAND-1935-This technicolor musical short starts off with a big band where all the musicians are wearing masks of famous comedians (Laurel & Hardy, Chaplin, Joe E Brown). Then Chester Morris (dressed as a pirate) narrates. With appearances by Cary Grant, Randolph Scott, Errol Flynn, Mickey Rooney, Marion Davies, Leon Errol, Robert Armstrong and some banjo playing, singing, dancing and actor Buddy Rogers and his orchestra. The uncredited director is Gene Burdette.

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Jackie Chan

 

(Rotten Tomatoes)

PROJECT A-1983-In 19th century Hong Kong the navy has their ships destroyed by smugglers and they are all "reduced" to being part of the police force (who they never got along with). Navy Lt. Dragon Ma (director/co-writer Jackie Chan) becomes a Sgt. and locks horns with Capt. Tzu (Biao Yuen). However bureaucracy and corruption cause him to quit the force. He meets his old friend con-man Fei (Sammo Hung). They get into trouble over some stolen guns. 

Eventually Ma is put in charge of bringing down the pirates led by Sam Pau (Dick Wei). He enlists Winnie (Isabella Wong) and Tzu to help him. In disguise he infiltrates the pirate base. Later of course Fei winds up helping Ma, Tzu and Jaws (Mars) in the incredible final battle. 

This was a huge hit in Asia and garnered several nominations and awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Chan made a sequel in 1987.

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Japan Ghosts

 THE LIVING SKELETON-1968-Eerie, atmospheric ghost story from Japan. A group of pirates board a ship to steal it's cargo of gold bullion. They kill the crew and all the passengers. However one passenger Yoriko (Kikko Matsuoka) has a twin sister Saeko (also Matsuoka) and they have a kind of symbiotic connection. Through her sister Yoriko conducts her revenge. Or does she? Could it just be the killers' imagination? 

THE LIVING SKELETON starts off like a moody art film but becomes a full fledged horror story with a sea full of skeletons, a mad scientist and a powerful acid that can disintegrate anything. It's a little confusing plot wise but I liked it. This one of only two films directed by Hiroki Matsuno. Too bad!

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Mr. BIG's Pirates

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THE BOY AND THE PIRATES-1960-Jimmy (Charles Herbert), a little kid who likes pirates finds a bottle with a mini-genie (Joe Turkel) in it. Because of a wish he makes Jimmy winds up on “The Queen's Revenge”, a pirate ship ruled by the infamous Blackbeard (Murvyn Vye)) who makes Jimmy his cabin boy. He has to swab the deck, clean fish and get rum for the captain. After the pirates loot and kill on a Dutch ship Jimmy (who Blackbeard calls a “miserable cabin rat”) rescues Katrina (Susan Gordon), a girl about his age. Blackbeard wants to throw her overboard but Jimmy stands up for her. When the crew learn their captain is after some gold, Morgan (Timothy Carey) tries to burn out Jimmy's tongue. When a British ship attacks The Queens Revenge, Jimmy and Katrina escape to an island but Blackbeard follows them. Jimmy throws the genie bottle at the pirate and he winds up back home. 

Despite being aimed at kids there's long stretches of talk and blood and violence. 

This bizarre kiddie swashbuckling fantasy was the first color film for “Mr. BIG” himself Bert I. Gordon (still alive at the time of this writing). There are no giant monsters but it's definitely a low budget production with some mediocre SFX. This was the second of four appearances for Susan Gordon in her dad's movies. Star Charles Herbert was also a popular child star at the time having been in THE FLY and THE COLOSSUS OF NEW YORK and many TV shows. He was in William Castle's 13 GHOSTS the same year.

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It's the Pirate Life for Lee

PIRATES OF BLOOD RIVER-1962-Huguenot John Standing (Kerwin Matthews) is sent to a penal colony after being convicted of adultery. He breaks stones, is whipped and hung by his wrists. He escapes but is picked up by a band of pirates lead by LeRosch (Christopher Lee with eye patch and French accent). His crew includes Peter Arne, Michael Ripper and Oliver Reed. John takes the pirates back to his village and no sooner do they get there when they kill one of John's friends. The pirates want to take over the village (where Andrew Keir plays a town elder) and the residents put up a good fight until the pirates capture the women and children. A treasure is found and John and his friend Henry (Glenn Corbett) team up to stop the invaders. Later the pirates revolt against LeRosch and he winds up impaled. No pirate ship is ever seen. 

This color Hammer production was directed (and co-written) by John Gilling who went on to make THE REPTILE and THE PLAGUE OF THE ZOMBIES for Hammer. And despite the fact that there's no sea faring this was a big hit in England. Hammer followed this with THE DEVIL SHIP PIRATES (also with Lee, Keir nad Ripper).  

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Shiver Me Timbers! I'll Keelhaul Ya All!

BLACKBEARD THE PIRATE-1952-Avast ye scurvy dogs! Raoul Walsh, veteran director of Hollywood classics such as WHITE HEAT and LITTLE CEASER made this Technicolor swashbuckling pirate tale, full of comedic scenes, funny dialogue, broad acting and action but it really would be kind of routine if not for Robert Newton's over the top performance in the title role. He's the perfect pirate with his constant shouts of "Arrrrgh" and wisecracks.

As Blackbeard he kidnaps the supposed mistress (Linda Darnell) of a reformed pirate Henry Morgan (Torin Thatcher). Keith Andes is a doctor/spy trying to get the goods on Morgan. William Bendix is Blackbeard's (intentionally funny?) first mate Whorley and creepy Skelton Knaggs is another pirate. When the crew plan to bury a dead mate at sea Bendix says "For distance this time".

Irene Ryan (future granny on TV's THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES) is Darnell's boozy lady in waiting. Richard Egan is another "phony" pirate who helps Andes. Though Blackbeard talks crazy he always seems to get the drop on everyone but is undone by his own treachery when he tries to keep some hidden treasure for himself. There's a few lapses in plot especially when Andes character is whipped, has salt thrown on his wounds and is whipped again. Yet in the next scene he's feeling no ill effects. There's a lot of witty dialogue in between the romance. Blackbeard: "I be fishing for a rat". Whorley: Why? Are you hungry?". Usually tough guy Dick Wessell plays a Mexican pirate! Anthony Curuso is a pirate too.

Newton is kind of forgotten today despite having gained fame in the US playing another famous pirate Long John Silver on TV.

The same year as BLACKBEARD he played Javert in Lewis Milestone's version of LES MISERABLES. He had played Bill Sykes in the 1948 version of OLIVER TWIST. His early death at 50 in 1956 has been attributed to alcoholism.

Bendix was in A GIRL IN EVERY PORT with Groucho Marx the same year.

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