@@fsfx A prequel is supposedly in development, so we'll see if some females make it into the crew. This actually came out the same year as Curse of the Black Pearl, where Keira Knightley & Zoe Saldana order pirates around. Different subgenres, but so is the case w/ this film compared to The Aeronauts.
This is the greatest Age of Sail movie that has been filmed. It feels like they really work and live on the ship, and it is almost like a character. And also just a wonderful skillfully made film in every way. :)
Which is essentially how Russell Crowe describes the movie when defending it to the idiot masses that whine about it being "boring" or not like Pirates of the Caribbean. And he's right. Years from now it will be considered a gold standard classic period piece, that stays remarkably faithful to the book and the science of colonial seamanship. It's a serious movie for adults. No dumbass marvel jokes. No physics defying action sequences choreographed to out of place pop music. No BS temporary politics forced into the story. Just a great, criminally underappreciated movie.
After some punk whined about it being so boring on twitter and calling Russell Crowe out, Crowe responded: "That’s the problem with kids these days. No focus. Peter Weir's film is brilliant. An exacting, detail-oriented, epic tale of fidelity to Empire & service, regardless of the cost. Incredible cinematography by Russell Boyd & a majestic soundtrack. Definitely an adults movie,"
The HMS Surprise is a replica that can now be found at the Maritime Museum in San Diego. We got to tour it while on vacation a couple years ago. Very cool.
@@ShanWatchesMovies That area is pretty cool. The Surprise is right in between a Soviet sub and the Star of India, among others. It's also a short walk from the USS Midway.
This is probably the most historical authentic depiction of navel warfare of the day. Aubreys tactics were loosely based on Thomas Cochrane . Who You should watch documentaries about him guy was an ultimate badass.
@@jean-paulaudette9246 I remember some with Ioan Gruffudd that were pretty good. They're great to watch along with the Sharpe films. They seem to all be on youtube for free..
That’s nothing I had a heart attack and now watching this in Hell’s WiFi. It’s free, unsecured and no bandwidth limits….. So far this place is pretty good.
I could go on at great length about this film, the book series, and the excruciating attention to detail they went through. But in the interest of brevity I'll simply say that this is one of mine and my wife's favorites. And the level of research you could do into almost any aspect of the film could fill whole books. I was delighted to see your reaction.
@@ShanWatchesMovies The novels are pretty much the pinnacle of accurate, well-researched historical fiction, and are incredibly well written. For another naval film I'd point to 'Das Boot' if you haven't seen it.
A friend of mine, Stefen Fangmeier, was the VFX director at ILM on this film. He laughingly said that their work was so good no one gave them credit for the CGI because they thought the water and the ships were real and not CGI. It blends with the full-sized ship they built and the models that WETA built so well that you can't tell the difference. Almost all of the water, especially in storms, was CGI.
The studio also bought a replica ship, the Rose , and used her extensively in the long shots, such as the one where Aubrey and Pullings are high up in the rigging.
At this point, Russell Crowe is just knocking off great films. Cinderella Man, The Insider, A Beautiful Mind, L.A. Confidential, and others I won't mention because you've already reacted to them.
3:55 “And they’re suffering heavy losses, I don’t think they can even get - HEY, PAUL BETTANY!” That made me lol. Liked the reaction and discussion on this master of a film, thanks brother :)
Why the movie holds up so well, is that the elements are a combination of life size sets, miniatures and cgi. Weir actually consulted with Peter Jackson (&WETA) how to create the illusion most efficiently. But after all the technical accomplishments, the greatest part of the movie is just the characters.
The Aubrey/Maturin novels are the greatest historical novels ever written. You are in for a treat, there isn’t a bad novel in the very long series. You are correct, the business is unfinished. Hopefully, someday, all the novels will be adapted to the small screen, it would be a monumental series if they ever make it.
Yeah, after this he was in the show Rome, but then I think he stopped acting. From a quick Google, looks like he works behind the scenes in film distribution now. If you want to feel old, that kid's 32 now.
@@WhiskyCanuck it's a shame he quit acting I thought he was excellent in this movie. But it could be the curse of being a child actor. I love when he orders his group to board the Achron. His actions and his acting in general seem very real like he was really in a combat situation.
There is a great making of video on youtube. They actually bought a sailing ship and reworked it AND built a replica set in a huge saltwater tank for shooting. There are 15+ books in the series - this was a story from the middle of them. Given how good this is, it is very surprising they didn't make a sequel.
I believe it suffered from timing and marketing. I personally did not watch this until last year, to my detriment. It's just this long strange title and a sailing ship movie. It looked pretty boring. Again, marketing.
This is actually a hybrid. It is like a contraction. Master and Commander is like the first novel and has nothing to do with the Acheron. In fact, if I remember right, Aubrey and Maturin nearly have a duel to the death. To the Far Side of the World is the tenth novel which follows the pursuit of the Acheron and the journey to the Galapagos. Stephen Maturin is a very complex character. He and Aubrey's relationship is astonishing. I VERY highly recommend reading the series if you can. I found it superior to the Hornblower series, particularly in character development. The books are so compelling that it's hard to hold down a regular job. I wanted to call in sick on multiple occasions just to continue reading.
@@timopraxis Just look at the categories, i dont see how lotr could have lost them to that movie. Winning cinematography and sound editing makes senses, but for everything else, lotr was better.
I love how during the battles, the effects don't feel like balsa wood exploding for effect. It feels like the parts of the ship being blown apart are heavy chunks.
The ship was the HMS Rose. It used to be docked in Bridgeport, CT. Whenever I'd go up there to see family I'd visit it. They even used to turn the lower decks into a haunted house. Awesome fun, on a cool ship
There's a documentary about the making of this film. It was filmed on a replica build of the actual ship, at sea. The extras were trained in how to run a ship, from rigging the sails to actual combat, loading and firing cannons etc. Russel Crow even learned to play the fiddle for this film, granted he had one of the best fiddle players in the world to teach him, but his determination to learn was surprising even to his teacher. People often dislike the film due it's realism, but for me, as a historical enthusiast, it checked all the right boxes. A wonderful achievement in film making.
The ending of this movie, them playing Boccherini is so freaking iconic. Its something i have remembered since the first time i watched the movie, just that piece of music is stuck in my brain..
Mr. Blakeney, the one armed 11 (or so) year old, leading his boarding party after firing his cannon is probably the most bad ass (and my favorite) moment of the movie. What's amazing is it is actually believable; can you think of any other movie that has achieved that? An actual kid leading men, and the group of misfits nonetheless, into battle and it being convincing? The one-armed kid, cook, surgeon, surgeon's assistant, all boarding always gets me so hyped!
Another great Peter Weir film is 'Gallipoli', an early Mel Gibson war film. Another great choice to react to, the variety in films you cover is what makes this channel so good, as well as your thoughtful reaction. Brilliant stuff.
My father was a Senior Navigational Instructor for the US Army Air Force during WWII, and they all used and taught non-electronic navigation using many of the same tools used by the crews of the sailing ships (like sextants and astrolabes)--he was well versed in astronomy and dead reckoning. He taught the skills to thousands of US fliers and crew, getting them to their targets and safely home.
I saw another YT video where they pointed out that the set up for this movie is essentially a Star Trek episode, if you roll Bones and Spock into one character.
I thought it was well done and actually believe Bettany did a better job than Crowe. This movie is actually based around the plot of 3 books by Patrick O'Brian who wrote 20 books based on Aubrey/Maturin. One amusing thing is that in the books the events occur during the War of 1812 and NOT the Napoleonic wars, so the battles are between Aubrey's ships and AMERICAN ships, not French. This change was made solely to appeal to the American audience, who the producers felt would be offended at seeing the Americans getting their asses handed to them by the English.
The support actor is always better than the lead in a great film, otherwise it wouldn't be a great film. You are correct. Crowe is brilliant, but Bettany is another level again, being able to run the gauntlet between God and Science and retain all dignity! Complete genius, with the directors sublime guidance, of course. Great observation
I went on a San Deigo whale watching sail a few years ago on the America (replica of the 1851 schooner that won the America's Cup race). The First Mate on the America was in this film. He told us some stories about the making of the film and some interactions with Crowe. Supposedly they all took leaks into the big tank a lot of the filming was done in, and then late in shooting the water was blown back into their faces by huge fans for a storm scene. I really enjoyed the whale watching on a sailing ship. Well worth the money. Most of the time we were on wind but when we were approaching where the whales were they started the engines (the D-Sails, as they joking called them) to ensure the whales would hear us. As part of the trip we had the option of helping hoist the sails. That is HARD WORK.
Regarding the atmosphere of the actors inhabiting the ship - Weir issued all actors a "uniform" for wear when not filming, each man given several t-shirts of a singular color based on their role/rank in the ship's crew and as men do, they quickly fell into their roles within the ship's hierarchy. Weir also established a canteen/pub/lounge exclusively for them - no one from the production crew allowed, just ship's actors from Crowe as Captain to the boys playing the Powder Monkeys in order for them to all socialize on a daily basis.
Yes, Peter Weir. Of course, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Gallipoli with Mel Gibsonen, The Year of Living Dangerously with Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver, Witness with Harison Ford and The Truman Show, which showed that Jim Carrey is an actor, not just a clown. A great artist of cinema. This movie is also an example of this. Next to Das Boot, it is probably the best naval war movie. Only that Das Boot is, of course, the Second World War and Master and Commander is of course the Napoleonic wars / the peak of the era of sail warships, or "Wooden ships and Iron men" as the title of a famous history book says. Beautiful choice, intelligent analysis. Greetings!
Here is a good sea survival movie: All Is Lost. It is a 2013 film written and directed by J. C. Chandor. The film stars Robert Redford as a man lost at sea. Redford is the only cast member. The film has 51 spoken English words.
I was literally driving in my car listening to one of the novels on audio book that this movie is based on when your video notice popped up.😎 I know at least one other TH-camr who had the movie studio come knocking after the posted their reaction. Hope yours stays up.
I read the first two books in the series this movie is based on. Lucky Jack is based on Thomas Cochrane, whose brilliant captain in the 1800s. I head his book: Cochran: the Real Master and Commander. You would not believe the crap that guy pulled and got away with. Disguising their ship, the raft with the lamp. My favorite is that since his ship was lower than the level of the guns of a bigger ship, he would bring his ship right up next to the enemy and blast the heck out of the ship and there was nothing the other ship can do. The Master and Commander books are slow, like the movie, and gives you a very real feel for what it was like to live on a small ship with a hundred other people. Watch the movie again. It gets better every time you see it. Very very detailed.
My two favorite films by Weir are The Last Wave(1977); where Richard Chamberlain plays an attorney in Sidney Australia who is tasked with defensing an aboriginal accused of ritual murder. The other is Fearless, from 1993, where Jeff Bridges seemingly experiences some psychological revelations; or tremendous denial, after surviving a terrible plane crash.
Naturalist Rage: They were tortoises, land animals. River/lake ones are terrapins, and sea/ocean ones are turtles. Turtles have fin-legs. terrapins have paddle claws, and tortoises have kind of stumpy clawed feet.
@@ShanWatchesMovies you're welcome. I watch a few reaction channels but you always seem to pick my favourite movies. Keep it up. Oh and greetings from England 🏴
@@ShanWatchesMovies, are you in Bangladesh? Seriously? I assumed you were in America somewhere. Wild! I love your reactions and have watched a bunch. I’ve never been a patreon before so you may be my first. Thanks for your great reactions. 💜
there are several books in this set. Highly recommend them. The movie is engaging and fun. I love naval stories. And have a life long fascination with the ocean and ships. Modern (particularly WWII) but a true love of the old sailing ships, anything I can find about them. Harsh daily life but a time of honor and bravery.
The Cruel Sea. A wonderful film based on a book by Nicholas Montserrat who knew about the terrors of sea battles and the sea itself. Pitiless and cruel. With Jack Hawkins as captain of a mine sweeper during the Convoys in Atlantic during WW2. Magnificent.
I don't know if it's still there, but the ship that was the Suprise was in thevnaval museum in San Diego. Crowe used to show up at random times to visit his ship and was apparently given free access.
One of my ATFs. There were 20 something glorious Aubery-Maturin novels. Fictional characters set in a highly authentic environment. A captain's word was LAW at sea, never to be questioned by the crew. That's what made Maturin such an invaluable partner for Aubery. A man almost outside the chain of command who had license to give honest advice.
Patrick O'Brian wrote 21 novels in the Aubrey/Maturin series, the last, entitled 21, was incomplete because he died before completing it. There are numerous potential sequels.
If you're looking for another Napoleonic War movie, I have to recommend 'Waterloo' 1970. This movie is to the Napoleonic War as the first 30 minutes of Saving Private Ryan is to WW2, it dramatically tells the story in the most faithful retelling possible. Remarkably, 90% of the film is very accurate, and even more remarkable, 16,000 soldiers from the Russian army were used as extras, along with 4,000 horses.
I like how there's not too much of a distinct score. Having it so grounded in reality helps the film stand out to me as a truly historical film, as if we are looking back on events that actually happened through a magic mirror or something. A more distinct score would draw it closer to a fantasy setting (like PotC or LotR, if we want to talk movies of that era), and it's as if we were dealing with people not characters. People don't have themes, characters do. ... Or at least that's what I think at the moment.
By far this has to be one of Russel Crowe's finest performances. He makes you love his character almost instantly, then suffer with him, and finally feel his pride and elation at the end. One of the other performances of his that invokes such reaction is that of Inspecor Javert in Les Miserabe. (Or, Less Miserable to some of us jokers.)
We used to play this game called 1602 AD, and going to see this movie was like seeing the game come to life. Aside from my kids burying their heads and covering their ears because it was SO LOUD, I loved it so much.
There is one part when they show the old sailor sitting at the bow of the ship with his pants around his ankles. This is where they used the toilet, near the ship's Figurehead. Which is why sailors refer to it as going to the head. Another good naval film I'd recommend is "Midway"(1976). Mainly because it was filmed on my first ship, USS Lexington, about 11 years before I joined the Navy.
There's also 2 little known films Peter Weir directed. They were big in the day but I think they are almost forgotten now. Witness 1985 starring Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis (Top Gun), and Danny Glover. More little known is The Mosquito Coast 1986 also starring Harrison Ford, and River Phoenix. (Argh, just saw an ad that there's a remake, ARGHH). Both movies should also be on your list I hope. Oh, and Master And Comander, there's a channel, History Buffs you should check out. He does a review and how accurate is the movie. He did give Master And Commander top quodos on accuracy. Go check him out. He has a bunch of other movies to check out also.
The ship used fo represent HMS Surprise was the HMS Rose. It was a replica ship built in 1970 based on the design of a mid eighteenth century British frigate. She spent most of her life based in Rhode Island and prior to being purchased for this production was used as a sail training ship where everyday people could book passage and train and act as crew. As to Lord Blakeney deserving a promotion, while the captain could give a midshipman the rank of acting lieutenant, as he did with Calamy, for the rank to be made permanent the midshipman would still need to pass the lieutenants exam or receive a very rare exemption from the Admiralty. He also would need to be old enough.
Similar subject matter, Shan? Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951), starring Gregory Peck. For the longest time, this was the standard for this type of movie. From the books of naval warfare guru, C.S. Forester, Hornblower was the very model of a modern British captain. Best. Leo.
Have been watching your channel right from when you started and I like it a lot. I'm commenting for the first time now because this is a favourite film of mine. Saw it three times in cinema back in 2003! I recommend 'Picnic at Hanging Rock', also by Peter Weir.
I'm deeply frustrated they never made a sequel to this. It was nominated for best picture (lost to Return of the King), was modestly successful at the box office and moreso on video, and it's based on a book series with over 20 books in it so there's plenty of material to work with. But they never made a sequel. They made Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3 but they never made a sequel to this.
This is such an good movie , cinematography , action,ship models are great but not many people talk about it. My favorite movies that happen on sea are : Dead Calm 1989 Mutiny on the Bounty 1962 Knife in the water 1962 White Squall 1996 The Black Swan 1942 My favorite Russell Crowe movies are : A Beautiful Mind 2001 L.A. Confidential 1997 American Gangster 2007 3 : 10 to Yuma 2007 The Insider 1999
Re the score: in the novels Aubery and Maturins friendship starts over their mutual love of music, throughout the run of novels contemporary music is a huge element of placing the characters into their world, along with food, the archaic English etc. Weir is a huge fan of the novels and wanted to bring the characters to the screen as they are in the book, this meant pre 1806 music. Those of us who are as obsessed with the books as Weir is absolutely 'got' the score and having a full sweeping modern orchestra is simply not the Georgian world, it would undermine a movie that is possibly the most historically accurate yet made.
So very underrated film. Bar none, one the best opening scenes ever. My fave part is when Steven(The Ships Surgeon) accidentally takes a musket slug to the gut - which back then would spell "sure death" - AND HE OPERATES ON HIS SELF! powerful scene. One of many in a powerful, fine cinematic masterpiece. Only flaw is a not - so - great title, kind of an awkward mouthful. Still, hats WAY OFF to Peter Weir, for an epic saga and the heroes journey - A la Joseph Canpbell
Finally someone covering this movie! Thank you so much! It's such a precious movie with such an amazing sense of detail. Even my English history professor was impressed by it
Since you're a fan of Peter Weir, I highly recommend Witness if you've not seen it yet. Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis are both wonderful in it. Great movie!
Your assessment of this movie is pretty spot on. I will say this about the score however, there is one moment of brilliance in the music and that is when the man goes overboard and they have to cut him free to save the ship. The music in the background is actually from Ralph Vaughn Williams' Rhapsody on the Theme of Thomas Tallis, so it wasn't written by the composers of the score.
Great reaction. Other Peter Weir films to consider watching: The Year of Living Dangerously, The Mosquito Coast, Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Last Wave, Fearless, etc.
@@ShanWatchesMovies Okay, bring on the brickbats. I have no informed opinion as I have yet to see Dead Poets Society. *Gasp* It doesn't make me a bad person...necessarily. Best. Leo.
@@ShanWatchesMovies Witness. Dead Poets Society was ok but a better recommendation or recommendations with Robin Williams, Good Morning Vietnam, The Fisher King, Bicentennial Man (my favorite and best recommendation), The World According To Garp, Popeye, Insomonia (Al Pacino), One Hour Photo, and Good Will...oh that's right you already reacted and reviewed that one. OK, then Awakenings. So many movies so little time. Did I miss any???
The film was nominated for Academy Awards in 10 categories including Best Picture and Director. Finally won in two categories: Best Cinematography and Sound Editing.
The film makers bought a real frigate and renamed her Surprise. Then build an almost full replica, put the whole thing on a gimbal in a water tank to shoot interiors, and other main deck scenes. The making of this movie is amazing. It is true Hollywood creativity, ingenuity and fuck it it's for the art at it's best.
Other naval movies? I would recommend Das Boot and The Hunt for Red October. I would also throw in The Final Countdown. It put a sci fi what-if twist on the naval warefare genre, is underrated in my opinion, and sports a great cast.
Dude, if in this universe Mr Blakeney doesn't become a successful captain and then admiral I would be very surprised and disappointed. Kid is a beast. By the way, the actor was also amazing as a young Octavian (Augustus) in Rome on HBO.
You mention the chemistry between Crowe's and Bettany's characters. I have my own pet theory about how the availability of a large volume of existing material for a pair of characters, as in the form of a long book series, serves to facilitate the portrayal of interplay between characters* at a level that is not often achieved as well as it is in this film. My other go-to example is Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law as Holmes and Watson, which is also, of course, based on characters from a long book series. (* In contrast to the portrayal of characters' individual characteristics, as I'm suggesting that the volume of available background material is less relevant there.)
Navy films to react to: hunt for red October, ub-571 (I believe it was called, number may b slightly off), men of honour.... OR one of the originals, about a navy-pilot in training...an officer and a gentleman
the bit with the book on nelson is a nice bit of morale building for the young officer as Nelson lost an arm during a battle and it didn't stop him being a successful captain
The Galapagos shots were actually shot on the Galapagos (Though you see the Dr. jumping from Island to Island which doesn't make a lot of sense). The film had to jump through a lot of hoops with the Ecuadorian government to shoot on location.
I haven't read any of the books yet (I think there are 9 or so), but this is I believe mostly adapted from two of them - hence the title "Master and Commander" and "The Far Side of the World" are two different books. I believe it did get Oscars for sound & cinematography and would have won more if it weren't up against Return of the King. PS. another Weir movie to check out is Witness (1985).
I love this film and the books that inspired it. On one occasion I saw it screened outdoors in the parade square of a fort that dates back to the Napoleonic era itself - a memorable night not least because it was midsummer but still a very chilly, clear night. The film is based on various events in several Patrick O’Brian novels and those novels are ideal for adaptation into a major TV series. It would be the new Game Of Thrones, if they get the casting right. Bethany was not much like the half Irish half Spanish doctor/spy/musician/botanist Maturin from the novels. Crowe was better cast as Aubrey but still not quite right. But the work of Peter Weir and his crew was faultless and an example of how to make a movie that’s true to the spirit of its source.
So they started just off the coast of Brazil headed south, passed Cape Horn and turned north towards the Galapagos Islands. I'm sure glad Shan is there to tell us they're now on the west side of South America lol.
Great film and a personal favorite - they actually purchased the only fully restored, seaworthy fighting ship of the era that existed for the film. Weir demands for detail extends to the entire cast - all of them are doing something in the background and dressed for the part - if a carpenter's mate required a set of tools on his waste, then he's wearing them, even if he's not in the scene.
The books are absolutely worth reading. The style is highly unusual and takes you directly into the minds of the characters, and there are like 20 volumes so there is a lifetime of satisfying reading and re-reading. This film combines elements of several of the novels.
My favorite Jim Carey movie is Eternal Sunshine; one of my top 3 of all time. Master and Commander is such a freaking amazing movie. Too bad we never got a sequel.
Some background on the production if you are interested. When casting this film the production did a global casting call with the last stop here in Vancouver, Canada. Oddly, they placed an ad in the papers here and had an open casting call. The ad read in part, "are you a large man with long hair and a rough exterior, something akin to a biker" (not a direct quote). Well I fit all of their requirements and I was going to be in the neighborhood of where they were holding their cattle call so I went. It was chaos as there were more than 2000 people in attendance. I listened to their pitch; they were looking to crew the ship and they had 1 last role to fill. They told us that they would be filming down in Mexico, at the same sound stage that they used to film The Titanic. Further, they were keenly interested in people who had sailing experience and of course, sword fighting skills. If any of us were chosen we had to agree to live in Mexico for 6 months training on tall ships and sword fighting. If any of us were chosen for the last role they had yet to fill, we had to agree to an even longer stay in Mexico. The role they had yet to fill was for the character of Killick (the big guy that carried the doctor on his back on the island) and I was offered an on camera audition for the part. This role required a commitment that I wasn't prepared to make so during the audition I basically told them as much. The people running the audition got really upset with me and gave me shit explaining to me that I didn't understand the chance I was throwing away. In hindsight I would have really loved to have gone to the Galapagos and all that but it just wasn't in the cards. Besides, David Threlfall did a wonderful job as Preserved Killick.
@@lepuuttelu Yes, they were. As you can imagine with about 2000 people milling around, they had to be. You know, there really was a lot of passion by the people involved. We were told that the reason for the global casting call was due to the director no wanting anybody to be wearing wigs. Not sure that justified the time & expense of doing a multi-country/multi-city casting call but everybody sure looked great on film. I really downplayed how my day went that day. When I got down there and saw all of the people I really didn't see anybody who quite looked like the large biker type other than me. Hell, even though the ad called for MEN, there were more than a few women who showed up as well. After their spiel they told us that those without headshots needed to stand in line to get their pictures taken, so that is what I did. Standing in line waiting, this guy comes out of a room and taps my shoulder and asked if I wouldn't mind getting my picture taken to which I responded "that's why I am in line isn't it?" He responded that no, this was for something specific. He pulled me into a little room and started asking me questions to which I responded. He asked if he could take off my hat and mess up my hair. I agreed that it would be fine. After messing up my hair he told me that it was remarkable just how much I naturally looked like the main character of the film. And it was quite true, there is a scene where the ship first gets fired upon and the Captain looses his hat and his hair is a mess, well it could have been a picture of me (not that I look like Russell Crowe all that much). Anyway, it was an interesting time in my life and a fond memory to be sure.
This is a one in a thousand film. In the day of creativity being substituted by technology I miss films like this.
Watch the Hornblower series here on youtube. It won't disappoint.
@@rovhalt6650 so true. The only two series/movies that i would actually pay for to see more of!
Well said. I miss the days of " practical effects". I think he should check out the original Clash of the Titans (1981).
If this film were made today, the captain would be a woman in order to promote gender diversity. Like "The Aeronauts" for example.
@@fsfx A prequel is supposedly in development, so we'll see if some females make it into the crew. This actually came out the same year as Curse of the Black Pearl, where Keira Knightley & Zoe Saldana order pirates around. Different subgenres, but so is the case w/ this film compared to The Aeronauts.
This is the greatest Age of Sail movie that has been filmed. It feels like they really work and live on the ship, and it is almost like a character. And also just a wonderful skillfully made film in every way. :)
Agreed. I'd love to have attended a voyage of the time -- despite the privations and risks.
True, true and true
Which is essentially how Russell Crowe describes the movie when defending it to the idiot masses that whine about it being "boring" or not like Pirates of the Caribbean. And he's right.
Years from now it will be considered a gold standard classic period piece, that stays remarkably faithful to the book and the science of colonial seamanship. It's a serious movie for adults. No dumbass marvel jokes. No physics defying action sequences choreographed to out of place pop music. No BS temporary politics forced into the story. Just a great, criminally underappreciated movie.
After some punk whined about it being so boring on twitter and calling Russell Crowe out, Crowe responded: "That’s the problem with kids these days. No focus. Peter Weir's film is brilliant. An exacting, detail-oriented, epic tale of fidelity to Empire & service, regardless of the cost. Incredible cinematography by Russell Boyd & a majestic soundtrack. Definitely an adults movie,"
@@jpavlik04 ROFL in the book, the ship was American.
The HMS Surprise is a replica that can now be found at the Maritime Museum in San Diego. We got to tour it while on vacation a couple years ago. Very cool.
Whoa! I've got to see it for myself!
@@ShanWatchesMovies The USS Constitution that the Acheron is modeled after is in the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston.
@@ronweber1402 Oh, I've followed the Constitution for years and years...wouldn't I love to take her out on the waves, once.
@@ShanWatchesMovies That area is pretty cool. The Surprise is right in between a Soviet sub and the Star of India, among others. It's also a short walk from the USS Midway.
@@ronweber1402 Im pretty sure the Acheron was the USS Essex tho in the real life event this story is based on.
This is probably the most historical authentic depiction of navel warfare of the day. Aubreys tactics were loosely based on Thomas Cochrane . Who You should watch documentaries about him guy was an ultimate badass.
Yessss
Naval NOT Navel
@@Waterford1992 Maybe BOTH! xD
@@Waterford1992 lol its ok its a simple error but i get you
@@Waterford1992 navel warfare... Would that include lint?
Based on a series of historical novels by Partrick O'Brien. Absolutely great writing, some of the best historical fiction ever
Right, the novels followed a fictional captain & crew, but were written about actual naval engagements of the era.
I would also recommend the Hornblower series by C.S Forester
@@rovhalt6650 Didn't some cable channel make a series about that? I never saw it, but saw ads.
@@jean-paulaudette9246 I remember some with Ioan Gruffudd that were pretty good. They're great to watch along with the Sharpe films. They seem to all be on youtube for free..
@@nekrospike If you could shoot me a link, I'll drink to your health!
Practically broke my mouse clicking the thumbnail as soon as I saw you were watching this.
😂😂😂😂
@@ShanWatchesMovies Bro you should react to The Blob 1988
That’s nothing I had a heart attack and now watching this in Hell’s WiFi. It’s free, unsecured and no bandwidth limits…..
So far this place is pretty good.
I could go on at great length about this film, the book series, and the excruciating attention to detail they went through. But in the interest of brevity I'll simply say that this is one of mine and my wife's favorites. And the level of research you could do into almost any aspect of the film could fill whole books.
I was delighted to see your reaction.
Thank you so much Daniel. The film got me to add the novels to my wishlist. I'll hopefully be reading them soon!
@@ShanWatchesMovies The novels are pretty much the pinnacle of accurate, well-researched historical fiction, and are incredibly well written. For another naval film I'd point to 'Das Boot' if you haven't seen it.
A friend of mine, Stefen Fangmeier, was the VFX director at ILM on this film. He laughingly said that their work was so good no one gave them credit for the CGI because they thought the water and the ships were real and not CGI. It blends with the full-sized ship they built and the models that WETA built so well that you can't tell the difference. Almost all of the water, especially in storms, was CGI.
Ah.............. the best kind of CGI, the kind you can't tell its CGI.
@@quiett6191 should be the only type of CGI
The studio also bought a replica ship, the Rose , and used her extensively in the long shots, such as the one where Aubrey and Pullings are high up in the rigging.
At this point, Russell Crowe is just knocking off great films. Cinderella Man, The Insider, A Beautiful Mind, L.A. Confidential, and others I won't mention because you've already reacted to them.
Cinderella Man is my favorite Russell Crowe film with Gladiator coming in second.
@@Serenity113Another grossly under-rated film…
You should watch the Hornblower series and the Sharpe series. They take place in the navy and the army during the same time period
Yep... "Dead Poet's Society". Peter Weir + Robin Williams = masterwork.
yes dead poets society is a great choice
LA Confidential is another movie with Russell Crow that I believe you would like. The story is somewhat complex but it's well acted and well written.
Believe it or not, the plot was "simplified" from the book
"Somewhat complex". I feel you're underselling that, slightly. ;)
He would absolutely love LA Confidential.
It's on the list boys!
YES. LA Confidential is one I could watch once a month and not get bored with it.
3:55 “And they’re suffering heavy losses, I don’t think they can even get - HEY, PAUL BETTANY!” That made me lol. Liked the reaction and discussion on this master of a film, thanks brother :)
Acheron is the ancient Greek "River of Woe" through Hades. What a great name for a warship :)
Why the movie holds up so well, is that the elements are a combination of life size sets, miniatures and cgi. Weir actually consulted with Peter Jackson (&WETA) how to create the illusion most efficiently. But after all the technical accomplishments, the greatest part of the movie is just the characters.
The Aubrey/Maturin novels are the greatest historical novels ever written. You are in for a treat, there isn’t a bad novel in the very long series. You are correct, the business is unfinished. Hopefully, someday, all the novels will be adapted to the small screen, it would be a monumental series if they ever make it.
The little boy with one arm grew up to be the Emperor Augustus so I think he'd be able to take command of one little ship.
Wow! Thank you for this!
Yeah, after this he was in the show Rome, but then I think he stopped acting.
From a quick Google, looks like he works behind the scenes in film distribution now. If you want to feel old, that kid's 32 now.
@@WhiskyCanuck Shan needs to watch Rome. So damn good.
@@WhiskyCanuck it's a shame he quit acting I thought he was excellent in this movie. But it could be the curse of being a child actor. I love when he orders his group to board the Achron. His actions and his acting in general seem very real like he was really in a combat situation.
He represents Horatio Nelson, who was small, fair-haired, one armed, and insanely brave when it came to boarding the enemy.
There is a great making of video on youtube. They actually bought a sailing ship and reworked it AND built a replica set in a huge saltwater tank for shooting. There are 15+ books in the series - this was a story from the middle of them. Given how good this is, it is very surprising they didn't make a sequel.
I believe it suffered from timing and marketing. I personally did not watch this until last year, to my detriment. It's just this long strange title and a sailing ship movie. It looked pretty boring. Again, marketing.
This is actually a hybrid. It is like a contraction. Master and Commander is like the first novel and has nothing to do with the Acheron. In fact, if I remember right, Aubrey and Maturin nearly have a duel to the death. To the Far Side of the World is the tenth novel which follows the pursuit of the Acheron and the journey to the Galapagos.
Stephen Maturin is a very complex character. He and Aubrey's relationship is astonishing. I VERY highly recommend reading the series if you can. I found it superior to the Hornblower series, particularly in character development. The books are so compelling that it's hard to hold down a regular job. I wanted to call in sick on multiple occasions just to continue reading.
I hope Gladiator with Crowe is on the list. One of his best and most iconic films and a great period piece.
I think but for LOTR: The Return Of The King this movie would have won so many Oscars.
As much as I love Return of the King and the emotional payoffs of the trilogy's conclusion, I confess this is a better film overall.
@@timopraxis Just look at the categories, i dont see how lotr could have lost them to that movie. Winning cinematography and sound editing makes senses, but for everything else, lotr was better.
@@0725038 No one is a bigger LotR fan than I am, but Master and Commander is the better film.
I love how during the battles, the effects don't feel like balsa wood exploding for effect.
It feels like the parts of the ship being blown apart are heavy chunks.
The ship was the HMS Rose. It used to be docked in Bridgeport, CT. Whenever I'd go up there to see family I'd visit it. They even used to turn the lower decks into a haunted house. Awesome fun, on a cool ship
You choose such a varied bunch of films to react to. Really enjoy your channel!
Thank you so much. I don't have a genre. The only criteria is if the film is good or not!
There's a documentary about the making of this film. It was filmed on a replica build of the actual ship, at sea. The extras were trained in how to run a ship, from rigging the sails to actual combat, loading and firing cannons etc. Russel Crow even learned to play the fiddle for this film, granted he had one of the best fiddle players in the world to teach him, but his determination to learn was surprising even to his teacher. People often dislike the film due it's realism, but for me, as a historical enthusiast, it checked all the right boxes. A wonderful achievement in film making.
The ending of this movie, them playing Boccherini is so freaking iconic. Its something i have remembered since the first time i watched the movie, just that piece of music is stuck in my brain..
Mr. Blakeney, the one armed 11 (or so) year old, leading his boarding party after firing his cannon is probably the most bad ass (and my favorite) moment of the movie. What's amazing is it is actually believable; can you think of any other movie that has achieved that? An actual kid leading men, and the group of misfits nonetheless, into battle and it being convincing? The one-armed kid, cook, surgeon, surgeon's assistant, all boarding always gets me so hyped!
Great to see you reacting to this unsung classic.
"Gallipoli" is a great war film by Weir with one of the finest closing shots in any film I've seen.
Another great Peter Weir film is 'Gallipoli', an early Mel Gibson war film. Another great choice to react to, the variety in films you cover is what makes this channel so good, as well as your thoughtful reaction. Brilliant stuff.
Glad to see someone else recommending this also. Great Australian film ever made by a very long margin.
Oh, Gallipoli is a cracker! One of the best WWI films yet made.
I love how you admit to not getting the weevil joke.. then the dawning or realization on your face 😂
Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany worked together just shortly before on the excellent Ron Howard film, A Beautiful Mind. Highly recommend it.
My father was a Senior Navigational Instructor for the US Army Air Force during WWII, and they all used and taught non-electronic navigation using many of the same tools used by the crews of the sailing ships (like sextants and astrolabes)--he was well versed in astronomy and dead reckoning. He taught the skills to thousands of US fliers and crew, getting them to their targets and safely home.
I saw another YT video where they pointed out that the set up for this movie is essentially a Star Trek episode, if you roll Bones and Spock into one character.
Well to be fair, Star Trek was based on the Horatio Hornblower series
And that Star Trek Episode was based the WW II Film "The Enemy Below"!
This is just such a great film...so glad you are reacting to it. Never forget...one must always choose the lesser of two weevils. 😂💯✌
😂😂😂😂😂
I thought it was well done and actually believe Bettany did a better job than Crowe. This movie is actually based around the plot of 3 books by Patrick O'Brian who wrote 20 books based on Aubrey/Maturin. One amusing thing is that in the books the events occur during the War of 1812 and NOT the Napoleonic wars, so the battles are between Aubrey's ships and AMERICAN ships, not French. This change was made solely to appeal to the American audience, who the producers felt would be offended at seeing the Americans getting their asses handed to them by the English.
The support actor is always better than the lead in a great film, otherwise it wouldn't be a great film. You are correct. Crowe is brilliant, but Bettany is another level again, being able to run the gauntlet between God and Science and retain all dignity! Complete genius, with the directors sublime guidance, of course.
Great observation
I went on a San Deigo whale watching sail a few years ago on the America (replica of the 1851 schooner that won the America's Cup race). The First Mate on the America was in this film. He told us some stories about the making of the film and some interactions with Crowe. Supposedly they all took leaks into the big tank a lot of the filming was done in, and then late in shooting the water was blown back into their faces by huge fans for a storm scene.
I really enjoyed the whale watching on a sailing ship. Well worth the money. Most of the time we were on wind but when we were approaching where the whales were they started the engines (the D-Sails, as they joking called them) to ensure the whales would hear us. As part of the trip we had the option of helping hoist the sails. That is HARD WORK.
Regarding the atmosphere of the actors inhabiting the ship - Weir issued all actors a "uniform" for wear when not filming, each man given several t-shirts of a singular color based on their role/rank in the ship's crew and as men do, they quickly fell into their roles within the ship's hierarchy. Weir also established a canteen/pub/lounge exclusively for them - no one from the production crew allowed, just ship's actors from Crowe as Captain to the boys playing the Powder Monkeys in order for them to all socialize on a daily basis.
Yes, Peter Weir. Of course, Picnic at Hanging Rock, Gallipoli with Mel Gibsonen, The Year of Living Dangerously with Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver, Witness with Harison Ford and The Truman Show, which showed that Jim Carrey is an actor, not just a clown. A great artist of cinema. This movie is also an example of this. Next to Das Boot, it is probably the best naval war movie. Only that Das Boot is, of course, the Second World War and Master and Commander is of course the Napoleonic wars / the peak of the era of sail warships, or "Wooden ships and Iron men" as the title of a famous history book says. Beautiful choice, intelligent analysis. Greetings!
Here is a good sea survival movie: All Is Lost. It is a 2013 film written and directed by J. C. Chandor. The film stars Robert Redford as a man lost at sea. Redford is the only cast member. The film has 51 spoken English words.
All Is Lost, another excellent movie. One man, one boat, Robert Redford. Will he survive???Need I say more.
I was literally driving in my car listening to one of the novels on audio book that this movie is based on when your video notice popped up.😎
I know at least one other TH-camr who had the movie studio come knocking after the posted their reaction. Hope yours stays up.
I read the first two books in the series this movie is based on. Lucky Jack is based on Thomas Cochrane, whose brilliant captain in the 1800s. I head his book: Cochran: the Real Master and Commander. You would not believe the crap that guy pulled and got away with. Disguising their ship, the raft with the lamp. My favorite is that since his ship was lower than the level of the guns of a bigger ship, he would bring his ship right up next to the enemy and blast the heck out of the ship and there was nothing the other ship can do.
The Master and Commander books are slow, like the movie, and gives you a very real feel for what it was like to live on a small ship with a hundred other people.
Watch the movie again. It gets better every time you see it. Very very detailed.
My two favorite films by Weir are The Last Wave(1977); where Richard Chamberlain plays an attorney in Sidney Australia who is tasked with defensing an aboriginal accused of ritual murder. The other is Fearless, from 1993, where Jeff Bridges seemingly experiences some psychological revelations; or tremendous denial, after surviving a terrible plane crash.
Naturalist Rage: They were tortoises, land animals. River/lake ones are terrapins, and sea/ocean ones are turtles. Turtles have fin-legs. terrapins have paddle claws, and tortoises have kind of stumpy clawed feet.
I watched this film a week ago! It an epic action Adventure film. It's a shame we never got a sequel to this movie.
Such a shame Shaine!
@@ShanWatchesMovies I recall it having not done well enough at the box office. I blame the excessively verbose title!
"HOLY DESTRUCTION BATMAN" made me laugh man. Love ya videos 👍
Hahahaha thank you my friend!
@@ShanWatchesMovies you're welcome. I watch a few reaction channels but you always seem to pick my favourite movies. Keep it up. Oh and greetings from England 🏴
And greetings from Bangladesh🇧🇩
@@ShanWatchesMovies, are you in Bangladesh? Seriously? I assumed you were in America somewhere. Wild! I love your reactions and have watched a bunch. I’ve never been a patreon before so you may be my first. Thanks for your great reactions. 💜
Another good nautical movie was “The Heart of the Sea”. It tells the tale that inspired the book “Moby Dick”. I think Ron Howard directs that one.
"Quick's the word and sharp's the action, after all surprise is on our side."
"Huzzah!"
there are several books in this set. Highly recommend them. The movie is engaging and fun. I love naval stories. And have a life long fascination with the ocean and ships. Modern (particularly WWII) but a true love of the old sailing ships, anything I can find about them. Harsh daily life but a time of honor and bravery.
The Cruel Sea. A wonderful film based on a book by Nicholas Montserrat who knew about the terrors of sea battles and the sea itself. Pitiless and cruel. With Jack Hawkins as captain of a mine sweeper during the Convoys in Atlantic during WW2. Magnificent.
100% a brilliant novel and film based on Monserrat's own WW2 service
I don't know if it's still there, but the ship that was the Suprise was in thevnaval museum in San Diego. Crowe used to show up at random times to visit his ship and was apparently given free access.
One of my ATFs. There were 20 something glorious Aubery-Maturin novels. Fictional characters set in a highly authentic environment.
A captain's word was LAW at sea, never to be questioned by the crew. That's what made Maturin such an invaluable partner for Aubery. A man almost outside the chain of command who had license to give honest advice.
The weevil joke is the epitome of a dad joke, it's perfect
Patrick O'Brian wrote 21 novels in the Aubrey/Maturin series, the last, entitled 21, was incomplete because he died before completing it.
There are numerous potential sequels.
I saw this in the theater without really knowing anything about it. I love this movie. The Weevil's joke got a big laugh out of the audience, too.
If you're looking for another Napoleonic War movie, I have to recommend 'Waterloo' 1970. This movie is to the Napoleonic War as the first 30 minutes of Saving Private Ryan is to WW2, it dramatically tells the story in the most faithful retelling possible. Remarkably, 90% of the film is very accurate, and even more remarkable, 16,000 soldiers from the Russian army were used as extras, along with 4,000 horses.
I like how there's not too much of a distinct score. Having it so grounded in reality helps the film stand out to me as a truly historical film, as if we are looking back on events that actually happened through a magic mirror or something. A more distinct score would draw it closer to a fantasy setting (like PotC or LotR, if we want to talk movies of that era), and it's as if we were dealing with people not characters. People don't have themes, characters do.
...
Or at least that's what I think at the moment.
By far this has to be one of Russel Crowe's finest performances. He makes you love his character almost instantly, then suffer with him, and finally feel his pride and elation at the end. One of the other performances of his that invokes such reaction is that of Inspecor Javert in Les Miserabe. (Or, Less Miserable to some of us jokers.)
All shots of Russell Crowe playing the violin are real.
He learned to play those pieces before production began.
We used to play this game called 1602 AD, and going to see this movie was like seeing the game come to life. Aside from my kids burying their heads and covering their ears because it was SO LOUD, I loved it so much.
There is one part when they show the old sailor sitting at the bow of the ship with his pants around his ankles. This is where they used the toilet, near the ship's Figurehead. Which is why sailors refer to it as going to the head. Another good naval film I'd recommend is "Midway"(1976). Mainly because it was filmed on my first ship, USS Lexington, about 11 years before I joined the Navy.
There's also 2 little known films Peter Weir directed. They were big in the day but I think they are almost forgotten now. Witness 1985 starring Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis (Top Gun), and Danny Glover. More little known is The Mosquito Coast 1986 also starring Harrison Ford, and River Phoenix. (Argh, just saw an ad that there's a remake, ARGHH). Both movies should also be on your list I hope.
Oh, and Master And Comander, there's a channel, History Buffs you should check out. He does a review and how accurate is the movie. He did give Master And Commander top quodos on accuracy. Go check him out. He has a bunch of other movies to check out also.
The relationship between the captain and the doctor is more dramatic than the rest of the film in my opinion
The ship used fo represent HMS Surprise was the HMS Rose. It was a replica ship built in 1970 based on the design of a mid eighteenth century British frigate. She spent most of her life based in Rhode Island and prior to being purchased for this production was used as a sail training ship where everyday people could book passage and train and act as crew.
As to Lord Blakeney deserving a promotion, while the captain could give a midshipman the rank of acting lieutenant, as he did with Calamy, for the rank to be made permanent the midshipman would still need to pass the lieutenants exam or receive a very rare exemption from the Admiralty. He also would need to be old enough.
Similar subject matter, Shan? Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951), starring Gregory Peck. For the longest time, this was the standard for this type of movie. From the books of naval warfare guru, C.S. Forester, Hornblower was the very model of a modern British captain. Best. Leo.
Have been watching your channel right from when you started and I like it a lot. I'm commenting for the first time now because this is a favourite film of mine. Saw it three times in cinema back in 2003! I recommend 'Picnic at Hanging Rock', also by Peter Weir.
I'm deeply frustrated they never made a sequel to this. It was nominated for best picture (lost to Return of the King), was modestly successful at the box office and moreso on video, and it's based on a book series with over 20 books in it so there's plenty of material to work with. But they never made a sequel. They made Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3 but they never made a sequel to this.
Billy Boyd who played Merry in Lotr, plays a midshipman in this one. Also, for filming Russell Crowe did learn how to play the violin for his role.
This is such an good movie , cinematography , action,ship models are great but not many people talk about it.
My favorite movies that happen on sea are :
Dead Calm 1989
Mutiny on the Bounty 1962
Knife in the water 1962
White Squall 1996
The Black Swan 1942
My favorite Russell Crowe movies are :
A Beautiful Mind 2001
L.A. Confidential 1997
American Gangster 2007
3 : 10 to Yuma 2007
The Insider 1999
Re the score: in the novels Aubery and Maturins friendship starts over their mutual love of music, throughout the run of novels contemporary music is a huge element of placing the characters into their world, along with food, the archaic English etc. Weir is a huge fan of the novels and wanted to bring the characters to the screen as they are in the book, this meant pre 1806 music.
Those of us who are as obsessed with the books as Weir is absolutely 'got' the score and having a full sweeping modern orchestra is simply not the Georgian world, it would undermine a movie that is possibly the most historically accurate yet made.
So very underrated film. Bar none, one the best opening scenes ever. My fave part is when Steven(The Ships Surgeon) accidentally takes a musket slug to the gut - which back then would spell "sure death" - AND HE OPERATES ON HIS SELF! powerful scene. One of many in a powerful, fine cinematic masterpiece. Only flaw is a not - so - great title, kind of an awkward mouthful. Still, hats WAY OFF to Peter Weir, for an epic saga and the heroes journey - A la Joseph Canpbell
Crow and Bettany's chemistry was unmatched in this movie.
The ship is actually on display in San Diego California. You can go aboard and see all the movie props.
I waited long enough. I must say that your choice of movies and reactions (analisis) are the best. Keep it up!
Thank you so so much. Your words go a long way!
Finally someone covering this movie! Thank you so much! It's such a precious movie with such an amazing sense of detail. Even my English history professor was impressed by it
Yes! Vastly underrated movie!! Also an incredible book
Since you're a fan of Peter Weir, I highly recommend Witness if you've not seen it yet. Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis are both wonderful in it. Great movie!
Your assessment of this movie is pretty spot on. I will say this about the score however, there is one moment of brilliance in the music and that is when the man goes overboard and they have to cut him free to save the ship. The music in the background is actually from Ralph Vaughn Williams' Rhapsody on the Theme of Thomas Tallis, so it wasn't written by the composers of the score.
Great reaction. Other Peter Weir films to consider watching: The Year of Living Dangerously, The Mosquito Coast, Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Last Wave, Fearless, etc.
Okay, if you're doing Weir, here's my nomination: Witness (1985). A young Harrison Ford is exposed to a strange alien culture. Best. Leo.
Favorite scene - ice cream cone
Hey Leo! Dead Poets Society or Witness first?
@@ShanWatchesMovies Okay, bring on the brickbats. I have no informed opinion as I have yet to see Dead Poets Society. *Gasp* It doesn't make me a bad person...necessarily. Best. Leo.
I haven't watched it either so don't worry Leo 😂
@@ShanWatchesMovies Witness. Dead Poets Society was ok but a better recommendation or recommendations with Robin Williams, Good Morning Vietnam, The Fisher King, Bicentennial Man (my favorite and best recommendation), The World According To Garp, Popeye, Insomonia (Al Pacino), One Hour Photo, and Good Will...oh that's right you already reacted and reviewed that one. OK, then Awakenings. So many movies so little time. Did I miss any???
The film was nominated for Academy Awards in 10 categories including Best Picture and Director. Finally won in two categories: Best Cinematography and Sound Editing.
In all honesty I think that the movie should have won more academy awards but I frequently disagree with their choices so not surprised.
I'm sure the movie would have won more Academy Awards if the other 8 categories were not all won by "Lord of Rings - Return of the king" 😉
The film makers bought a real frigate and renamed her Surprise. Then build an almost full replica, put the whole thing on a gimbal in a water tank to shoot interiors, and other main deck scenes. The making of this movie is amazing. It is true Hollywood creativity, ingenuity and fuck it it's for the art at it's best.
Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975) is another great Peter Weir film 😊
I believe that CGI was minimal in this. It is mostly real ships, lifesize sets and amazing minitures.
Great show.
Other naval movies? I would recommend Das Boot and The Hunt for Red October. I would also throw in The Final Countdown. It put a sci fi what-if twist on the naval warefare genre, is underrated in my opinion, and sports a great cast.
Dude, if in this universe Mr Blakeney doesn't become a successful captain and then admiral I would be very surprised and disappointed. Kid is a beast.
By the way, the actor was also amazing as a young Octavian (Augustus) in Rome on HBO.
You are on another level of reviewers my friend
You mention the chemistry between Crowe's and Bettany's characters. I have my own pet theory about how the availability of a large volume of existing material for a pair of characters, as in the form of a long book series, serves to facilitate the portrayal of interplay between characters* at a level that is not often achieved as well as it is in this film.
My other go-to example is Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law as Holmes and Watson, which is also, of course, based on characters from a long book series.
(* In contrast to the portrayal of characters' individual characteristics, as I'm suggesting that the volume of available background material is less relevant there.)
Navy films to react to: hunt for red October, ub-571 (I believe it was called, number may b slightly off), men of honour.... OR one of the originals, about a navy-pilot in training...an officer and a gentleman
the bit with the book on nelson is a nice bit of morale building for the young officer as Nelson lost an arm during a battle and it didn't stop him being a successful captain
"Hopefully there will be decent ship battles..." Dude. You are for a treat!
*** O M G !!! *** You will absolutely LOVE DEAD POETS SOCIETY ALL TIME CLASSIC
The Galapagos shots were actually shot on the Galapagos (Though you see the Dr. jumping from Island to Island which doesn't make a lot of sense). The film had to jump through a lot of hoops with the Ecuadorian government to shoot on location.
What a great reaction. I'm not sure I would not have understood the cultural differences as you did. I salute you sir!
I haven't read any of the books yet (I think there are 9 or so), but this is I believe mostly adapted from two of them - hence the title "Master and Commander" and "The Far Side of the World" are two different books. I believe it did get Oscars for sound & cinematography and would have won more if it weren't up against Return of the King.
PS. another Weir movie to check out is Witness (1985).
I love this film and the books that inspired it. On one occasion I saw it screened outdoors in the parade square of a fort
that dates back to the Napoleonic era itself - a memorable night not least because it was midsummer but still a very chilly, clear night.
The film is based on various events in several Patrick O’Brian novels and those novels are ideal for adaptation into a major TV series. It would be the new Game Of Thrones, if they get the casting right. Bethany was not much like the half Irish half Spanish doctor/spy/musician/botanist Maturin from the novels. Crowe was better cast as Aubrey but still not quite right. But the work of Peter Weir and his crew was faultless and an example of how to make a movie that’s true to the spirit of its source.
Who inspired those books though? Check out The Craziest Sea Captain in History. th-cam.com/video/pU-kFUJoJEU/w-d-xo.html
So they started just off the coast of Brazil headed south, passed Cape Horn and turned north towards the Galapagos Islands. I'm sure glad Shan is there to tell us they're now on the west side of South America lol.
Great film and a personal favorite - they actually purchased the only fully restored, seaworthy fighting ship of the era that existed for the film. Weir demands for detail extends to the entire cast - all of them are doing something in the background and dressed for the part - if a carpenter's mate required a set of tools on his waste, then he's wearing them, even if he's not in the scene.
The books are absolutely worth reading. The style is highly unusual and takes you directly into the minds of the characters, and there are like 20 volumes so there is a lifetime of satisfying reading and re-reading. This film combines elements of several of the novels.
My favorite Jim Carey movie is Eternal Sunshine; one of my top 3 of all time. Master and Commander is such a freaking amazing movie. Too bad we never got a sequel.
Hornblower with Gregory Peck from the 50s. Loved it as a child!
Some background on the production if you are interested.
When casting this film the production did a global casting call with the last stop here in Vancouver, Canada. Oddly, they placed an ad in the papers here and had an open casting call. The ad read in part, "are you a large man with long hair and a rough exterior, something akin to a biker" (not a direct quote). Well I fit all of their requirements and I was going to be in the neighborhood of where they were holding their cattle call so I went. It was chaos as there were more than 2000 people in attendance.
I listened to their pitch; they were looking to crew the ship and they had 1 last role to fill. They told us that they would be filming down in Mexico, at the same sound stage that they used to film The Titanic. Further, they were keenly interested in people who had sailing experience and of course, sword fighting skills. If any of us were chosen we had to agree to live in Mexico for 6 months training on tall ships and sword fighting. If any of us were chosen for the last role they had yet to fill, we had to agree to an even longer stay in Mexico.
The role they had yet to fill was for the character of Killick (the big guy that carried the doctor on his back on the island) and I was offered an on camera audition for the part. This role required a commitment that I wasn't prepared to make so during the audition I basically told them as much. The people running the audition got really upset with me and gave me shit explaining to me that I didn't understand the chance I was throwing away.
In hindsight I would have really loved to have gone to the Galapagos and all that but it just wasn't in the cards. Besides, David Threlfall did a wonderful job as Preserved Killick.
Hahah, that's a great story. Sounds like the audition runners were passionate about the project.
@@lepuuttelu Yes, they were. As you can imagine with about 2000 people milling around, they had to be. You know, there really was a lot of passion by the people involved. We were told that the reason for the global casting call was due to the director no wanting anybody to be wearing wigs. Not sure that justified the time & expense of doing a multi-country/multi-city casting call but everybody sure looked great on film.
I really downplayed how my day went that day.
When I got down there and saw all of the people I really didn't see anybody who quite looked like the large biker type other than me. Hell, even though the ad called for MEN, there were more than a few women who showed up as well.
After their spiel they told us that those without headshots needed to stand in line to get their pictures taken, so that is what I did. Standing in line waiting, this guy comes out of a room and taps my shoulder and asked if I wouldn't mind getting my picture taken to which I responded "that's why I am in line isn't it?" He responded that no, this was for something specific. He pulled me into a little room and started asking me questions to which I responded. He asked if he could take off my hat and mess up my hair. I agreed that it would be fine. After messing up my hair he told me that it was remarkable just how much I naturally looked like the main character of the film. And it was quite true, there is a scene where the ship first gets fired upon and the Captain looses his hat and his hair is a mess, well it could have been a picture of me (not that I look like Russell Crowe all that much).
Anyway, it was an interesting time in my life and a fond memory to be sure.