Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Teaser

[JacksonArcher]

I'm trying to think of good fourth installments and none spring to mind. ...

STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME.

(Aka, "the one with the whales.")

There are people who really like THUNDERBALL, too, although, personally, it's not my favorite Bond movie . . . .

See, I never got the appeal of that movie. It didn't even really feel like a Star Trek movie to me. It's kind of light-hearted fluff, which is not what I look for in a Star Trek film.

 

[Greg Cox]

I'm trying to think of good fourth installments and none spring to mind. ...

STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME.

(Aka, "the one with the whales.")

There are people who really like THUNDERBALL, too, although, personally, it's not my favorite Bond movie . . . .

See, I never got the appeal of that movie. It didn't even really feel like a Star Trek movie to me. It's kind of light-hearted fluff, which is not what I look for in a Star Trek film.

It's fun, charming, and incredibly watchable. And, up until the new movie, the most commercially successful Trek movie to date . . . probably because it's the one that's most accessible to non-Trekkies.

By coincidence, I was actually talking to Catherine Hicks about this at Shore Leave a few weeks ago. She also thought that it was a STAR TREK movie for everybody . . . including friends and family who don't usually watch STAR TREK.

 

[JacksonArcher]

STAR TREK IV: THE VOYAGE HOME.

(Aka, "the one with the whales.")

There are people who really like THUNDERBALL, too, although, personally, it's not my favorite Bond movie . . . .

See, I never got the appeal of that movie. It didn't even really feel like a Star Trek movie to me. It's kind of light-hearted fluff, which is not what I look for in a Star Trek film.

It's fun, charming, and incredibly watchable. And, up until the new movie, the most commercially successful Trek movie to date . . . probably because it's the one thats most accessible to non-Trekkies.

By coincidence, I was actually talking to Catherine Hicks about this at Shore Leave a few weeks. She also thought that it was a STAR TREK movie for everybody . . . including friends and family who don't usually watch STAR TREK.

I feel it was the most commercially successful because it was a sort of dumbed down version of Star Trek. That's not to say that the original series didn't have light-hearted episodes of its own ("The Trouble With Tribbles", for example) but I guess I prefer a little bit more substance in my Star Trek.

I can get behind the new Abrams movie because I feel like even though it's more space opera than what Star Trek usually is, I still feel like it was a more accurate representation of what Star Trek is than The Voyage Home.

Then again, I don't view "accessibility" as a measure of success, mostly because sometimes I question the value of accessibility when it comes to audiences. People have no problem enjoying the Transformers movies, for example, which in my opinion is brainless drivel. The same can almost be said for the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. The first movie was harmless fun, but the sequels were over-bloated exercises in needless over-commercialization. I feel like the fourth film is continuing an old-fashioned Hollywood trend: milking something for all its worth. I guess I wouldn't mind if the quality was up to par, but after the last two Pirates movies I have little desire to see a fourth.

 

[Jetfire]

I always thought First Contact was a huge hit with fans and casual movie goers alike...anywho it isn't a 4th film of the franchise.

I never got the appeal of these movies...Johnnie Depp is of course bringing alot to it but still.

 

[JacksonArcher]

I always thought First Contact was a huge hit with fans and casual movie goers alike...anywho it isn't a 4th film of the franchise.

I see it more like the second film in a series, if you consider Generations the first in TNG's film series, and usually second films are generally pretty good. Considering Nemesis then was the fourth film and...

I never got the appeal of these movies...Johnnie Depp is of course bringing alot to it but still.

I think had Depp refused to do this movie it wouldn't have happened. I have a feeling they'll continue making these movies so long as they make money and so long as Depp plays Sparrow.

 

[Jetfire]

^
I guess so. And The JJ movies are yet a new chapter...

About Depp...I can see them doing 2 more after this to make the total 6...then the PoTC franchise can be up there with Star Wars.

 

[Greg Cox]

See, I never got the appeal of that movie. It didn't even really feel like a Star Trek movie to me. It's kind of light-hearted fluff, which is not what I look for in a Star Trek film.

It's fun, charming, and incredibly watchable. And, up until the new movie, the most commercially successful Trek movie to date . . . probably because it's the one thats most accessible to non-Trekkies.

By coincidence, I was actually talking to Catherine Hicks about this at Shore Leave a few weeks. She also thought that it was a STAR TREK movie for everybody . . . including friends and family who don't usually watch STAR TREK.

I feel it was the most commercially successful because it was a sort of dumbed down version of Star Trek. That's not to say that the original series didn't have light-hearted episodes of its own ("The Trouble With Tribbles", for example) but I guess I prefer a little bit more substance in my Star Trek. .

I wouldn't describe it as dumbed down, just lighter and breezier . . . like many popular episodes of TOS such as (as you observed) "Tribbles," "A Piece of the Action," "Assignment: Earth," etc. There's no rule that says that they can't do any comedy episode (or movie) once and awhile.

Certainly, as fourth movies go, "the one with the whales" was both a commercial and critical success. In my experience, it's one of the few TREK movies that actually made an impression on general audiences . . . and is still remembered fondly decades later.

We can only hope the fourth PIRATES movie will be as entertaining . . . .

 

[JacksonArcher]

I wouldn't describe it as dumbed down, just lighter and breezier . . . like many popular episodes of TOS such as (as you observed) "Tribbles," "A Piece of the Action," "Assignment: Earth," etc. There's no rule that says that they can't do any comedy episode (or movie) once and awhile.

I'm not disputing that. I'm just saying those type of episodes or films are not my cup of tea and not what initially attracted me to Trek.

Certainly, as fourth movies go, "the one with the whales" was a both a commercial and critical success. In my experience, it's one of the few TREK movies that actually made an impression on general audiences . . . and is still remembered decades later.

I guess I begrudge TVH because it isn't a "traditional" Star Trek movie and I think general audiences enjoyed it because it was more light-hearted. It wasn't until Abrams' movie that I was convinced that general audiences could enjoy more of a traditional Star Trek film on a large scale.

We can only hope the fourth PIRATES movie will be as entertaining . . . .

Don't hold your breath. It's from the same writers as the last two films, which were pretty bad and over-bloated in my opinion.

 

[Greg Cox]

Don't hold your breath. It's from the same writers as the last two films, which were pretty bad and over-bloated in my opinion.

Perhaps, although, like I said, I really loved the novel by Tim Powers. And I've seen comments from the TPTB that maybe they realize that that the previous PIRATES sequels were a bit "bloated" as you said. Hopefully, with the novel serving as a solid foundation, they can effect a course correction.

As for TVH, that's still the best example I can think of a fourth movie that, for most people, did not disappoint. To the contrary, it was actually more popular than any of the prior movies.

That may have had less to do with the fact that it was light-hearted than with the fact that you didn't need a degree in TREK history to understand the movie. Once you got past the opening bit with the Klingons, you had an engaging time-travel lark that didn't really require any prior knowledge of the STAR TREK universe . . . .

 

[JacksonArcher]

Perhaps, although, like I said, I really loved the novel by Tim Powers. And I've seen comments from the TPTB that maybe they realize that that the previous PIRATES sequels were a bit "bloated" as you said. Hopefully, with the novel serving as a solid foundation, they can effect a course correction.

Who knows. Besides TVH, I can't think of many examples of fourth installments that were any good. In fact, I can think of more bad fourth installments -- Batman & Robin, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Rocky IV, Terminator Salvation, and the list continues -- than I can good. Perhaps a new cast and director can liven things up for the series, but I'm going to remain cautiously optimistic.

As for TVH, that's still the best example I can think of a fourth movie that, for most people, did not disappoint. To the contrary, it was actually more popular than any of the prior movies.

That may have had less to do with the fact that it was light-hearted than with the fact that you didn't need a degree in TREK history to understand the movie. Once you got past the opening bit with the Klingons, you had an engaging time-travel lark that didn't really require any prior knowledge of the STAR TREK universe . . . .

Can you think of any other examples? I can't.

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

Different kind of teaser. I found it amusing. Referring to Penelope Cruz by name was odd, though.

I think the Pirates of the Carribean movies were equal parts stupid, obnoxious, entertaining and overlong.

The only characters I care about seeing again are Jack Sparrow and Barbossa.

 

[Greg Cox]

Can you think of any other examples? I can't.

THUNDERBALL, maybe. I don't like it, but I believe I'm in the minority. It was certainly a huge hit in its day.

I'm tempted to name DUCK SOUP, which was the fourth Marx Bros. movie, but I'm not sure if that's exactly a series in the same sense (although Groucho, Harpo, and Chico were basically playing the same characters in every movie).

 

[JacksonArcher]

Can you think of any other examples? I can't.

THUNDERBALL, maybe. I don't like it, but I believe I'm in the minority. It was certainly a huge hit in its day.

I'm tempted to name DUCK SOUP, which was the fourth Marx Bros. movie, but I'm not sure if that's exactly a series in the same sense (although Groucho, Harpo, and Chico were basically playing the same characters in every movie).

I didn't like Thunderball either.

Duck Soup was okay, but not nearly on the level of Animal Crackers or Horse Feathers.

 

[Greg Cox]

Can you think of any other examples? I can't.

THUNDERBALL, maybe. I don't like it, but I believe I'm in the minority. It was certainly a huge hit in its day.

I'm tempted to name DUCK SOUP, which was the fourth Marx Bros. movie, but I'm not sure if that's exactly a series in the same sense (although Groucho, Harpo, and Chico were basically playing the same characters in every movie).

I didn't like Thunderball either.

Duck Soup was okay, but not nearly on the level of Animal Crackers or Horse Feathers.

But, in its day, I don't think THUNDERBALL was perceived as a disappointment or failure akin to, say, BATMAN AND ROBIN or SUPERMAN IV. It counted as a success at the time.

HORSE FEATHERS is my favorite, too, but I think DUCK SOUP is better than ANIMAL CRACKERS, which is looking pretty creaky these days. The holy trinity of MONKEY BUSINESS, HORSE FEATHERS, and DUCK SOUP remains my gold standard for the Marx Bros.

Although A NIGHT AT THE OPERA might be the best fifth movie in a series!


Wait! One more contender. CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES might well be the best of the APES sequels . . . ..

 

[Skywalker]

As for TVH, that's still the best example I can think of a fourth movie that, for most people, did not disappoint. To the contrary, it was actually more popular than any of the prior movies.

That may have had less to do with the fact that it was light-hearted than with the fact that you didn't need a degree in TREK history to understand the movie. Once you got past the opening bit with the Klingons, you had an engaging time-travel lark that didn't really require any prior knowledge of the STAR TREK universe . . . .

Can you think of any other examples? I can't.

I can.

What?

 

[JacksonArcher]

HORSE FEATHERS is my favorite, too, but I think DUCK SOUP is better than ANIMAL CRACKERS, which is looking pretty creaky these days. The holy trinity of MONKEY BUSINESS, HORSE FEATHERS, and DUCK SOUP remains my gold standard for the Marx Bros.

I love Horse Feathers. It has some of the best Marx Brothers sketches. The football sequence was hilarious. Especially when Pinky rides a chariot-esque vehicle into the field.

Wait! One more contender. CONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE APES might well be the best of the APES sequels . . . ..

Never saw it. I do like how we're stretching to find good fourth installments, though. Only proves my point.

 

[hyzmarca]

Most of the supporting cast is gone, a new director is being brought in....

Johnny Depp is the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The supporting cast exists for he soul purpose of allowing him to chew scenery all day and all night long.

While Will Turner was originally intended to be the protagonist, it didn't turn out that way, mostly due to the force of Depp's performance.

They could make the entire movie about Jack Sparrow playing with toy boats in a bathub for three hours and it would still be more entertaining then 99% of the drek out there.

 

[Amaris]

Most of the supporting cast is gone, a new director is being brought in....

Johnny Depp is the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. The supporting cast exists for he soul purpose of allowing him to chew scenery all day and all night long.

While Will Turner was originally intended to be the protagonist, it didn't turn out that way, mostly due to the force of Depp's performance.

They could make the entire movie about Jack Sparrow playing with toy boats in a bathub for three hours and it would still be more entertaining then 99% of the drek out there.

I'll be honest... I'd watch it.

 

[Dream]

OT: While I was at the store today, I was glad to find all the POTC PEZ toys for $3. I love these things. Candy on the go.

Looking forward to POTC4.

 

[Jetfire]

I hope you bought 2 of each...1 to eat and the other to collect...secure in it's unopened package.

I have an Eeyore & Garfield Pez I got like 8 years ago...unopened.