Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest SPOILER SPACE

[crunkcourt]

I found this article on thunderstruck.com from Bill O'Reilly's interview with a program call movieministry.com. It's about the Christian themes in PotC: DMC.

Is There a Christian Theme in 'Pirates of the Caribbean?'

Friday , July 14, 2006

This is a partial transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," July 13, 2006, that has been edited for clarity.

BILL O'REILLY, HOST: "Back of the Book" segment tonight, already "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" has grossed about $350 million worldwide. It's only been out a week. That is almost miraculous.

And while we're on that subject, the Web site MovieMinistry.com says there is a Christian theme running through the pirate movie, which may be news to some of our swashbuckling friends.

Joining us now from San Diego is Dr. Marc Newman, the president of MovieMinistry.com.

DR. MARC NEWMAN, PRESIDENT, MOVIEMINISTRY.COM: Hi, Bill.

O'REILLY: I didn't see "The Dead Man's Chest." I did see the first one. I didn't see a lot of church going in there or praying as Johnny Depp cut people to ribbons, but maybe I missed it. So what's going on in this one?

NEWMAN: Well, all of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies so far have had deep spiritual content in them. The easiest way to slip it in is by making sure that people are having a good time.

"Dead Man's Chest" is about how people in peril, wager their souls and why people are so interested in forestalling some kind of day of judgment. So all the way through the film we have people gambling for their souls or selling their souls to Davy Jones with the express purpose of holding off the time in which they're going to have to meet their maker.

O'REILLY: All right. So I get it. None of the pirates wants to die because they think they're all going to hell so they're trying to delay the grim reaper. But there isn't any reference outright to Christianity, is there?

NEWMAN: Well, there's a wonderful scene very early in the film where a couple of the pirates are rowing in a boat. They've just escaped from jail. And they used to be these immortal ghosts from the first film, but they have been humanized, as a result of getting their treasure back and having their blood sacrificed, which happens in the first movie.

And so the guy is looking at a Bible. Now, he's reading it upside down because he's illiterate. But the guy asks him, he says, "You know, we're not immortal anymore, so now we have to take care of our immortal souls."

O'REILLY: Now do you feel that this was purposely put in this movie? Or is it just, you know, somebody in the screenplay going, "How do I fill this screen?"

NEWMAN: You know, Bill, there's no way to really know, but one thing that I do know is that art has a tendency to transcend the intentions of its makers. And so I think that these stories are the kind of stories that resonate with people. You've seen a million movies where people get shot or cut or stabbed and it doesn't have nearly the resonance as it does when you look at bunch of people who are trembling over the idea of whether or not they're going to their soul.

O'REILLY: Is it their soul or their life? Because nobody wants to die.

NEWMAN: Oh, no, it's their soul. Because there's a great scene early in the film, when Davy Jones is looking at a man. And he's giving them all the opportunity to escape meeting their maker by serving 100 years before the mast on his ship.

And one of the young men is holding a rosary in his hand with a cross clearly identified and he looks at him, and he makes the offer. And the guys says, "No, I'd rather take my chances". In other words, in the afterlife he feels secure. So of course, they cut his throat and throw him overboard. But the fact of the matter is, like many Christian martyrs in the past, would rather die than serve on a hellish ship.

O'REILLY: All right. Very interesting, doctor. We appreciate it. Thanks for coming in.

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[PixarFan]

Well, I finally saw the movie this afternoon. Wow! I don't really know what to say. Other than how annoyed I was that I knew every single spoiler in the movie before seeing it, thanks to some friends who blabbed them to me. I knew Bootstrap was alive, I knew Barbosa was alive, I knew Jack died, I knew the Black Pearl was destroyed, I knew Norrington became a pirate, I knew it all! The bit on Norrington and Bootstrap I learned online, but the rest was all told to me in about five seconds time by my friends (before I had a chance to stop them) who thought I had already seen it. But, anyway, I won't rant about that now.

But other than my spoiled spoilers, I loved this movie! I didn't see CotBP in the theater (at the time I wasn't that interested), so it was great to see Jack's antics on the big screen! My favorite scene was BY FAR the battle for the heart on that island. That has got to be the funniest battle I've ever seen! Out of the friends I went with, I was the only one who caught that Norrington had the heart that whole time. The chase on the cannibal's island was great, too!

I also loved the character development in this movie. Sure, the main characters were more developed. But I found myself really liking the supporting characters this time around. It seemed like all the characters matured a little since the first film. And even though Elisabeth's dad had a much smaller part this time around, I like him now more than I did in CotBP. And at the end when Tia Dalma asks if they would be willing to sail to the end of the earth to help Jack, and one by one they stand and say yes, it was so great to realize that they would all be main characters in Pirates 3. However, as inspiring as the scene was, it felt a little "Fellowship of the Ring"-ish.

Speaking of that scene, I had known that Barbosa was alive beforehand, but I expected him to show up beside Davey Jones and side with him. I absolutely loved the fact that Barbosa may be the other's "guide" in the third film. And although I expect him to return to his evil roots eventually, I love the idea that he'll be working alongside of Will and Elizabeth for at least part of the movie. But come to think of it, why should he become evil again? He got what he wanted in the first film, what else could he be after (other than revenge on Jack...but he's already ).

The image that I can't get out of my mind is Jack's "Hello, Beastie" line just as he stands tall and charges the Kraken. That was such a great way for him to go! To be perfectly honest, I was more sad about the loss of the Black Pearl than I was about Jack (probably because I knew he'd be back).

Anyway, the movie is still too fresh in my mind for me to think about it much now. Awesome movie! Memorial Day can't come too soon!

[TheSequelOfDisney]

I knew Jack died

Hello, um, Jack doesn't die, because he is the main (well one of) character(s). I mean just go here. It tells you the cast list for POTC: AWE

[lord-of-sith]

I knew Jack died

Hello, um, Jack doesn't die, because he is the main (well one of) character(s). I mean just go here. It tells you the cast list for POTC: AWE

Umm... have you seen the movie? It's pretty obvious that at the end he is gobbled up by the Kraken. And at the very end they were talking about how they were gonna go to the ends of the earth to find him, and Barbossa is going to lead them.

[crunkcourt]

We don't know for sure that he died though, especially since he is in the next movie.

[PixarFan]

Main character or not, he died. But yes, he will be in the third film, the others just have to find a way to "bring him back." Barbosa "died" in the first film, and he's back.

You know, it seems like PotC is obsessed with bringing characters back to life (or at least, making you think they died). I mean, first Bootstrap Bill (well, he's sort of half-alive, half-dead), then Barbosa, then Jack. If this keeps up, a character dying won't mean anything when the third film rolls around.

[TheSequelOfDisney]

Umm... have you seen the movie? It's pretty obvious that at the end he is gobbled up by the Kraken. And at the very end they were talking about how they were gonna go to the ends of the earth to find him, and Barbossa is going to lead them.

Yes, I have seen the movie. It doesn't mean that he is dead just because he was "gobbled up by the Kraken" Anyway, we certainly know that he will have an apperance in the 3rd film, he is NOT dead.

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

Actually, TheSequelofDisney could be correct(to some extent). Because the Kraken doesn't chew things up. It's made clear when Mr. Gibbs says you can smell decomposing bodies in it's breath, and when the Kraken spits up Jack's hat at the end.

So maybe he's just alive in it's stomach! I'm not sure how he'll get out(one person I know from another Disney forum though thinks Davy Jones will force the Kraken to spit Jack up since he thinks he has his heart) but that's what the sequel is for.

[Disney Duster]

Yes, I have seen the movie. It doesn't mean that he is dead just because he was "gobbled up by the Kraken" Anyway, we certainly know that he will have an apperance in the 3rd film, he is NOT dead.

You do NOT know this for sure. You're probably right, but we're not sure. Either way, doesn't anyone in this thread think we'll see Captain Jack Sparrow as a ghost? I have a feeling that the "World's End" is something like the Netherworld.

[TheSequelOfDisney]

You do NOT know this for sure. You're probably right, but we're not sure. Either way, doesn't anyone in this thread think we'll see Captain Jack Sparrow as a ghost? I have a feeling that the "World's End" is something like the Netherworld.

WOW! Captain Jack as a Ghost? That's interesting, very interesting

[Escapay]

Spock died too, you know.

Escapay

[musicradio77]

I went to the movies last night and it was great. It was quite similar to the "Empire Strikes Back", one of the best "Star Wars" films ever. Captain Jack Sparrow was a great character in that film played by Johnny Depp. Can't wait to see the third film when it comes out next year.

[Escapay]

It was quite similar to the "Empire Strikes Back", one of the best "Star Wars" films ever.

One of? ESB is the best Star Wars film ever!!!

Escapay

[BrandonH]

It's a nice theory, Disney Duster, but I can't imagine why ghosts would need to lie down or eat apples.

[Disney Duster]

It's a nice theory, Disney Duster, but I can't imagine why ghosts would need to lie down or eat apples.

Oh, did Disney leak that Captain Jack will be lying down and eating apples in the third movie?!

[BrandonH]

It's a nice theory, Disney Duster, but I can't imagine why ghosts would need to lie down or eat apples.

Oh, did Disney leak that Captain Jack will be lying down and eating apples in the third movie?!

We saw Barbossa do those things in Dead Man's Chest, and he apparently died in the first film. Since Jack Sparrow may have met his end from the Kraken, I would assume that his state, whatever that may be, is the same as Barbossa's. Of course, we don't know how Barbossa returned yet, so anything on either side is speculation. I'm not saying you are wrong with the ghost idea, just that there is a potential obstacle to that being the case.

[Isidour]

well...he could have stolen, as the monkey, one of the chest´s coins so he couldn´t die...I mean, the monkey that Jack had was the one of barbosa isn´t?

[Disney Duster]

well...he could have stolen, as the monkey, one of the chest´s coins so he couldn´t die...I mean, the monkey that Jack had was the one of barbosa isn´t?

Well, if you had carefully read the whole thread, you would have read ChrisLyne's post:

Barbossa isn't cursed, he was really enjoying that apple!

Remember that in the first film, Barbossa said that he can't enjoy apples, or any kind of comfort involving touch, because he was cursed. When we see Barbossa at the very end of the second film, he is eating and enjoying an apple. Barbossa wouldn't bother eating an apple if he was cursed, because he can't enjoy them.

[Isidour]

So...that woman was not only a really powerfull sorcerer but also Davy Jones´s love....sweet

and...what about the monkey?

[Disney Duster]

d...what about the monkey?

The monkey is cursed because we did see it take a gold coin from the chest after the credits in the first film, and it didn't die when Captain Jack shot it.