Forgotten Friday: The Pirate Movie

Thanks for checking out our Forgotten Fridays feature. This is a feature to review some older films that maybe you have forgotten about or maybe never got around to seeing that we just want to share. They may not be old, maybe not forgotten, but they are not new. Just fun to share.

Today, we review The Pirate Movie

Genre: Comedy Musical
Directed by: Ken Annakin
Staring: Kristy McNichol, Christopher Atkins, Ted Hamilton
Released: August 6, 1982

THE GENERAL IDEA

When the awkward Mabel nearly drowns at a pirate themed beach party, the object of her affection becomes the star of her dream that is a parody of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance. Fredric is a young man who’s parents were killed by pirates bound by duty to serve the pirate King. But now that his contract is up and he doesn’t want to be a pirate anymore and leaves swearing revenge. Finding himself on shore free from his pirate duties he falls in love with the daughter of a very model of a modern major general.

THE GOOD

The wit of this film is made that much more delicious by the sassy delivery of pretty tomboy Kristy McNichol behind the words. There is so much humour in this movie that is accented by its surreal dreamstate pulling the modern gags into the 1880s landscape.

I typically dislike the current trend of spoofing movies, and this is a perfect contrast against these unclever shockfests. Comic timing and cleverness, breaking the 4th wall and carryover gags that wait fora punchline later in the film make this a very very funny movie.

THE BAD

Kristy McNichol might have been the last girl to make tomboy look pretty, and sadly she does it with a she-mullet.

The music is good, but not great. The one thing I think doing this comedy an injustice is that it doesn’t have the catchy music to make it a classic, despite borrowing some of the songs directly from Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, which saw a more faithful theatrical adaptation of the stage musical later that same year.

OVERALL

A movie deserving of a classic respect, but forgotten to time. A lot of humour and really clever jokes. Tons of fun.

Since all of these Forgotten Friday reviews are going to be what I would already give a high rating to, I had a Tv, Rent or Buy scale going on, but it would seem that an overwhelming majority of my picks get a BUY rating.
So with every Forgotten Friday you see from now on, you get to rate your anticipation for yourself!

TV – If you are at least a little curious, catch it if it comes on TV.
Rent – If it is something you have heard of and forgotten, or just remember enjoying this as much as I did once upon a time, go rent it.
Buy – But if you are like me, and you agree with my review you should go buy it. If its featured here, I already have.