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Black Sails


CompassRose

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A little late to the party, but here It goes; I love Black Sails. It's one of my new favorite shows. I think It does a great job of blending historical accuracy, with just enough fiction to make it entertaining. And I love the blend of historical characters (Vane, Rackham etc.) against fictional main character (Silver, Flint etc).

I can't wait for season 2, and I genuinely hope It'll go on until the Age of Piracy ends, so all the characters get a complete story arch.

 

 

Also, I did watch half of the pilot of Crossbones, but I couldn't stomach any more. There was just nothing for me in that show. Blackbeard without the black beard sums it up neatly, I think.

 

 

  I'm not well-rehearsed on the likes of Roberts, Vane and Rackham et al, but I suspect they were as cruel as they appeared, so it all comes down to context.

 

Well, Rackham is a bit of a mystery. He was Quartermaster to Charles Vane most of his pirate career, until he, Anne Bonny and the Ranger crew mutinied against him. But he was captured by the English (I think), because him and 98% of the crew was passed out drunk, and couldn't fight. So he was either clever, as portrayed in Black Sails, or hilariously incompetent, like in Assassin's Creed 4.

Vane on the other hand is pretty well documented. He was a real mean bastard. He'd kill people who'd already surrendered, and torture others. According to a neat quote from Wikipedia: "Fear of Vane drove commerce in the area to a halt." The area being some part of the Caribbean.

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I watched the first season of Black Sails and enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to its return in January. Starz is already advertising. My problem. and it is a small one, is that when they showed a long shot of the ships at sea, the wind was always from perfectly from the aft. Never from any quarter at all. Always in the direction they wanted to go. Still the show has all the requirements for someone who grew up in the 70's and saw all of the exploitation movies on HBO.

 

I did watch all of Crossbones. It got better if a bit far fetched and even weird. I enjoyed it. Their schooner actually had trimmed sails. The story even, dare I say, intriguing.

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I made it through the first 20 minutes of the first episode. Yawned. Went and continued to reread my Aubrey-Maturin #9.

 

TV is so horrible these days. In general it's like watching a triple fried, quadruple stack, double chili cheese bacon burger made by Guy Fieri, with a flame sticker on the bun being eaten by Sammy Hagar while a guy with a goatee, wrap around sunglasses, bandana and a flame/dice covered shirt screams at you to 'check this out!' while burning rubber.

 

It's not my cup of tea.

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Oh.. anyone remember Smuggler ?

I loved that show. Smuggler boat was not first rate, but this guy was ex Navy :)

 

In the 80's were only 3 TV channels in Poland, but everyone could find something interesting to watch. Now there is around 200 channels available and there is nothing to watch.

 

Sorry for offtopic.

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That is Captain Flint, his eyes aren't closed...he is just somewhat beaten up after taking on a wannabee for his captainship....good series, focuses on a pirate trading enclave of New Providence (in the west Indies) and is set around the start of the 18th century, it is considered a prequel to 'Treasure Island' and has a cast containing lots of historical characters (John Silver, Flint, Lady Hamilton etc).

 

Its sort of what Deadwood was to the US Goldrush/Formation of states for the Golden Age of Piracy.

 

It has a fair dollop of 'naval action' along with many a booby and plenty of biffo.

Edited by Jeheil
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wouldn't that be the look on your face too if you were facing a spanish man of war?

 

also absolutely love this show.

season 2 spoiler:

Flynt just took out the fort on Nassau with his captured war ship. can't wait to see the aftermath in this weeks episode ^_^

Edited by Aussie_Fox
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You should mention that that spoiler was for season 2 :(

 

need to watch season 2 ;p

 

 

well i at least added spoiler tags :) so it's always enter at own risk. but knowing that wont deminish the enjoyment of the show at all. so dont worry :)

Edited by Aussie_Fox
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That is Captain Flint, his eyes aren't closed...he is just somewhat beaten up after taking on a wannabee for his captainship....good series, focuses on a pirate trading enclave of New Providence (in the west Indies) and is set around the start of the 18th century, it is considered a prequel to 'Treasure Island' and has a cast containing lots of historical characters (John Silver, Flint, Lady Hamilton etc).

 

Unfortunately, neither Long John Silver nor Captain Flint are actual persons from history, nor (I assume) is this Lady Hamilton (as I have read Treasure Island and do not recall any mention of her).

 

The tale of Treasure Island, and the encompassing characters therein, is a work of fiction, and is one of the first to "Hollywood-ize" the pirate portrait. The entire premise of Treasure Island: a "buried" treasure that can be found via a treasure map, is something that the actual pirates of the golden age, or any time, practiced extensively (there are a handful of accounts, but they are incredibly rare and to be considered not the norm). John Silver's pet parrot, aptly named Flint, is also a literary trope, and something that was not practiced in reality.

 

Now don't get me wrong, Treasure Island is a wonderful piece of literature, but always be mindful that it is an adventure story and a work of fiction. As for Black Sails, I'll admit I may have had my reservations, fearing it to be just another "PotC-esque" format. However, I am very willing to give it its fair chance, if I can only find a reasonable outlet that won't dip into my rum money  :P

 

Cheers, 

William Drummond, the Drake

Edited by William the Drake
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Unfortunately, neither Long John Silver nor Captain Flint are actual persons from history, nor (I assume) is this Lady Hamilton (as I have read Treasure Island and do not recall any mention of her).

 

The tale of Treasure Island, and the encompassing characters therein, is a work of fiction,

 

Are we playing the Captain Obvious game here?

I don't recall anyone claiming Treasure Island or Black Sails to be non-fiction, or it being aired on the History channel.

Also Black Sails is set 10 years prior to the events of Treasure Island.

 

 

 However, I am very willing to give it its fair chance, if I can only find a reasonable outlet that won't dip into my rum money  :P

 

Cheers, 

William Drummond, the Drake

 

I'm confused, can you honestly not find a way to watch this show?

 

 

edit: on a side note the new episode is available :D

edit2: fixed a mistake, thanks to William for pointing that out

 

Edited by Aussie_Fox
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Unfortunately, neither Long John Silver nor Captain Flint are actual persons from history, nor (I assume) is this Lady Hamilton (as I have read Treasure Island and do not recall any mention of her).

 

Emma, Lady Hamilton. 1765-1815  Serial Mistress. Noted beauty and artists muse. Wife of Sir William Hamilton and the great love of the life of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, who set up home with her at Merton Place, and the mother of his only known offspring, Horatia.

 

On the news of the death of Nelson: "... tears in his eyes and a deathly paleness over his face made me comprehend him. I believe I gave a scream and fell back, and for ten hours I could neither speak nor shed a tear." She died 10 years later, at the age of 49, an impoverished alcoholic in Calais.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma,_Lady_Hamilton

Edited by Portsdown
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