Whether it's for the relaxing sounds of the sea or the peaceful blue skies, there is something about setting a story on a water way that adds a certain dimension to a story. Sailing movies have been around for years, and everybody has their favorite. Ask five people to list their top five, and you will end up with a list of 25 different features.
One genre of nautical flicks is those with a military theme. One such specimen is 2003's, "Master and Commander, " starring Russel Crowe. Here, we see Crowe as the British captain pushing his ship and his crew to their limits in pursuit of a French warship during the Napoleonic Wars. Nominated for six Academy Awards and starring Klaus Wennemann, Jurgen Prochnow, and Herbert Gronemeyer, "Das Boot, " released in 1981, was mesmerizing viewers, both in English or in the original German with English subtitles.
Another category of sailing film includes stories about hapless souls having misadventures at sea. Excellent examples include, "Adrift, " a nail-biting thriller from 2006 about a group of men and women who go diving off their boat without making sure there was a ladder or other means of getting back on board. In "White Squall, " set in the 1960s, a group of teenage boys embark on the sailing trip of a lifetime, only to confront the storm of a lifetime.
The powerfully entertaining series, "Pirates of the Caribbean, " starring Johnny Depp and a host of sparkling costars over the years, is one of the most high-grossing maritime film franchises. Spearheaded by Jerry Bruckheimer, the producer/director who can do no wrong, it scores awards that will stand alongside those of his other projects, "CSI, " "Con Air, " "The Rock, " and "Top Gun."
Fishermen are often the stars of maritime movies. Of these, two come immediately to mind. "Moby Dick" the tale of one man's obsession with a whale, starred Gregory Peck. Directed by John Huston, it was released in 1956. "The Old Man and the Sea, " dramatized the Ernest Hemingway novel and was made twice. The original starred Spencer Tracy in 1958; in 1999, it was remade with Anthony Quinn in the starring role.
Those who enjoy harrowing drama should view "All is Lost, " a 2013 release featuring Robert Redford. There is no dialogue, which is hardly surprising. Redford has his hands full coping with the aftermath of a collision with a shipping container while battling a fierce storm.
Equally nerve-shattering to "All is Lost, " is "Dead Calm, " a romantic tale gone horribly wrong. Sam Neill and Nicole Kidman set out on the cruise of a lifetime which changes tack considerably when they take on the shipwrecked psychopath, sailor Billy Zane.
The sea provides a stage for all types of stories, from war films, to romance and psychological thrillers. Pirate movies are in a genre all their own. Sometimes, the most dramatic stories take place with a small handful of characters, making them perfectly suitable for the claustrophobic confines of a seagoing vessel. The combination of confined spaces and minimal casts enables the director to fully develop the characters of the individuals and the way in which they interact with one another.
One genre of nautical flicks is those with a military theme. One such specimen is 2003's, "Master and Commander, " starring Russel Crowe. Here, we see Crowe as the British captain pushing his ship and his crew to their limits in pursuit of a French warship during the Napoleonic Wars. Nominated for six Academy Awards and starring Klaus Wennemann, Jurgen Prochnow, and Herbert Gronemeyer, "Das Boot, " released in 1981, was mesmerizing viewers, both in English or in the original German with English subtitles.
Another category of sailing film includes stories about hapless souls having misadventures at sea. Excellent examples include, "Adrift, " a nail-biting thriller from 2006 about a group of men and women who go diving off their boat without making sure there was a ladder or other means of getting back on board. In "White Squall, " set in the 1960s, a group of teenage boys embark on the sailing trip of a lifetime, only to confront the storm of a lifetime.
The powerfully entertaining series, "Pirates of the Caribbean, " starring Johnny Depp and a host of sparkling costars over the years, is one of the most high-grossing maritime film franchises. Spearheaded by Jerry Bruckheimer, the producer/director who can do no wrong, it scores awards that will stand alongside those of his other projects, "CSI, " "Con Air, " "The Rock, " and "Top Gun."
Fishermen are often the stars of maritime movies. Of these, two come immediately to mind. "Moby Dick" the tale of one man's obsession with a whale, starred Gregory Peck. Directed by John Huston, it was released in 1956. "The Old Man and the Sea, " dramatized the Ernest Hemingway novel and was made twice. The original starred Spencer Tracy in 1958; in 1999, it was remade with Anthony Quinn in the starring role.
Those who enjoy harrowing drama should view "All is Lost, " a 2013 release featuring Robert Redford. There is no dialogue, which is hardly surprising. Redford has his hands full coping with the aftermath of a collision with a shipping container while battling a fierce storm.
Equally nerve-shattering to "All is Lost, " is "Dead Calm, " a romantic tale gone horribly wrong. Sam Neill and Nicole Kidman set out on the cruise of a lifetime which changes tack considerably when they take on the shipwrecked psychopath, sailor Billy Zane.
The sea provides a stage for all types of stories, from war films, to romance and psychological thrillers. Pirate movies are in a genre all their own. Sometimes, the most dramatic stories take place with a small handful of characters, making them perfectly suitable for the claustrophobic confines of a seagoing vessel. The combination of confined spaces and minimal casts enables the director to fully develop the characters of the individuals and the way in which they interact with one another.
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