Adventurous Romance
Since the inception of cinematography, a significant number of films have explored the theme of piracy. Some were subpar, while others rightfully continue to garner admiration to this day.
Most of these films became famous primarily due to their main characters, who managed to leave an indelible mark on many viewers. Today, we'll take a look at the three most famous movie pirates.
Captain Hook
Captain Hook holds the esteemed position of the main antagonist in the Peter Pan films. The story of the boy, Peter Pan, is particularly famous in America, but audiences here are also familiar with it, mainly from numerous film adaptations of the original play.
Captain Hook is instantly recognizable. Apart from his iconic long mustache, he has a hook in place of a hand. He lost his hand in a duel with Peter Pan, and since then, the vengeful pirate has been yearning to get back at Peter.
It's clear that Captain Hook isn't exactly a hero. However, he isn't always portrayed as pure evil. A lot depends on the portrayal. In some films, he's more of a comedic character, while in others, he's a full-fledged villain.
Perhaps the most famous film featuring Hook is Steven Spielberg's eponymous 1991 movie, where the role of the wicked pirate was played by the top-tier actor, Dustin Hoffman.
Long John Silver
Anyone with even a passing interest in pirates must undoubtedly be familiar with Treasure Island. And anyone acquainted with this novel surely knows who Long John Silver is.
This character is widely recognized not just in literature but also in the cinematic world.
While there might not be a film solely about this character, Long John Silver has appeared in a plethora of movies. And it's no wonder.
After all, the original novel has been adapted to the silver screen countless times. Often, Long John Silver has also appeared in films or series that had little to do with Treasure Island.
However, creators borrowed this character to add more flair to their stories, and they usually succeeded.
Silver is a treacherous scoundrel with an iconic wooden leg. But his disability doesn't make him any less dangerous; in fact, it's quite the opposite. Among the most famous actors who portrayed Long John Silver are Robert Newton and Tim Curry.
Jack Sparrow
In the ranking of the most famous movie pirates, the cunning Jack Sparrow certainly can't be overlooked.
This now-legendary eccentric pirate, portrayed by Johnny Depp, is heavily inspired by rocker Keith Richards, who incidentally played Jack Sparrow's father in the Pirates of the Caribbean sequels.
Jack Sparrow was initially conceived a bit differently. It was Johnny Depp's improvisation that made him the main attraction of the entire series. It's no wonder that Depp even earned an Oscar nomination for this role.
