I noticed with some surprise there is a new Pirates of the Caribbean movie appearing in theaters across the country, including in Key West, for no longer is the southernmost city beyond the reach of first run films.
I grew tired of the franchise after the first film which I found charming. The second film was burden with plot and self congratulatory smirking and I walked out half way through. I shall not go to see this latest effort even though Solares Hill tells us earnestly it is less labored and more fun in the style of the first film. I am not a fan of pirates anyway, especially not the Disneyesque kind though I like to think I should have been a cheerful pirate three hundred years ago. Imagine a society where color race and creed amounted to nothing in the hierarchy, where leaders were elected and a days work consisted of going sailing. No brown pirate would have been required to produce a birth certificate to join the crew. And pirates were outcasts and societal left overs in the first place. The more I think on it the more I like the idea.
Much is made of key West's history as a pirate lair which I do not believe to have been the case. Commodore Porter was sent by the US Government to get ride of piracy in the Straits of Florida after Key West was incorporated in 1828 and he did a fine job. However he was rather too dour for key West even back then, 150 years before Fantasy Fest was invented and they sent him packing, just an short while after he sent the pirates on their way.
Nowadays these islands are a retreat for the wealthy and will doubtless become the retreat for the even wealthier as the economic divide grows wider. $1500 a night at Little Palm? No problem! Though why they advertise such a place on a bus shelter of all places I can hardly imagine. My wife thinks there is a message also in the fact that during the recent US One Radio auction they were selling off cheap brunches ($100) and certificates for dinners. Not exactly piracy because I've never had dinner there but their brunch is really quite excellent.
I grew tired of the franchise after the first film which I found charming. The second film was burden with plot and self congratulatory smirking and I walked out half way through. I shall not go to see this latest effort even though Solares Hill tells us earnestly it is less labored and more fun in the style of the first film. I am not a fan of pirates anyway, especially not the Disneyesque kind though I like to think I should have been a cheerful pirate three hundred years ago. Imagine a society where color race and creed amounted to nothing in the hierarchy, where leaders were elected and a days work consisted of going sailing. No brown pirate would have been required to produce a birth certificate to join the crew. And pirates were outcasts and societal left overs in the first place. The more I think on it the more I like the idea.Much is made of key West's history as a pirate lair which I do not believe to have been the case. Commodore Porter was sent by the US Government to get ride of piracy in the Straits of Florida after Key West was incorporated in 1828 and he did a fine job. However he was rather too dour for key West even back then, 150 years before Fantasy Fest was invented and they sent him packing, just an short while after he sent the pirates on their way.Nowadays these islands are a retreat for the wealthy and will doubtless become the retreat for the even wealthier as the economic divide grows wider. $1500 a night at Little Palm? No problem! Though why they advertise such a place on a bus shelter of all places I can hardly imagine. My wife thinks there is a message also in the fact that during the recent US One Radio auction they were selling off cheap brunches ($100) and certificates for dinners. Not exactly piracy because I've never had dinner there but their brunch is really quite excellent.
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