Home
Artists
Search Recent Random
Posts
Search DMs Popular Hash Lookup Tags Random
Importer
Import FAQ
Register
Partychan Telegram ThePornDude
Home Artists Posts Import Register

DIRECTOR'S CUT: Psychology of an Anti-Hero: JACK SPARROW (Patreon)

Published:
2023-04-17 14:00:04
Imported:
2023-06

Downloads

Content

How does Jack justify breaking rules and cheating others? How far does charm get you?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are breaking down Jack Sparrow, the reckless and charming anti-hero from the Pirates of the Caribbean. They discuss his traits and actions throughout the series, and why Jonathan diagnoses him with anti-social personality disorder. Even though Jack doesn’t have much of a hero’s journey until later films, they discuss his character arc and what drives him to ultimately do good for others. Alan doesn’t like most of the Pirates films, but he respects the humor and the lengths they will go to make a joke.

Files

Comments

Angie

My favorite line sums up Jack perfectly: "Me? I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly... stupid." You can also trust Jack to do what Jack wants. As long as one accepts him as he is and expects nothing more from him, they'll never be disappointed. It's kind of like a wild animal -- they might be cute and look cuddly, but I don't want it in my house or to meet it outside in the woods. I can't get angry with a cougar for being a cougar and trying to eat my cat/dog/small child, but I don't want it around *because* it's a cougar. Lol

Angie

Pardon me, I'm live-commenting 😂 Oh yes, I definitely agree with Alan -- the best character intro ever. It's one of my all-time favorite scenes, one of my all-time favorite movies, because of the absolute unwavering swagger and confidence of Jack even as he deboards a sinking ship 🤣🤣🤣 I saw this in the theatre and it has stuck with me since then.

Anonymous

I'm with Alan on this one. I remember going to see the 2nd PotC movie at the theater, and about 2 minutes in, I was wondering wtf I had got myself into. The camp was cranked up to 11, and 2 and 3 both totally jumped the shark. I only vaguely remember the 3rd one, but I remember liking it better than 2 & 3. The last one had it's moments, as I recall, but I've only seen it once. The post-credits scene kinda made me want to smack someone because it made my logic sensors throw up error codes. On the subject of incomplete scripts - as a semi-pro novelist who used to be a die-hard pantser but have since changed my ways, I know there is a huge difference between a script that knows where it wants to go but gets tweaked along the way and a script that is just a vague, fuzzy incomplete outline. Marvel movies are often the former, from what I've heard. I remember C. Robert Cargill talking about how the scenes get "plussed" even as they are shooting. The Willow series is more of the later, unfortunately, which is why it's not coming back. Just my not-quite-educated two cents on the subject. :)

Anonymous

Are you guys familiar with the 100 slave theory? I don't think Jack was as cavalier about dropping Will with Davy Jones as he played off. I think he was bluffing to an extent. Because the theory has legit supporting evidence. I wonder if Jack had a lesser degree of ASPD early in his life. But his experiences have pushed him to look out for Number 1. He did a good thing and was branded and hounded for it for the next 13 years. Even sentenced to death for several other actions, but including this one. "Talking about the ship now named the Black Pearl Cutler Beckett says to Sparrow, “The last I saw of that ship, she was on fire. A blackened hull, sinking beneath the waves.” Beckett continues to say that Jack had “incurred a heavy debt to raise her [the Black Pearl] up again”. This heavy debt is clearly a reference to Sparrow’s deal with Davy Jones. He goes on to say, “We had a deal Jack. I contracted you to deliver cargo on my behalf, you choose to liberate it.” In reply Sparrow says, “People aren’t cargo, mate.” In other words, Sparrow was contracted by Beckett to transport people, likely slaves – something he refused to do, freeing them instead. It is by no means a stretch of the imagination to say, as this theory does, that the burning of the Black Pearl, formerly named the Wicked Wench, was Beckett’s retaliation to Sparrow freeing the slaves. Jack Sparrows debt of 100 souls to Davy Jones is because he freed 100 slaves. Freeing the slaves cost him his ship in getting the ship back he must repay the cost of the hundred slaves with 100 souls. But how does all this cast Sparrow differently? Well before the context of the theory Sparrow stole from Beckett but now we see he is in fact a lot less morally dubious than we were first lead to believe and that his debt to Davy Jones is forged in his good intentions and not purely the greed and desire to resurrect the Black Pearl. And it is the way in which this theory changes a lot of our preconceived notions about Sparrow that makes it particularly brilliant as well as displaying more reason behind Sparrow’s reluctance to repay his debt to Davy Jones." ( https://paladone.com/blog/2017/07/10/great-fan-theories-part-4-game-thrones-marvels-avengers-pirates-caribbean/#:~:text=Jack%20Sparrows%20debt%20of%20100,hundred%20slaves%20with%20100%20souls. )

Angie
>>106545757

Oh yeah -- I can definitely see this theory. Makes a lot of sense, and I totally forgot that line.

Anonymous

I'd love to see you do a couple therapy with Will and Elizabeth. I'm interested in hearing what you think about them together. I absolutely loved this episode and love your channel!

Anonymous

I agree on the sequels being not so good... but that's okay because it's one of those formulas that is so "not good" that it is entertaining to watch... and that somehow makes them good (or more "fun to watch"). They're heavily carried by the acting and some writing moments. It takes a balance to make it work to where the audience loves the mediocrity. Pirates of Caribbean succeeds in this (most of the time).

Anonymous

I loved these movies (agree there are flaws, but I love them for more than Jack Sparrow). Like the 100 slave theory above, every time I watch them, I discover something new. This video was so fun! Also, my senior quote was "Thank goodness for that, cause if I wasn't, this would probably never work." Still resonates so much.

Amy Petty

To answer Jono's question: Yes, Jono, you could. Sorry Alan, but he totally could.

tropetweeter

I always liked the first three movies because while Jack is ostensibly the main character, he is the comic relief while everyone else is playing straight. Will and Elizabeth are the loving couple, Barbossa is the villain (or the Enemy Mine in the sequels), Gibbs is the loyal second, etc., but Jack is the one we have no idea about. In the fourth and fifth movies, he has to be the Hero more often, and not so much the Guile Hero of the first three because he’s the marquee character now, so he immediately becomes less interesting because we know what is expected of him as the Hero. Going to real life, we ABSOLUTELY don’t want Jack in our lives because he is charming as hell and emotionally manipulative and thinks he can keep winging it because it’s always worked before. I kept thinking of a certain spray-tanned former head of state who acts exactly the same way but with none of the redeeming qualities.

Anonymous

Let me tell you about the first time I watched the original movie...I didn't really know anything about it because I 'wasn't allowed' to watch it growing up. All I knew was Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow So when I finally got around to watching it....I had also just seen Lord of the Rings for the first time. And when Orlando Bloom gets on screen I went...'that looks like Legolas! I have to see if that is Legolas.' So I looked it up and when I had confirmed it I went...."Orlando Bloom...you're HOT too!" because in LOTR all I saw as Viggo Mortenson. Anyway...as much as I love Jack Sparrow...Will has my heart!!

Anonymous

I maintain that the post credit tease of Davy Jones was the best part of Dead Men Tell No Tales. Though the guilllotine and reunion scenes were good. Having trouble remembering anything that I liked about On Stranger Tides.

Anonymous

"The buckles have been swashed" is my new favorite line ever 😂

Cara

The first is a classic that can stand on its own, but I think the second is secretly my favorite to watch even if it's a mess. It's just such a fun, crazy time with stuff like Jack escaping the island sacrifice and the whole sequence where they fight over the chest. And I just love having Davy Jones in the mix. The third is definitely a LOT, but sometimes I still watch it just to finish off the story, then I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoy it. And yes to the best character intro ever! Tells you all you need to know, and it's hilarious.

Anonymous

The second one is a mess and I thought that when the third one came out it would all make sense and loose ends would be tied, etc etc... no need to say that the third one was just all over the place (to me at least)... so I never expected anything more from the saga... the first one is a masterpiece that I can still to this day quote almost entirely. I was that obsessed when it came out. One more thought, throughout all of my multiple views, I eventually started to consider the fact that Jack is always making what would seem like unethical choices at the time (like bargaining with Will's life) and things always end up working the way he intended which is never to harm others... it's just that he manipulates situations and people to ensure he gets what he wants without making it seem like he cares about others. I haven't watched them in a while, so I might need to check on my theory again to see if it holds up... hahaha :D

Anonymous

Really enjoyed this analysis! Considering Jack is a bit of a caricature, it leads me to think about how ASPD symptoms might manifest in the real world in average people who are not (usually) eccentric pirates running from sea monsters. And also leads me to wonder about creators writing characters - how often a medical/mental condition (e.g., ASPD) is intentionally written into the character design, compared with how often they just accidentally fit a set of symptoms - and whether you guys know which one applies each time you are making these videos.

Anonymous

I really appreciate the insight and discussion. Thank you for sharing this video. I feel like I understand the disorder better and I also enjoyed the process.. I can't wait to see the next video, I miss the fun flavored popcorn 🍿.

Anonymous
>>106543286

I do the live-commenting all the time... I actually did this yesterday when I started watching and then immediately realized that they said something addressing what I commented... haha

CinemaTherapy
>>106686758

Thanks for watching! We have a link in the YouTube video description for our Internet Dads Popcorn! ctpopcorn.com :)

Anonymous

I love believable but not super realistic characters. And I love characters that take unusual personality characteristics and make them work for them. I loved this analysis of Jack. But more than all of that I love the soundtrack (of the first movie. The others are just replicas) - it flows between styles, instruments, themes, and effects with reckless abandon and it actually works! It's one of my go-to work playlists.

Anonymous

you got it Jono

Anonymous
>>106559415

Jono was doing the Gilderest of Gilderoy Lockhart impressions there so much so that I almost expected the twinkle special effect. So yes, definitely charming. Lol

Anonymous

great video. 😭 no s

Anonymous

I watched Hans Zimmer’s MasterClass and he explains that when he was writing Jack Sparrow’s Theme he was watching what Johnny was doing. The theme starts a little romantic (because Zimmer believes Jack is a bit romantic deep down) then he goes heroic in the theme because Jack will have his moments when he starts to do the right thing, but then he makes it naughty because Jack will ultimately find a way to mess it up. It also drags on a bit because Jack gets stuck when he is trying to solve problems. He also got away with slipping in some sexuality into the theme because that is the character. I just loved Zimmer’s thought he put in this.

Anonymous

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Pearl If you read the backstory of Jack's ship, ironically it was originally a vessel that he was granted captaincy of by the East India Company but then asked to carry slaves, which he refused to do, and set 100 slaves free. This is how he was originally thrown in prison and branded (literally) a 'pirate.' His ship was then torched despite his best efforts, and his deal with Davy Jones which resurrected 'The Wicked Wench' as the still charred 'Black Pearl' is for 100 years of enslavement and 100 souls as a sick torture specifically because of the 100 slaves Jack freed. Fascinating context that really throws doubt on the diagnosis of his personality as anti-social and lends a deep level of subtext to his actions

Anonymous

I love all the movies except last which I just like. I'd say 4 and 5 lack will and elizabeth a lot though. I'd say they all have absolutely great villains I mean Barbossa(though as great as Barbossa is as villain he is even better as anti-hero), Davy Jones, Lord Beckett, Blackbeard, Salazar they all have some really menacing aspect and they choose perfect actors. Story has some stumbles but I'd say characters and interactions and individual scenes are still great. It's interesting how everyone can have quite different perspective. I don't want to be devil's advocate but many times it seems Jack is just acting and actually plans version where most of them gets what they want (he would be however be willing to discard that plan if he'd have to risk too much of his own well being). I think Jack cares more than he shows but he doesn't want to seem vulnerable so he acts like he doesn't care at all. I don't think he improvises all but he definitely says he does. It's jack you can never be sure with him. There is pretty cool deleted scene in third movie where it's explained he actually became pirate after he freed slaves he was transporting for Beckett. That's how he was branded. It's not canon of course since it's deleted, but it's also connected with his debt to Jones since he freed 100 slaves he owes Jones 100 souls. That said I never understood him not killing Jones as selfless, on the contrary I always felt he didn't do it because he was afraid of ending up like Jones even if he was immortal (many times in movie it's shown that it wouldn't really be great fun). I always thought this scene is him finding loophole again which makes him win but at the same time helps his friends. I think with Jack everything is left purposfully a bit unclear so we never know anything for sure. Whether he planned everything, whether he cared and whether he lies when he talks. BTW. Villain therapy for Davy Jones would be pretty cool. Must say I had experience with that inner anger after breakup and I identified with him more after that :-D