Interesting offering directed by opie taylor (Ron Howard).
Storyline is the year 1850.
Herman Melville, writer "Moby Dick" has paid to interview a survivor of the "Essex", an 1820 whaling ship.
From wikipedia.. "Essex was an American whaler from Nantucket, Massachusetts, launched in 1799. While under the command of Captain George Pollard, Jr., in 1820 a sperm whale attacked and sank her. The sinking stranded the twenty-man crew in the southern Pacific Ocean with little food and water. During the 95 days that the survivors were at sea, they ate the bodies of five crewmen who had died.
When that was insufficient, members of the crew drew lots to determine who they would sacrifice so that the others could live.
A total of seven crew members were cannibalized before the eight survivors were rescued. First mate Owen Chase and cabin boy Thomas Nickerson wrote accounts of their ordeal; these accounts inspired Herman Melville to write his famous 1851 novel Moby-Dick."
The movie is pretty much right on the money as far as the
historical account.
The seafaring aspects were interesting, the special effects were decent, not great. The chase, killing, butchering of a whale for its oil was pretty heart rendering.
Whale oil was, at the time, 1820, a source for lamp oil.
A decent sized whale would render 45-50 gallons.
A year long expedition, one ship, might supply 1500 gallons.
The math says that would take 30-45 whales, depending on size.
Nantucket was the center of the whaling industry.
There was great tension between the Capt and first mate throughout the movie. The Capt was in place strictly due to family ties, not experience.
The first mate was the salty one and was passed over for command.
After their rescue, there is a major inquisition, the Capt and First Mate due to insurance monetary concerns, must respond to an inquiry.
I won't tell the whole story, I rooted for the whale, it extracted serious revenge.:0corn
At the end of the movie, there is mention of an oil find...
"Imagine, oil coming out of the ground!" exclaims Thomas Nickerson..
Melville wrote Moby Dick based on the interview, it is worthy of a rental.
6 out of ten stars.
Storyline is the year 1850.
Herman Melville, writer "Moby Dick" has paid to interview a survivor of the "Essex", an 1820 whaling ship.
From wikipedia.. "Essex was an American whaler from Nantucket, Massachusetts, launched in 1799. While under the command of Captain George Pollard, Jr., in 1820 a sperm whale attacked and sank her. The sinking stranded the twenty-man crew in the southern Pacific Ocean with little food and water. During the 95 days that the survivors were at sea, they ate the bodies of five crewmen who had died.
When that was insufficient, members of the crew drew lots to determine who they would sacrifice so that the others could live.
A total of seven crew members were cannibalized before the eight survivors were rescued. First mate Owen Chase and cabin boy Thomas Nickerson wrote accounts of their ordeal; these accounts inspired Herman Melville to write his famous 1851 novel Moby-Dick."
The movie is pretty much right on the money as far as the
historical account.
The seafaring aspects were interesting, the special effects were decent, not great. The chase, killing, butchering of a whale for its oil was pretty heart rendering.
Whale oil was, at the time, 1820, a source for lamp oil.
A decent sized whale would render 45-50 gallons.
A year long expedition, one ship, might supply 1500 gallons.
The math says that would take 30-45 whales, depending on size.
Nantucket was the center of the whaling industry.
There was great tension between the Capt and first mate throughout the movie. The Capt was in place strictly due to family ties, not experience.
The first mate was the salty one and was passed over for command.
After their rescue, there is a major inquisition, the Capt and First Mate due to insurance monetary concerns, must respond to an inquiry.
I won't tell the whole story, I rooted for the whale, it extracted serious revenge.:0corn
At the end of the movie, there is mention of an oil find...
"Imagine, oil coming out of the ground!" exclaims Thomas Nickerson..
Melville wrote Moby Dick based on the interview, it is worthy of a rental.
6 out of ten stars.
