Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Appreciation Post

[Rudyard]

Rudyard, so right, a KILLER movie, well done! we are all MONDAY MORNING QUARTER BACKS, setting on our couch! toot.

Dear Toot Iv'e no idea what a quarter back is but presume its some US football game, I tend to dismiss rugby players as" Muddied oafs at the goal" same as the original Rudyard did .
Regards Rudyard

 

[tenngun]

The only movie that I know which follows the book is "Cool Hand Luke"

True Grit, both, Woe to live on( Ride with the Devil, ) Outlaw Josie Wales stayed pretty true to the Book, almost as close was LOR and Hobbit.

 

[toot]

Dear Toot Iv'e no idea what a quarter back is but presume its some US football game, I tend to dismiss rugby players as" Muddied oafs at the goal" same as the original Rudyard did .
Regards Rudyard

Rudyard, it is a guy that says, if they had done it this way that I wanted them to do it, the out come would have been different. like he had any input after the end of the game. a BRAGIDO. a COUCH POTATO! hope this helps? toot.

 

[toot]

Dear Toot Iv'e no idea what a quarter back is but presume its some US football game, I tend to dismiss rugby players as" Muddied oafs at the goal" same as the original Rudyard did .
Regards Rudyard

a NOW IT ALL, they should have done it my way and the outcome would have been different. like he would have had any input.

 

[Artificer]

I've watched the movie over a dozen times. Love Russell Crowe as an actor. LOVED them showing the duties of the Midshipmen as that's almost never seen in movies to anywhere close to that degree.

LOVED their use of boarding axes. There may have been a few too many times the steels (frizzens) on the pistols were forward, BUT I would not doubt some of that happened in the period both from inexperience of use by common sailors and "the fog of war" where one can do some STUPID things (myself, included) and if lucky, live to tell about it.

However, I wish the Royal Marine Officer actor had been a bit less "portly."

Gus

 

[11Bravo]

I dont mean to name drop here but Russ Crowe is a personal mate of mine, often stayed at our mountain retreat over the years; Russ was very keen on producing a HBO series follow up to "Master and Commander".

Since Russell is a mate of yours, can he play the violin as he does in the film? I really liked his part in Gladiator as well.

 

[Mad L]

The red scarf and slops I have came from the Master and Comander costume annex some years ago. I was lucky enough to rummage through two whole annexes of their wardrobe but most was all to small for me to fit into!
I went back a few weeks later hoping to buy some of the headgear (a Huge box of it) and some of the native bead necklaces but was told the whole lot had just been shipped out for some (back then) upcoming movie...they would not tell me 'what' movie.
But, I still have two items!

 

[Tom A Hawk]

Since Russell is a mate of yours, can he play the violin as he does in the film? I really liked his part in Gladiator as well.

His bowing looked pretty good but the fingering not so much.

 

[BullRunBear]

Crowe took violin lessons for three months before filming began so he would be credible playing. I wonder if he stayed with it.

The movie is great; one of my favorites. I wish they had made more of the series.
Jeff

 

[Coinneach]

Since Russell is a mate of yours, can he play the violin as he does in the film? I really liked his part in Gladiator as well.

I mentioned it on an earlier post, Russ could have welshed out with a stand-in Violin player but didnt, thats how ethical he is even in real life. He actually wanted to play the Adagio himself and worked hard at mastering it.

We met quite by chance over 10 years ago when I recognised his voice in a Brisbane Pub; he wore a Beach hat and wrap around sunglasses at the time; its an interesting story.
Once he'd visited our property up on the Great Dividing Range enjoying the solitude, Horses and Wildlife he wanted to stay over whenever; he's easy company and humble despite the fame thing.
When we're sitting around an open fire sippin the silly soup, he comes out with some funny anecdotes about the different people and what went on when movies were made; I'd never make them public though.

 

[Coinneach]

Dear Toot Iv'e no idea what a quarter back is but presume its some US football game, I tend to dismiss rugby players as" Muddied oafs at the goal" same as the original Rudyard did .
Regards Rudyard

I'm with you mate, Rugby is about speed and brute strength; one only has to listen to Player interviews to realise most of them arent that bright really.

 

[Coinneach]

Rudyard, it is a guy that says, if they had done it this way that I wanted them to do it, the out come would have been different. like he had any input after the end of the game. a BRAGIDO. a COUCH POTATO! hope this helps? toot.

Hey Toot, did you know that an Aussie 10 cent Coin is so close to an America Quarter coin in diameter, weight and thickness; it can used in American and Canadian vending machines !

We used to take bags of them with us whenever we visited the States.

 

[vibraphonusrex]

Saw this post, and had to watch it again! Great movie!

 

[Coinneach]

Saw this post, and had to watch it again! Great movie!

Yep, its one of those to keep in a classic collection, it just keeps drawing you back in.

 

[toot]

Hey Toot, did you know that an Aussie 10 cent Coin is so close to an America Quarter coin in diameter, weight and thickness; it can used in American and Canadian vending machines !

We used to take bags of them with us whenever we visited the States.

no I did not know that. as I have never encountered any of them. good to know. I do know that in the early 60's to use pay Fones, BTW, they are in the SMITHSONITION MUSEAUM NOW, it required a nickel to use them so we would drill a hole in it and attach a piece of monofilament fish line to it and after dropping it in would retrieve it back for the next call!

 

[docmel]

Most viewers of the movie tend to miss how ingenious the ship engineers were at the time: Patching up a ship before and after a battle must have been quite the battle as well

And yes, discipline was brutal and immediate as seen

 

[tenngun]

After capture of Macedonian by United States the Americans spent three weeks repairing her at sea enough to get her back to port
For the next few years the captain fought with the war department for prize money. The rules were a captured ship the same size was paid at full amount while a smaller capture was paid at 50% value
Macedonian was rated at 38 guns ( it had 44 on board) and United States was a 44( it ad sixty on board
The argument ran that the British had built 44s and even 50s as frigates but preferred 38s the
38 British frigate was the ‘same size’ as an American 44. Added that British guns and powder was so superior to American guns and powder that an American has to have a 44 to be equal to a British 38
The navy didn’t agree
In spite of repairs made Macedonian quickly after the war became unseaworthy and was ‘refit’
The refit was in fact creating a whole new ship from keel up that was a perfect copy of the origanal. For a short time the Navy carried two Macedonians on the books. The hulk and the one on the ways. After launching the hulk was broke up and sold.
The new Macedonian was such a perfect copy that a visiting British officer was invited aboard, that he entertained American officer and the ladies with stories of his experience at his action station. He did not know he was on a whole new ship.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Of course, we all should know that in the book the movie is based on, the "French" ship that Cap'n Jack was chasing over the Pacific was an American Ship during the War of 1812.

 

[granth]

Of course, we all should know that in the book the movie is based on, the "French" ship that Cap'n Jack was chasing over the Pacific was an American Ship during the War of 1812.

If I remember correctly, The Acheron is based off the USS Constitution correct?

 

[tenngun]

If I remember correctly, The Acheron is based off the USS Constitution correct?

Yes, or the Three 44s that were all built at that same time. The model in the movie shows the almost touching frames/ ribs of the ship. That close together was a feature of ships of the line. Frigates were made lighter, and frames thinner. That’s why the master calls her ‘almost a ship of the line’