National Geographic: Blackbeard - Terror at Sea (2006)

Go inside the cunning mind of a charming criminal genius as National Geographic tells the dramatic story of this fearsome pirate who preyed on Caribbean trade routes. Blackbeard: Terror at Sea charts the exploits of Englishman Edward Teach an intelligent and charismatic leader who confounded the powers of England and Virginia as he overtook and pillaged 40 ships in two years stealing hidden cargo and precious exports to and from the Caribbean. Featuring sea chases cannon battles and swordplay Blackbeard: Terror at Sea provides an exciting dramatization of one of the most notorious men in American history.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 727994751595 Manufacturer No: G75159 Product Description

Blackbeard: As Close As We Will Get!

I bought this because I am presently obsessed with pirates. I expected the usual workmanlike documentary on Blackbeard, the most notorious pirate. What a surprise! It's almost a real movie! Most of the film is a drama, very movie-like, surprisingly well cast and wonderfully produced with high quality sets, costumes. It was so much better than I expected. While many docu-dramas splice in some dialogue, this runs for many minutes of dramatic scenes that are as good as or better than many made to the purpose dramatic movies. Blackbeard is very beleivable, has real menacing but human presence and the use of the Mate's character as the narrator works very well indeed. The acting is not the wooden line speaking so often found in these sorts of things but beleivable dialogue. This could have actually been expanded to be a feature length historical drama! Blackbeard's portrayal rang true for me and the treatment of his last wife is decidedly adult-cable TV! I want more! August 12, 2008

Entertaining, but...

I was a little dismayed to learn that this production did not portray the facts as accurately as is possible. The film itself is very good and kept my attention, and after it was over it had interested me enough to want to know more about Blackbeard. So I did some research, and that's when I learned that what I had just seen was not necessarily how it happened...

For one, in this film Blackbeard is shown always operating on his own, on one ship, when in fact he often had a mini-flotilla of three or four vessels. Another surprise was that his famous flagship, Queen Anne's Revenge, was run aground in North Carolina (some say intentionally). Somehow the film failed to mention this seemingly important event.

The story is told through the eyes of Israel Hands, Blackbeard's 2nd-in-command. That much is true, for Hands was part of the crew, but the film does not mention that Hands actually captained another ship in Blackbeard's group; furthermore, the film shows Blackbeard deliberately wounding Hands to save him from a coming battle, while the historical account of the incident is that Blackbeard shot at another sailor, missed him, and the bullet found Hands by chance. Blackbeard's reason for shooting? "That if he did not now and then kill one of them, they would forget who he was." This is hardly the same reason for shooting as the film portrays.

Lastly, and rather disturbingly, the film shows Blackbeard bringing his new wife to his ship (after a brief attempt at retirement) and allowing his crew to gang-rape her; the voice-over in the film states "she was never heard from again." While I suppose that a corrupt individual like Blackbeard was certainly capable of such an act, I could find no historical reference or basis for it. In fact, if anything, it appears he was more of a "ladies' man" and, according to author Robert Lee "few pirates treated women or girls with greater respect than he..." Given that, it's puzzling why this film would portray Blackbeard authorizing such a heinous crime.

The sad part is, I really enjoyed the film and thought it was well done. It was only after I did some research that I learned the film does not do the best job in presenting history as it happened. I give it 3 stars for entertainment value, but it loses two for playing "fast and loose" with some of the facts. July 20, 2008

National Geographic: Blackbeard - Terror at Sea

National Geographic: Blackbeard - Terror at Sea is THE BEST DVD I have ever seen on Edward Teach!! I have watched it over and over and over... it is absolutely THE best pirate DVD I have seen to date (besides Disney's POTC movies which are fictional)!! THIS IS A MUST FOR ALL PIRATE FANS!! Kudos to National Geographic for this one! July 18, 2008

ha ha

Ha Ha the English version runs at 120 minuets
Not 100% accurate but the most to hit the screen!
Just wish they'd release the Ty Unwin score :-(
If your a fan of either Pirates/Blackbeard or Mr Purefoy, Stop reading & buy! March 21, 2008

Interesting

This was quite informative, true to the National Geographic tradition. But the fifth star is drop because I felt that it should have a bit more details of the Pirate life. But all in all I thought that it was worth watching. February 20, 2007

More reviews at Amazon.com ...