the Dalaverse

Running through my old saved entries, I came upon this collection of notes about DMC I jotted down during SitS and right after. They're not really coherent, but there were some impressions I still find interesting and a bit that made it into the actual meta later. (Most of this is in sentence fragments, so I've expanded on those.)

The air condition is fixed! ::stretches::




Hokay, I'm trying to figure out where to start here. I think I actually have to do an outline. This is the dorkiest review evar

...Not working. Keep staring at the computer chewing my lip.

Hokay, part two: this is the second movie in a trilogy. I think that's the most important thing to remember in terms of plot, pacing and characterization. Out of all the trilogies I've seen, it reminds me most of 'The Empire Strikes Back (aside from the obvious daddy issues)': the ending is a serious cliffhanger, it's the darkest (or I'm sure it will prove to be so once we see the final installment), and it is when the characters have to face up to the consequences of their actions/sins.

I pretty much restated this elsewhere, but yeah.

--re: the extreme darkness: this is not left field. Remember the 'Waste not, want not' line? That's your darkness right there. It's not as pervasive as it is the second film, but in the second one, that's simply where the characters are. And also, you let that line sit for awhile and tell me it's not as dark as Bill flogging Will or Elizabeth killing Jack. Well, maybe not quite as dark as that last one.

Addendum: Elizabeth's reaction when she sees Barbossa. Yeah.

--Will. Oh, Will. I love how we get to see how he's matured and how the man he is now interacts with every single person in the movie. CoPB was really Will's journey -- he comes out the most changed, and in this movie he is so confident in himself and his abilities, his nature, etc. (I'm thinking challenging Davy Jones to dice, the whole 'I won't abandon you, DADDY WHO LEFT ME' thing, when he just kind of hangs onto Elizabeth after they kiss on the island -- basically all those many moments that made me sink down in my seat and melt with the OMFGness of it all).

::nods:: Uh-huh, uh-huh.

This is also why Jack's casual bad treatment of Will doesn't really bother me. Yes, Jack leaves Will with Davy Jones on the Flying Dutchman, the heartless bastard -- but what has Will done thus far? To use Jack's own words, he's ... Jack doesn't expect Will to get out of this mess himself; he expects Will to be able to handle himself until he, Jack fixes everything.

I think I was going to quote and add to the whole 'sprung a man from jail' monologue at that ellipsis. And I still stand by the second part. Really, it's a mark of Jack's trust in Will that he doesn't think Will will fuck it up on the Dutchman (and lo, he does not).

New things second viewing:

(also third)

Elizabeth-graveyard-marriage uncertainties; ambiguity of playing with ring/Norrington meaning Will --> Jack, disappointment after Jack doesn't kiss her; Elizabeth's moment after Jack's moment (clinging to legs)

The first bit got stuck in the Elizabeth meta. As for the second, it refers to the moment after the 'Persuade me' scene when Norrington approaches Elizabeth; sinister_beauty, laurelin_kit and I were discussing the possibility that Elizabeth could have been twisting her engagement ring while she grinned to herself and that Norrington might have meant Will rather than Jack as the man she was thinking about, while Elizabeth assumed he was talking about Jack. On subsequent viewing, there was definitely no ring and it's pretty obvious Norrington was talking about Jack, but it was a fun idea nonetheless. For the last bit, I loved the juxtaposition of each 'you're going to want it' moment: Elizabeth's piratical choice falling just after, and as a consequence of, Jack's honourable action.

Wheel O Willington! Norrington a. starts fight and b. attacks Will first

Ahem. Some buried resentment/attraction, anyone? Of course Will is the one with the key, but I think the point still stands.

Parallels: sand in face, Jack/Elizabeth face to face, Elizabeth watching over Will

That would be visual echoes of shots in the first film: Jack spraying Will with chocolate powder sand/Norrington kicking sand in his face (poor baby!), Jack and Elizabeth with the manacles and the sneering and the in-your-face on the dock/Elizabeth chaining Jack to the mast; Will coming to under Elizabeth's eye as a boy/as a man.

Beckett's/Norrington's office: map probably on wall, ground floor, porch, fireplace, globe, huge desk, paintings, books

This was just me taking mental notes on what was in said office, for ficcing purposes. I'm no longer totally convinced that it's Norrington's office -- could go either way -- but how much do you want to bet it's some of Norrington's things anyway?

Tia Dalma: betel nut (?) = black teeth and bloodshot eyes; tattoos, old, is Davy Jones' woman (locket = music box = chest; Kit); 'Not as well as ye think;' chest has letters (tied w/lace), dried yellow roses (symbolism!), string of (white) pearls

sinister_beauty mentioned that she and doolabug had talked about the chewing of betel nut by seers to induce visions; when I Wiki'd it, I learned that the actual betel nut would turn one's teeth red rather than black, but Tia Dalma using some similar kind of plant/substance is now my personal canon. laurelin_kit was the first person I heard the locket/music box connection from, and we then discovered the same heart shape on the chest. If Tia Dalma isn't the woman in the story, she's certainly connected in some significant way. 'Not as well as ye think' could be a indication that her loyalty is questionable. And lastly, an observation of things found in the chest. I meant to look up flower symbolism, and now I have: the yellow rose symbolizes dying love and platonic love, and also jealousy and infidelity in German-speaking countries. Which, except for the platonic, is all extremely appropriate. I love you, Ted and Terry.

Will's necklace! made by (young?) Elizabeth (Lin, Rachel, Kit, me)

The four of us were having a post-movie squee session and pondering the nature of the necklace Will wears. I firmly believe it's from Elizabeth, and I'm particularly tickled by the idea that it's something she made as a child.

Will sniffing the dress w/o scent

On Bellamy's ship, he raises Elizabeth's dress to his face and inhales, then drops it very quickly with a sort of disgusted look. My interpretation: a. what an idiot I am for thinking it would still smell like her after it's been at sea and handled by these guys, and b. of course she didn't stay put in that cell where I left her.

Definitely some kind of sexing

That's Will and Elizabeth. Something physical has happened in the interim, full sex or not. It's just in all the little ways they touch each other.

Will looking pleased w/self after stealing key, like Jack

Pretty self-explanatory. That expression is pure Jack Sparrow.

Tia Dalma's island = cannibal island

Gibbs and Jack discuss sailing upriver before they've gotten away from Cannibal Island, therefore I don't see what other river they could possibly be talking about. Also (and I think I put this in a comment somewhere, but I don't know if I posted it here) I could buy that they were there looking for Tia Dalma initially when they were intercepted by the Pelegostos. Perhaps they were forced to stop on the wrong side of the island by tide or weather, or Jack just couldn't risk sailing to the proper side.

DJ looks like Bill Nighy; weight and weightlessness of tentacles

The Dutchman crew on the whole leaves me cold, but the work on Davy Jones is infuckingcredible. He has so many facial tics of Bill Nighy's, and his tentacles are masterful bits of work: they look at the same time like they've got weight and like they're floating underwater. That's some good effects, that is.

Double shot of Barbossa's boots/monkey attraction/Rachel hat; Pintel and Ragetti seem to look

There were multiple shots of The Boots; sinister_beauty noted that the hat Jack is playing with looks an awful lot like Barbossa's; Pintel and Ragetti seem to look extra-hard at where the monkey is drawn.

OT3s: Gibbs/Cotton/Marty, Elizabeth/Pintel/Ragetti

The first: clearly an unstable threesome, lots of shots of two of them together with one on the outs (including Marty and Cotton invading each other's hammockspace). The second: Oh, come on. They get their own threesome swordfight too! And they're working together, not apart! And then the guys save her from the kraken!

Jack taking the helm from Gibbs

Love that moment. Love it.

Challenge topic: what two cannibal ladies said about Jack

'Qua-neef-neef?' 'Aboogie.' What was that, ladies?

Definitely heart of DJ, because beating

I could buy that Norrington is duping Beckett, but honestly, I don't think it's that likely.

Is Tripoli because across Atlantic line; hurricane fic!

Whoooo!

Will so fucking hot I can't stand it

Well, yeah.

Jack clocks Will with oar for revenge!

And also because he's about to open the chest and discover how the heart's not so much present, but still: Hee.

Jack is not as smart as he thinks he is; there is no opportune moment

I covered that at length in the Jack meta chapter.

Bill is fucking stupid

Giving Davy Jones a chance to manipulate both of them by revealing Will is his son, then fucking up the dice game (as per the brilliant analysis of that scene that went around fandom a few weeks ago). Dumb! Ass! That's stupider than anything Will's ever done!

Elizabeth jumps behind Will when pulls sword on Jack

Declaring her loyalty. And then throws a wobbler when he tells her to stay with the chest, which: of course.

James and Elizabeth fight side by side twice

In the tavern, and again at the boat, when they're escaping Jones's men. Hmmmm. Veeeeery interesting.

"Here you go" -- Steve moment

When Norrington tosses HermitCrabHead the chest, Jack Dav's delivery is totally Steve, and I love it.

Getting off ship no help

When the kraken attacks, Will (knowing full well the kraken's after black-marked Jack, and being the only one who's seen it in action) says they need to get off the ship -- this reinforces my theory that the kraken will most definitely take down the Pearl before it goes after Jack, and that therefore Jack is trying to save his own skin rather than draw it off (also note that it comes back for its second, post-broadside attack while Jack is some distance away in the boat; it doesn't immediately follow him). Yes, the kraken is ultimately after Jack, but it's a ship-killer and it's not going to give up a prize just to get him. Elizabeth, when she chains Jack, clearly disagrees. This is what I take from the difference: from Will's POV, once they're on land it doesn't matter, he doesn't intend to return to the sea. Elizabeth? Thinking ahead as to how they're to get home, assuming they won't be parting company from Jack...and therefore Jack needs to go, whether or not they can make it to land.

"Oh my god!" rum pirate

When Will orders Gibbs to use the rum, you can clearly hear one of the crew shriek, "Oh my god!" It's awesome

Catholic sailor

Is my new favorite minor character. Why? 'I'll take my chances, sir.' I'll take my chances, sir.

Slo-mo Jack's feet

Staying planted as the Pearl's deck rolls upon the kraken's final approach. Oh, Jack.

Rings?

This is in reference to one of my niggles -- when Jack is trying to free himself from the shackle, he doesn't take his rings off. This is, seriously, the biggest suspension of disbelief the movie asks of me. He's like the racoon they talk about in Where the Red Fern Grows, that gets attracted to a trap by bits of tinfoil and would be free if only he'd turn the shiny loose. Only, at this point I really don't think Jack wouldn't let go. My only consolation is, when I watched the scene veeeery closely, there are some shots where it looks like the rings are sliding off, even though they're on when he gets free, so I think it might just be an editing mishap.

Elizabeth yes, Will aye

Everyone, Will included, says 'aye' to Tia Dalma's question of whether they're willing to rescue Jack -- but Elizabeth says 'yes.' This, my friends, is Significant, and it is Clever Writing and Subtle Delivery.