I'm with you all the way (except, I'm sorry to say, on the point of Tia Dalma being Jack's mother, although I have to admit it would be fascinating).
But as to everything else: Yes! I've always felt this way about Elizabeth's dress, from the first second I thought of it, and it's nice to see it stated so clearly and explicitly. Ted and Terry, the writers, say in their commentary for the "Curse" DVD that the movie is, ultimately, a story about a dress, which I seriously love. And it is, absolutely. "Chest" is also a story about a dress, although to a lesser extent. But if Elizabeth didn't have the dress to use as the "ghost," she wouldn't have gotten to Tortuga (obviously she would've found another way, but, shh), Jack wouldn't have picked up Norrington, and therefor wouldn't have lost the heart to him.
But more than the movie being abour a single dress, I think both of the "Pirates" movies are about clothes. Maybe it's because I'm obsessed with clothes and costuming myself, but I feel like there are a lot of themes of appearances and masks in the "Pirates" films that are all linked to clothing. Jack plays things closer to the vest and Elizabeth's clothes kick off the events of the film, Bootstrap fashions a pretty malevolent piece of cursed currency into a piece of jewelry, Davy Jones and Tia Dalma have musical lockets, Pintel and Ragetti dress in drag, Norrington's clothes mirror his descent into his own personal hell, Barbossa is swayed by Jack's offer to buy him a hat, and Will--silly Will, and silly Elizabeth for going along with it--believes that dressing up like Errol Flynn will actually make him a pirate. But one can't entirely blame him, because in the "Pirates" universe, people's dress reflects their personalities, which is, really the mark of a god movie crew, but never mind.
And I love how Elizabeth totally doesn't get that she can't have it both ways in "Chest." She thinks she can give up her accepted role as a women and still play those old womanly tricks. And I have this feeling that Jack hits it on the head when he says, "It should be a dress or nothing." Because, as tricksy and tough as Elizabeth is, she doesn't want to be a man in a man's world. She ultimately wants to be a woman in a man's world, and have all the power that goes along with that, although, admittedly, she'd prefer if she didn't have to wear those stupid corsets.
I also love your point about Norrington's permissiveness. I'd never thought about it, but it's true: Someone else would've kept her closeted away until she had something appropriately feminine to wear, but Norrington recognizes the need for practicality. And I agree with you, I think Norrington really would've made Elizabeth a good husband, for his part of the bargain. The problem was never with him, it was with Elizabeth not being able to see his good qualities, and if she were more mature, I think they'd make a very good match.
On a random note, if you really want to trace the chain of blame back even further, you could theoretically blame Governer Swann for kicking off the events of the movie (and for ruining Norrington's life). If he hadn't surprised Elizabeth that moring, she probably would have taken off the necklace eventually and gone on with her day.
Tia Dalma: I'd be happiest if we didn't find out one way or another. I won't cry bitter tears if Tia is not Jack's mother, but it would be so very interesting if she was. It would also explain a lot about Jack. :-)
Also: If the writers continue with the Star Wars themes, there will be scene where Jack finds out Barbossa is his father. *laughs* Nah, I like my Tia theory way better!
You make excellent points about everyone's clothing! The filmcrew really put a lot of thoughts into the costumes. I'm totally impressed.
Elizabeth has a preformed picture of Norrington and he never did much to change her opinion. Elizabeth wants excitement, she wants pirates or rather to be a pirate. Norrington as professional pirate hunter kind of ruins her dreams. But after DMC all characters have to reassess their opinions.
Regarding Swann: Of course, you can argue that she would have fainted anyway and would at least have met Jack that way. Nah, the fault lies with the dress. *g*
p.s. Do you know if there are icons of the dress? Sinking or playing ghost? I'd love to have a dress icon.
But as to everything else: Yes! I've always felt this way about Elizabeth's dress, from the first second I thought of it, and it's nice to see it stated so clearly and explicitly. Ted and Terry, the writers, say in their commentary for the "Curse" DVD that the movie is, ultimately, a story about a dress, which I seriously love. And it is, absolutely. "Chest" is also a story about a dress, although to a lesser extent. But if Elizabeth didn't have the dress to use as the "ghost," she wouldn't have gotten to Tortuga (obviously she would've found another way, but, shh), Jack wouldn't have picked up Norrington, and therefor wouldn't have lost the heart to him.
But more than the movie being abour a single dress, I think both of the "Pirates" movies are about clothes. Maybe it's because I'm obsessed with clothes and costuming myself, but I feel like there are a lot of themes of appearances and masks in the "Pirates" films that are all linked to clothing. Jack plays things closer to the vest and Elizabeth's clothes kick off the events of the film, Bootstrap fashions a pretty malevolent piece of cursed currency into a piece of jewelry, Davy Jones and Tia Dalma have musical lockets, Pintel and Ragetti dress in drag, Norrington's clothes mirror his descent into his own personal hell, Barbossa is swayed by Jack's offer to buy him a hat, and Will--silly Will, and silly Elizabeth for going along with it--believes that dressing up like Errol Flynn will actually make him a pirate. But one can't entirely blame him, because in the "Pirates" universe, people's dress reflects their personalities, which is, really the mark of a god movie crew, but never mind.
And I love how Elizabeth totally doesn't get that she can't have it both ways in "Chest." She thinks she can give up her accepted role as a women and still play those old womanly tricks. And I have this feeling that Jack hits it on the head when he says, "It should be a dress or nothing." Because, as tricksy and tough as Elizabeth is, she doesn't want to be a man in a man's world. She ultimately wants to be a woman in a man's world, and have all the power that goes along with that, although, admittedly, she'd prefer if she didn't have to wear those stupid corsets.
I also love your point about Norrington's permissiveness. I'd never thought about it, but it's true: Someone else would've kept her closeted away until she had something appropriately feminine to wear, but Norrington recognizes the need for practicality. And I agree with you, I think Norrington really would've made Elizabeth a good husband, for his part of the bargain. The problem was never with him, it was with Elizabeth not being able to see his good qualities, and if she were more mature, I think they'd make a very good match.
On a random note, if you really want to trace the chain of blame back even further, you could theoretically blame Governer Swann for kicking off the events of the movie (and for ruining Norrington's life). If he hadn't surprised Elizabeth that moring, she probably would have taken off the necklace eventually and gone on with her day.
Anyway. Yes. I'm with you here.
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Also: If the writers continue with the Star Wars themes, there will be scene where Jack finds out Barbossa is his father. *laughs* Nah, I like my Tia theory way better!
You make excellent points about everyone's clothing! The filmcrew really put a lot of thoughts into the costumes. I'm totally impressed.
Elizabeth has a preformed picture of Norrington and he never did much to change her opinion. Elizabeth wants excitement, she wants pirates or rather to be a pirate. Norrington as professional pirate hunter kind of ruins her dreams. But after DMC all characters have to reassess their opinions.
Regarding Swann: Of course, you can argue that she would have fainted anyway and would at least have met Jack that way. Nah, the fault lies with the dress. *g*
p.s. Do you know if there are icons of the dress? Sinking or playing ghost? I'd love to have a dress icon.
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