The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! |
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British theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Peter Lord |
| Produced by |
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| Screenplay by | Gideon Defoe |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Theodore Shapiro |
| Cinematography | Frank Passingham |
| Editing by | Justin Krish |
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| Distributed by |
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| Release date(s) | 28 March 2012 (United Kingdom) 27 April 2012 (United States) |
| Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $55 million |
| Money made | $123 million |
The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! is a fun 2012 animated movie. It was made by British studio Aardman Animations and American studio Sony Pictures Animation. In some places like North America, it was called The Pirates! Band of Misfits.
This film uses a special technique called stop motion animation. This means characters are physical models moved slightly and photographed frame by frame. It's like taking many pictures of a toy and then playing them fast to make it look like it's moving! The movie is based on a book by Gideon Defoe. It tells the story of a group of pirates who are not very good at pirating. They try to win a big competition called Pirate of the Year.
The movie was directed by Peter Lord. It was released in the United Kingdom in March 2012 and in the United States in April 2012. Many famous actors lent their voices to the characters. These include Hugh Grant, Martin Freeman, Imelda Staunton, and David Tennant. The Pirates! was Aardman Animations' fifth full-length movie. It was their first stop motion film since Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit in 2005. The film was well-liked by critics and earned $123 million worldwide. It was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature!
Contents
Pirate Adventures: The Story of the Film
The story begins in 1837. Queen Victoria of England believes she rules all the oceans. But there's one problem: pirates! She really doesn't like them.
The Pirate Captain's Big Dream
Our main character is the Pirate Captain. He's not the best pirate, but he leads a loyal, quirky crew. They want to become famous pirates. To prove themselves, the Captain decides to enter the Pirate of the Year competition. The winner is the pirate who can collect the most treasure.
Meeting Charles Darwin and a Special Pet
The Captain and his crew try to plunder many ships, but they don't have much luck. Then, they find a ship called the Beagle. On board is a famous scientist, Charles Darwin. Darwin notices the crew's pet "parrot," Polly. He realizes Polly is not a parrot at all! She is actually the very last dodo bird.
Darwin suggests they enter Polly in the Scientist of the Year competition. This contest is held at the Royal Society of London. He thinks they could win a valuable prize. But Darwin has a secret plan. He wants to steal Polly himself. He hopes to impress Queen Victoria, whom he likes very much. His smart chimpanzee, Mr. Bobo, helps him.
A Disguise and a Royal Meeting
The pirates dress up as scientists to enter the competition. Polly the dodo wins the top prize! However, the prize is just small trinkets and a chance to meet the Queen. The Pirate Captain hides Polly before meeting the Queen.
During the meeting, Queen Victoria asks the Pirate Captain to give Polly to her. She wants Polly for her royal petting zoo. The Pirate Captain refuses. He accidentally reveals that he is a pirate! The Queen, who hates pirates, orders him to be executed. But Darwin steps in. He secretly tells the Queen that only the Captain knows where Polly is. So, the Queen pardons the Pirate Captain. She orders Darwin to find Polly.
Polly's Capture and a Tough Choice
Darwin takes the Pirate Captain to a tavern. He tricks the Captain into revealing that Polly is hidden in his beard. Darwin and Mr. Bobo then steal Polly. A chase leads them to the Tower of London, where the Queen is waiting.
The Queen dismisses Darwin. She offers the Pirate Captain a huge amount of money for Polly. This money would guarantee his win as Pirate of the Year. The Captain accepts the offer. He returns to his crew, telling them Polly is still safe.
The Pirate of the Year Ceremony
At the Pirate of the Year ceremony, the Pirate Captain wins the grand prize! But then, a rival pirate, Black Bellamy, reveals the Queen's pardon. He explains that if the Captain was pardoned, he's no longer a pirate. This means he can't be Pirate of the Year.
The Captain loses his prize, treasure, and pirate license. He is banished from Blood Island. He then admits to his crew that he lost Polly. His crew is very upset and leaves him.
Rescuing Polly and a Big Battle
The Captain returns to London to rescue Polly. He reunites with Darwin. They learn that the Queen plans to eat Polly! She is part of a secret society that feasts on rare animals. Polly is likely on the Queen's ship, the QV1.
The Pirate Captain and Darwin team up. They steal an airship to fly to the QV1. Meanwhile, Mr. Bobo finds the Captain's crew to get their help.
On the QV1, the Queen tries to kill the Pirate Captain and Darwin. But the Captain's crew and Mr. Bobo arrive to help! They fight the Queen. During the battle, they accidentally mix baking soda and vinegar. This causes a huge reaction that splits the ship in half! The pirates make up with each other. The Pirate Captain rescues Polly, and they escape safely. The furious Queen is left behind.
Because of the huge bounty on his head (100,000 doubloons!), the Pirate Captain's reputation is restored. He is back to being a pirate! He and his crew continue their adventures on the high seas.
After the Adventure
In some short scenes after the credits:
- Darwin is left on the Galápagos Islands.
- Mr. Bobo joins the Pirate Captain's crew.
- The Queen is left with the rare animals she wanted to eat.
- Black Bellamy loses his Pirate of the Year trophy.
- The crew gives the Pirate Captain a homemade Pirate of the Year trophy.
Meet the Voices: The Cast of the Film
Many talented actors gave their voices to the characters in The Pirates!. Here are some of them:
- Hugh Grant as the Pirate Captain
- Martin Freeman as the Pirate with a Scarf (also known as Number Two)
- Imelda Staunton as Queen Victoria
- David Tennant as Charles Darwin
- Jeremy Piven as Black Bellamy
- Salma Hayek as Cutlass Liz
- Lenny Henry as Peg-Leg Hastings
- Brian Blessed as Pirate King
- Russell Tovey as Albino Pirate (UK version)
- Anton Yelchin as Albino Pirate (US version)
- Brendan Gleeson as Pirate with Gout
- Ashley Jensen as Surprisingly Curvaceous Pirate
- Ben Whitehead as Pirate Who Likes Sunsets and Kittens (UK version)
- Al Roker as Pirate Who Likes Sunsets and Kittens (US version)
What About a Sequel?
Aardman Animations had ideas for a second Pirates! movie. By 2012, they even had a story ready! They hoped Sony would help make it. Sadly, Sony decided not to support the project. This was because the first movie didn't earn quite enough money around the world.
Director Peter Lord was excited for more adventures. He even said they had a poster for a movie called The Pirates! In an Adventure with Cowboys!. It sounds like it would have been a lot of fun!
See also
In Spanish: The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! para niños
