NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Anybody recognize the whaleship?
From: Lu Abel
Date: 2014 Dec 26, 23:46 +0000
From: Lu Abel
Date: 2014 Dec 26, 23:46 +0000
Thanks, Frank. In fact, the Wikipedia entry mentions the Phoenix's appearance in In the Heart of the Sea, the film in question. And she certainly looks like the ship in the trailer. I share your worry about the quality of the film, given at least the highly exaggerated size of the whale. The story of the Essex is real, why does it need to be exaggerated so badly???
From: Frank Reed <NoReply_FrankReed@fer3.com>
To: luabel@ymail.com
Sent: Thursday, December 25, 2014 2:16 PM
Subject: [NavList] Re: Anybody recognize the whaleship?
Lu, I believe the whaleship "actor" is the Phoenix of Dell Quay. This small 'tall ship' was originally built in Denmark in 1929, but it has been rebuilt several times for movies. A few years back, it looked like the Santa Maria. It is now restored to a more traditional appearance. One might ask, "why not hire the Charles W. Morgan? It's a real whaleship." The Morgan, though it is certainly authentic and seaworthy now, is too big for the part (and also too valuable). The Essex was built around 1800. It was about two-thirds the size of the Morgan by most measures. The Phoenix is about the right size and creates the proper impression of a relatively fragile vessel. A goldfish with a grudge could have sunk the Essex (well, a forty-foot goldfish, maybe...). A later whaleship, like the Morgan, would have survived the whale's attack, no problen. The whale in the movie, judging from the trailers, appears to have been exaggerated by a factor of three in size and maybe a factor of two in speed and agility, as is common in movies. To me the film looks dark and dreary. If I had to wager, I would bet on a box office flop. But then again, it's Ron Howard's project, so ya never know...Frank Reed
ReedNavigation.com
Conanicut Island USA
