National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Walt Disney Pictures released Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in July 2003, adapting a theme park attraction into a full-scale adventure film that revived the swashbuckler genre for a new generation. Directed by Gore Verbinski and shot on 35mm, the film became one of the defining blockbusters of its decade and launched a long-running franchise.

This cell captures Captain Hector Barbossa in his cursed skeletal form across three frames, each offering a progressively clearer view of the transformation. Shot against a dark background, the sequence reveals the supernatural affliction at the heart of the story, making this a visually striking piece of original 35mm film from one of the production's most memorable character moments.