National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was released by Walt Disney Pictures in July 2003, directed by Gore Verbinski. Adapted from the Disneyland attraction, the film became an unexpected cultural phenomenon, launching a franchise and earning Johnny Depp an Academy Award nomination for his lead performance. It remains one of the defining blockbusters of its decade.

This cell, titled Captain Jack Sparrow, captures three frames of Jack Sparrow in profile against shifting backgrounds — a dark setting with a skeletal hand visible, consistent with the cursed treasure sequence, followed by adjacent moments showing blue-lit surroundings and a slightly wider framing. The progression across the strip offers a rare, intimate look at one of cinema's most recognizable characters in a single pivotal scene.