I just saw "In the Heart of the Sea" tonight. (no spoilers)

[scarletwoman]

Oh well. I think it could have been a very cool movie, but I have to say, the lead actor - Chris Hemsworth - sucked so bad it was hard to watch.

Fabulous cinematography, fabulous special effects, amazing sets, interesting story, some incredible white knuckle action sequences, and what should have been a deeply heartrending story line - all rendered so much less effective than they should have been because they cast an utterly talentless, shallow, characterless pretty boy as the lead. Such a waste!

I wanted to love it, it seemed like such a cool story. I've loved the book, Moby Dick since I was 14 years old. I had no idea until now that it was apparently based on some true events (if the book on which the movie was based is to be believed - I'd never heard of it before).

But, damn. I can't figure out how anyone involved in the movie thought such a useless non-actor like Chris Hemsworth was worthy of the role he was given. If you're willing to overlook the cringe factor of watching Hemsworth attempting to emote, there's definitely some good stuff worth watching. But you might just want to wait until it shows up on cable, and save the price of movie ticket.

[Hoppy]

1. I first heard about the Essex some 10 years ago.

There is documentation for the story. I don't know what liberties the director and writer took.

For instance, I don't recall reading that Leonardo DeCaprio was on Titanic when it sunk.

[LunaSea]

2. Check out White Jacket

or The World on a Man-of-War is Melvilles 1850 fictionalization of his US Navy experiences and authentic enough to lead Congress to ban flogging aboard US vessels.
An interesting companion to Moby Dick. Quality Paperback Bookclub put out a nice edition in 96'.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-Jacket


Thanks for the tip on Heart of the Sea, it's on my list for future viewing.

[catnhatnh]

3. "The Narrative of the Wreck of the Whaleship Essex"

by Owen Chase is the first person account.

Along with three other survivors of the Essex, Chase was returned to Nantucket on the Eagle on June 11, 1821 to find he had a 14-month-old daughter he had never seen named Phoebe. An account of the homecoming was later published in a magazine. A large crowd had gathered at the docks to see the survivors arrive and as they disembarked, had parted without a sound. The survivors walked alone to their homes without a word being spoken.[3]

Within four months and with the help of a ghostwriter, he completed an account of the disaster, the Narrative of the Most Extraordinary and Distressing Shipwreck of the Whale-Ship Essex; this was used by Herman Melville as one of the inspirations for his novel Moby-Dick.

Two months after the divorce was finalized, Chase married for the fourth and final time. He never sailed again.[2] Memories of the harrowing ordeal haunted Chase. He suffered terrible headaches and nightmares. Later in his life, Chase began hiding food in the attic of his Nantucket house on Orange Street and was eventually institutionalized.[4]

Not a happy life...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Chase

[jakeXT]

4. Maybe Ron Howard fell in love with him doing the movie Rush