document_title: Pirates of the Caribbean (film series)

question_text: when does the latest pirates of the caribbean come out

text: Pirates of the Caribbean (film series)

text: Films[edit]

text: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)[edit]

text: Blacksmith Will Turner teams up with eccentric pirate Captain Jack Sparrow to save Turner's love, Elizabeth Swann, from cursed pirates led by Jack's mutinous former first mate, Captain Barbossa. Jack wants revenge against Barbossa, who left him stranded on an island before stealing his ship, the Black Pearl, along with 882 pieces of cursed Aztec Gold.

text: Dead Man's Chest (2006)[edit]

text: Lord Cutler Beckett of the East India Trading Company arrests Will and Elizabeth for aiding Captain Jack Sparrow in the previous film. Beckett offers clemency if Will agrees to search for Jack's compass in a bid to find the Dead Man's Chest – and inside, the heart of villainous Davy Jones – which would give Beckett control of the seas. However, Jack wants the Chest to escape from an unpaid debt with Jones, who made Jack captain of the Black Pearl for 13 years in exchange for 100 years of service aboard Jones' ship, the Flying Dutchman.

text: At World's End (2007)[edit]

text: Lord Beckett gains power over Davy Jones and, with the help of the Flying Dutchman, he is now executing his plans to extinguish piracy forever. To stand against the East India Trading Co., Will, Elizabeth, Barbossa, and the crew of the Black Pearl set out to rescue Captain Jack Sparrow from Davy Jones' Locker. As one of the Nine Pirate Lords, Jack is needed in order to release an ancient goddess with the power to defeat Beckett's forces.

text: On Stranger Tides (2011)[edit]

text: Captain Jack Sparrow is on a quest to find the fabled Fountain of Youth and crosses paths with a former lover, Angelica. She forces Jack aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, a ship captained by the infamous pirate Blackbeard, Angelica's father. Both are also in search of the Fountain; Angelica to save her father's soul, Blackbeard to escape a prophecy of his demise at the hands of a one-legged man. Joining the hunt is former pirate captain Barbossa, now a privateer in King George II's Navy, who is in a race against the Spanish for the Fountain of Youth.

text: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)[edit]

text: Ghost Spanish Royal Navy soldiers led by Jack Sparrow's old nemesis, Captain Armando Salazar, escape from the Devil's Triangle, with the goal of killing every pirate at sea, including him. To survive, Jack seeks out the legendary Trident of Poseidon, a powerful artifact whose owner can control the seas and break curses.[2]

text: Pirates of the Caribbean 6 (TBA)[edit]

text: Shortly before the release of On Stranger Tides, it was reported that Disney was planning to shoot the fifth and the sixth films back-to-back,[3] although it was later revealed that only the fifth film was in development. On March 4, 2017, director Joachim Rønning stated that Dead Men was only the beginning of the final adventure, implying that it would not be the last film of the franchise and that a sixth film could be realized.[4] The post-credit scene of Dead Men shows Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, and Davy Jones, implying that Will and Elizabeth will be main characters again and Davy Jones would be the main antagonist in the sixth film.[5]

text: Short film[edit]

text: Tales of the Code: Wedlocked (2011)[edit]

text: Wenches Scarlett (Lauren Maher) and Giselle (Vanessa Branch) fix each other up for their wedding, in which they would each marry their groom. Upon realizing that both their grooms were the same man – Jack Sparrow – the two wenches find themselves in an auction led by the Auctioneer. The short film serves as a prequel to The Curse of the Black Pearl, explaining just why Jack Sparrow's boat, the Jolly Mon, was seen sinking at the beginning of the whole story, and explaining why wenches Scarlett and Giselle were so upset with him, and it also implies how Cotton lost his tongue. The plot took inspiration from the "Auction scene" from the original ride.

text: The short was directed by James Ward Byrkit,[6] and was only included as a special feature in the US 15 disc 3D Blu-ray/2D Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy box set that includes Pirates 1–4; and in the similar UK 5-disc set.

text: Production[edit]

text: First film[edit]

text: In the early 1990s[7] screenwriters Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio conceived a supernatural spin on the pirate genre after completing work on Aladdin, but there was no interest from any studio. Undeterred, the writing team refused to give up the dream, waiting for a studio to pick up their take on a pirate tale.[8] Disney had Jay Wolpert write a script based on the Pirates of the Caribbean, which producer Jerry Bruckheimer rejected, feeling it was "a straight pirate movie".[9] Bruckheimer brought Stuart Beattie in to rewrite the script in March 2002, due to his knowledge of piracy,[10] and later that month Elliott and Rossio were brought in.[9] Elliott and Rossio, inspired by the opening narration of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, decided to give the film a supernatural edge.[11] As the budget rose, Michael Eisner and Robert Iger threatened to cancel the film, though Bruckheimer changed their minds when he showed them concept art and animatics.[12]

text: In June 2002 Gore Verbinski signed on to direct The Curse of the Black Pearl, and Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush signed on the following month to star.[10] Verbinski was attracted to the idea of using modern technology to resurrect a genre, one that had disappeared after the Golden Age of Hollywood, and recalled his childhood memories of the ride, feeling the film was an opportunity to pay tribute to the "scary and funny" tone of it. Depp was attracted to the story as he found it quirky: rather than trying to find treasure, the crew of the Black Pearl were trying to return it in order to lift their curse; also, the traditional mutiny had already taken place. Verbinski approached Rush for the role of Barbossa, as he knew he would not play it with attempts at complexity, but with a simple villainy that would suit the story's tone.[13] Orlando Bloom read the script after Rush, with whom he was working on Ned Kelly, suggested it to him.[14] Keira Knightley came as a surprise to Verbinski: he had not seen her performance in Bend It Like Beckham and was impressed by her audition.[13] Tom Wilkinson was negotiated with to play Governor Swann,[10] but the role went to Jonathan Pryce, whom Depp idolized.[13]

text: Shooting for The Curse of the Black Pearl began on October 9, 2002 and wrapped by March 7, 2003.[10] Before its release, many executives and journalists had expected the film to flop, as the pirate genre had not been successful for years, the film was based on a theme-park ride, and Depp rarely made a big film.[15] However, The Curse of the Black Pearl became both a critical and commercial success.

text: Second and third films[edit]

text: After seeing how well the first film was made, the cast and crew signed for two sequels to be shot back-to-back,[16] a practical decision on Disney's part to allow more time with the same cast and crew.[17] Writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio knew that with an ensemble cast, they weren't free to invent totally different situations and characters, as with the Indiana Jones and James Bond series, and so had to retroactively turn The Curse of the Black Pearl into the first of a trilogy.[18] They wanted to explore the reality of what would happen after Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann's embrace at the end of the first film, and initially considered the Fountain of Youth as the plot device.[19] They settled on introducing Davy Jones, the Flying Dutchman and the Kraken, a mythology mentioned twice in the first film. They introduced the historical East India Trading Company (also mentioned in the first film), which for them represented a counterpoint to the themes of personal freedom represented by pirates.[20]

text: Filming for the sequels began on February 28, 2005,[21] with Dead Man's Chest finishing on March 1, 2006,[22] and At World's End on January 10, 2007.[23] The second film was also the first Disney theatrical feature film with the computer-generated Walt Disney Pictures logo.[24]

text: Fourth film[edit]

text: Rossio and Elliot discovered the novel On Stranger Tides during production of Dead Man's Chest and At World's End and decided to use it as the basis for a fourth film. As Gore Verbinski was unavailable, Bruckheimer invited Rob Marshall to direct the film.[25] Elliott and Rossio decided to do a stand-alone film,[26] with a story that would support new characters,[27] and incorporate elements from the novel, such as Blackbeard, the Fountain of Youth and mermaids—the latter two having been already alluded to in the previous films.[28] Depp, Rush, Greg Ellis and Kevin McNally returned to their roles,[29] and the cast saw the additions of Ian McShane as Blackbeard and Penélope Cruz as Angelica, Blackbeard's daughter and Jack Sparrow's love interest.[30] A further addition was Richard Griffiths as King George II of Great Britain. After the costly production of two simultaneous films, Disney tried to scale down the fourth installment, giving a lower budget,[31] which led to cheaper locations and fewer scenes with special effects.[32] It was also filmed in 3D, with cameras similar to the ones used in Avatar.[25]

text: Filming for On Stranger Tides began June 14, 2010 and ended on November 19, 2010.[32][33] It was released in the United States on May 20, 2011.[34] With a budget of $378.5 million, On Stranger Tides holds the record for most expensive film ever made.

text: Fifth film[edit]

text: On January 14, 2011, it was confirmed that Terry Rossio would write the screenplay for the fifth installment, without his co-writer Ted Elliott.[35] On January 11, 2013, Jeff Nathanson signed on to write the script for the film. On May 29, 2013, it was announced that Norwegian directors Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg were selected to direct.[36] On August 22, 2013, the two revealed that the title of the fifth film would be Dead Men Tell No Tales, alluding to the line well-known from the Pirates of the Caribbean theme park attractions.[37][38][39] Although, the film was given an alternative title, Salazar's Revenge, in selected European, South American and Asian countries for marketing purposes.[40][41] They also confirmed that they were working on the film, speaking highly of Jeff Nathanson's "funny and touching" script and that they are inspired by the first film, The Curse of the Black Pearl.[42][43] On September 10, 2013, Disney pushed back the film's initial 2015 release,[44] with sources indicating that a Summer 2016 release is likely.[45] Producer Jerry Bruckheimer revealed that script issues were behind the delay, and that Jeff Nathanson was at work on a second attempt based on a well-received outline.[46] While Disney originally announced a release on July 7, 2017,[47][48] Dead Men Tell No Tales was released on May 26, 2017.[49]

text: A spokesman for the Australian Arts Minister confirmed that the fifth installment was set to shoot in Australia after the government agreed to repurpose $20 million of tax incentives originally intended for the remake of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.[50] According to Australian film industry sources, pre-production started in late September 2014 with filming expected to commence in February 2015.[51] This was officially confirmed by Disney and Ian Walker the Queensland Arts Minister on October 2, 2014, stating that filming will take place exclusively in Australia, being the largest production to ever shoot in the country. Village Roadshow Studios and Port Douglas were officially confirmed as filming locations.[52] Production began in Australia on February 17, 2015 and wrapped on July 9, 2015.[53]

text: Principal cast[edit]

text:
This table shows the recurring characters and the actors who have portrayed them throughout the franchise.
A dark grey cell indicates the character was not in the film, or that the character's presence in the film has not yet been announced.
A C indicates a cameo appearance.
A L indicates an appearance wherein an actor's facial features were digitally imprinted upon another actor's face.
A Y indicates an appearance as a younger version of a pre-existing character.

text:
Character
Films

The Curse of the Black Pearl
(2003)
Dead Man's Chest
(2006)
At World's End
(2007)
On Stranger Tides
(2011)
Dead Men Tell No Tales
(2017)

Captain Jack Sparrow
Johnny Depp[13][16][54]
Johnny Depp[55][56]

Anthony De La TorreY[57]

Captain Hector Barbossa
Geoffrey Rush[13][16][58][56]

Joshamee Gibbs
Kevin McNally[16][59][56]

William "Will" Turner, Jr.
Orlando Bloom[60]

Dylan SmithY
Orlando Bloom[16]

Orlando BloomC[61]

Elizabeth Swann
Pirate King
Keira Knightley[13]

Lucinda DryzekY[62][63]
Keira Knightley[16]

Keira KnightleyC[64]

Marty
Martin Klebba[65][16]

Martin Klebba

James Norrington
Jack Davenport[65][16]

Weatherby Swann
Jonathan Pryce[65][13][16]

Pintel
Lee Arenberg[65][16]

Ragetti
Mackenzie Crook[65][16]

Cotton
David Bailie[65][16]

Mullroy
Angus Barnett[65]

Angus Barnett[66]

Angus Barnett[67]

Murtogg
Giles New[65]

Giles New[66]

Giles New[67]

Theodore Groves
Greg Ellis[65]

Greg Ellis[66][59]

Gillette
Damian O'Hare[65]

Damian O'Hare[68]

Anamaria
Zoe Saldana[65][69]

Captain Davy Jones

Bill Nighy[70]

  Silhouette onlyC[71][72]

William Turner, Sr.
Bootstrap Bill

Stellan Skarsgård[73]

Cutler Beckett

Tom Hollander[74]

Tia Dalma
Calypso

Naomie Harris[75]

Sao Feng

Chow Yun-fat[76]

Captain Edward Teague

Keith Richards[77][78]
Alexander ScheerY

Keith RichardsL[79]

Henry Turner

Dominic Scott Kay

Brenton Thwaites[80][56]

Lewis McGowanY[81]

Scrum

Stephen Graham[82][56]

Captain Edward Teach
Blackbeard

Ian McShane[83]

Angelica Teach

Penélope Cruz[83]

Philip Swift

Sam Claflin[84]

Syrena

Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey[85][86]

Captain Armando Salazar

Javier Bardem[56]

Carina Barbossa
Carina Smyth

Kaya Scodelario[56]

"Uncle" Jack Teague

Paul McCartney[87]

text: Crew[edit]

text:
Film
U.S. release date
Director(s)
Screenwriter(s)
Story by
Cinematographer
Producer

The Curse of the Black Pearl
July 9, 2003 (2003-07-09)
Gore Verbinski[88][16]
Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio[11][89][16]
Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio and Stuart Beattie and Jay Wolpert[11]
Dariusz Wolski
[65][90][66][91]
Jerry Bruckheimer
[89][92][16][25][56]

Dead Man's Chest
July 7, 2006 (2006-07-07)
Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio[16]

At World's End
May 25, 2007 (2007-05-25)

On Stranger Tides
May 20, 2011 (2011-05-20)
Rob Marshall[25][93]
Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio
(Based on: On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers)[93]

Dead Men Tell No Tales
May 26, 2017 (2017-05-26)
Joachim Rønning & Espen Sandberg[36]
Jeff Nathanson[94]
Jeff Nathanson and Terry Rossio[95][94]
Paul Cameron[56]

text: Music[edit]

text: Film soundtracks[edit]

text:
Title
U.S. release date
Length
Composer(s)
Label

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (Original Soundtrack)
July 22, 2003 (2003-07-22)
43:50
Klaus Badelt and Hans Zimmer[65]
Walt Disney Records

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
July 4, 2006 (2006-07-04)
58:32
Hans Zimmer[90][66]

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
May 22, 2007 (2007-05-22)
55:50

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
May 17, 2011 (2011-05-17)
77:11
Hans Zimmer and Rodrigo y Gabriela[96][97]

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
May 25, 2017 (2017-05-25)
75:20
Geoff Zanelli[98]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Box office performance[edit]

text:
Film
U.S. release date
Box office gross
All-time Ranking
Budget
Ref(s)

North America
Other territories
Worldwide
North America
Worldwide

The Curse of the Black Pearl
000000002003-07-09-0000July 9, 2003
$305,413,918
$348,850,097
$654,264,015
64
108
$140 million
[99]

Dead Man's Chest
000000002006-07-07-0000July 7, 2006
$423,315,812
$642,863,913
$1,066,179,725
17
21
$225 million
[100]

At World's End
000000002007-05-25-0000May 25, 2007
$309,420,425
$654,000,000
$963,420,425
61
35
$300 million
[101]

On Stranger Tides
000000002011-05-20-0000May 20, 2011
$241,071,802
$804,642,000
$1,045,713,802
119
23
$378.5 million
[102][103]

Dead Men Tell No Tales
000000002017-05-26-0000May 26, 2017
$172,534,644
$621,509,941
$794,044,585
254
69
$230 million
[104]

Total
$7009145176560100000♠1,451,765,601
$7009307186595100000♠3,071,865,951
$7009452362255200000♠4,523,622,552
12
9
$1.274 billion
[105]

text: The Pirates of the Caribbean film series was successful at the box office, with each film grossing over $650 million, and all but Dead Men Tell No Tales at some point ranking among the fifty highest-grossing films of all time. It also became the first ever series to have multiple films passing the billion dollar mark in box office revenues with Dead Man's Chest and On Stranger Tides,[106] which is followed by other series, such as the Batman series, J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth series, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Transformers series, Jurassic Park series, Star Wars series and The Fast and the Furious series.

text: The Curse of the Black Pearl was the third highest-grossing 2003 film in North America (behind The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and Finding Nemo) and fourth worldwide (behind The Return of the King, Finding Nemo and The Matrix Reloaded).[107] Dead Man's Chest was the most successful film of 2006 worldwide,[108] and At World's End led the worldwide grosses in 2007, though being only fourth in North America (behind Spider-Man 3, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Shrek the Third).[109] On Stranger Tides was the third highest-grossing film of 2011 worldwide (behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 and Transformers: Dark of the Moon) and the fifth in North America.[110] The first three sequels broke box office records upon release, of which the most notable are the opening-weekend record in North America (Dead Man's Chest),[111] the Memorial-Day weekend record in North America (At World's End)[112] and the opening-weekend record outside North America (On Stranger Tides).[113]

text: Critical and public response[edit]

text:
Film
Rotten Tomatoes
Metacritic
CinemaScore

The Curse of the Black Pearl
79% (210 reviews)[114]
63 (40 reviews)[115]
A[116]

Dead Man's Chest
54% (220 reviews)[117]
53 (37 reviews)[118]
A−[116]

At World's End
45% (220 reviews)[119]
50 (36 reviews)[120]
A−[116]

On Stranger Tides
32% (260 reviews)[121]
45 (39 reviews)[122]
B+[116]

Dead Men Tell No Tales
29% (217 reviews)[123]
39 (45 reviews)[124]
A−[116]

text: The series is noted for its high quality of acting talent, and is one of the aspects of the films that is always praised.[125][126][127][128][129][130] The visual and practical effects are considered some of the best ever done on film,[129][130][131][132] so much so that audiences believed certain CGI elements of the films were real and done practically.[133][134][135][136] However, the plots of the four sequels have received mixed reviews, with the general consensus that they are too bloated and convoluted to follow.[137][138][139][140][141] Pirates of the Caribbean is noted for reinvigorating the pirate genre of film after decades of either no pirate films or failed pirate films.[142] The success of the series saw Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer try to replicate the franchise's success by launching films such as Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and The Lone Ranger, the latter of which directed by Gore Verbinski. Both movies failed critically and commercially.[143][144][145][146]

text: Accolades[edit]

text: Academy Awards[edit]

text: Together, all the first three films were nominated for a total of 11 Academy Awards, of which a single award was won.

text:
Award
Film

The Curse of the Black Pearl
Dead Man's Chest
At World's End
On Stranger Tides
Dead Men Tell No Tales

Actor in a Leading Role
Nominated[135][147]
(Johnny Depp)

Art Direction

Nominated[148]

Makeup
Nominated[135][147]

Nominated[149]

Sound Editing
Nominated[135][147]
Nominated[148]

Sound Mixing
Nominated[135][147]
Nominated[148]

Visual Effects
Nominated[135][147]
Won[148]
Nominated[149]

text: Golden Globe Awards[edit]

text: Together, all the four films were nominated for a total of 2 Golden Globe Awards, of which neither were won.

text:
Award
Film

The Curse of the Black Pearl
Dead Man's Chest
At World's End
On Stranger Tides
Dead Men Tell No Tales

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Nominated
(Johnny Depp)
Nominated
(Johnny Depp)

text: MTV Movie Awards[edit]

text: Together, all the first three films were nominated for a total of 13 MTV Movie Awards, of which 4 were won.

text:
Award
Film

The Curse of the Black Pearl
Dead Man's Chest
At World's End
On Stranger Tides
Dead Men Tell No Tales

Best Movie
Nominated
Won
Nominated

Best Male Performance
Won
(Johnny Depp)
Won
(Johnny Depp)

Best Female Performance

Nominated
(Keira Knightley)
Nominated
(Keira Knightley)

Best Breakthrough Female Performance
Nominated
(Keira Knightley)

Best On-Screen Team
Nominated
(Johnny Depp & Orlando Bloom)

Best Villain
Nominated
(Geoffrey Rush)
Nominated
(Bill Nighy)

Best Comedic Performance
Nominated
(Johnny Depp)

Won
(Johnny Depp)

text: Teen Choice Awards[edit]

text: Together, the first four films were nominated for a total of 25 Teen Choice Awards, of which 16 were won.

text:
Award
Film

The Curse of the Black Pearl
Dead Man's Chest
At World's End
On Stranger Tides
Dead Men Tell No Tales

Choice Movie: Chemistry
Won
(Orlando Bloom & Keira Knightley)

Choice Movie: Fight/Action Sequence
Won
(Johnny Depp vs Geoffrey Rush)

Choice Movie: Liar
Won
(Johnny Depp)

Choice Movie: Liplock
Won
(Orlando Bloom & Keira Knightley)
Won
(Orlando Bloom & Keira Knightley)

Nominated
(Orlando Bloom & Keira Knightley)

Choice Movie: Female Breakout Star
Nominated
(Keira Knightley)

Choice Movie Actor

Won
(Johnny Depp)
Won
(Johnny Depp)
Nominated
(Johnny Depp)
Nominated
(Johnny Depp)

Nominated
(Orlando Bloom)
Nominated
(Orlando Bloom)
Nominated
(Brenton Thwaites)

Choice Summer Movie

Won

Nominated

Choice Movie: Scream

Won
(Keira Knightley)

Choice Movie

Won
Won
Nominated

Choice Movie: Rumble

Won
(Orlando Bloom & Jack Davenport)
Won
(Orlando Bloom)

Choice Movie: Hissy Fit

Won
(Keira Knightley)

Choice Male Hottie

Nominated
(Orlando Bloom)

Choice Movie Actress

Nominated
(Keira Knightley)
Won
(Keira Knightley)
Nominated
(Penélope Cruz)
Nominated
(Kaya Scodelario)

Choice Movie: Villain

Won
(Bill Nighy)
Won
(Bill Nighy)
Nominated
(Ian McShane)
Nominated
(Javier Bardem)


document_title: Hacksaw Ridge

question_text: where did the movie hacksaw ridge take place

root

text: Hacksaw Ridge

text: Plot[edit]

text: As a young boy, Desmond Doss nearly kills his younger brother Hal. This experience and his Seventh-day Adventist upbringing reinforce Desmond's belief in the commandment "Thou shalt not kill". Years later, Doss takes an injured man to the hospital and meets a nurse, Dorothy Schutte. The two begin a relationship and Doss tells Dorothy of his interest in medical work.

tag: p

text: After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Doss is motivated to enlist in the Army and intends to serve as a combat medic. His father Tom, a troubled World War I veteran, is deeply upset by the decision. Before leaving for Fort Jackson, he asks for Dorothy's hand in marriage and she accepts.

text: Doss is placed under the command of Sergeant Howell. He excels physically but becomes an outcast among his fellow soldiers for refusing to handle a rifle and train on Saturdays. Howell and Captain Glover attempt to discharge Doss for psychiatric reasons but are overruled, as Doss' religious beliefs do not constitute mental illness. They subsequently torment Doss by putting him through grueling labor, intending to get Doss to leave of his own accord. Despite being beaten one night by his fellow soldiers, he refuses to identify his attackers and continues training.

text: Doss' unit completes basic training and is released on leave, during which Doss intends to marry Dorothy, but his refusal to carry a firearm leads to an arrest for insubordination. Captain Glover and Dorothy visit Doss in jail and try to convince him to plead guilty so that he can be released without charge but Doss refuses to compromise his beliefs. At his trial, Doss pleads not guilty, but before he is sentenced, his father barges into the tribunal with a letter from a former commanding officer stating that his son's pacifism is protected by an Act of Congress. The charges against Doss are dropped, and he and Dorothy are married.

text: Doss' unit is assigned to the 77th Infantry Division and deployed to the Pacific theater. During the Battle of Okinawa, Doss' unit is informed that they are to relieve the 96th Infantry Division, which was tasked with ascending and securing the Maeda Escarpment ("Hacksaw Ridge”). In the initial fight, both sides sustain heavy losses, and Doss successfully saves several soldiers, including those with severe injuries. The Americans camp for the night, which Doss spends in a foxhole with Smitty, a squadmate who was the first to call Doss a coward. Doss reveals that his aversion to holding a firearm stems from nearly shooting his drunken father, who threatened his mother with a gun. Smitty apologizes for doubting his courage and the two make amends.

text: The next morning, the Japanese launch a massive counterattack and drive the Americans off the escarpment. Smitty is killed, while Howell and several of Doss' squad mates are left injured on the battlefield. Doss hears the cries of dying soldiers and decides to run back into the carnage while his comrades retreat. He starts carrying wounded soldiers to the cliff's edge and belaying them down by rope, each time praying to save one more. The arrival of dozens of wounded once presumed dead comes as a shock to the rest of the unit below. When day breaks, Doss rescues Howell and the two finally escape Hacksaw under enemy fire.

text: Captain Glover tells Doss that the men have been inspired by his miraculous efforts, and that they will not launch the next attack without him. Despite the next day being the Sabbath day, he joins his fellow soldiers after finishing his prayers. With reinforcements, they turn the tide of battle. During an ambush set by Japanese soldiers feigning surrender, Doss manages to save Glover and others by knocking away enemy grenades. Doss is eventually wounded by a grenade blast, but the battle is won. Doss descends the cliff, clutching the Bible Dorothy gave him.

text: The film switches to archival photos and footage showing that Doss was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman for rescuing 75 soldiers at Hacksaw Ridge. Doss stayed married to Dorothy until her death in 1991. He died on March 23, 2006, at the age of 87.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss
Vince Vaughn as Sergeant Howell
Sam Worthington as Captain Jack Glover
Luke Bracey as Smitty Ryker
Hugo Weaving as Tom Doss, Desmond's father
Ryan Corr as Lieutenant Manville
Teresa Palmer as Dorothy Schutte, Desmond's wife
Rachel Griffiths as Bertha Doss, Desmond's mother
Richard Roxburgh as Colonel Stelzer
Luke Pegler as Milt "Hollywood" Zane
Richard Pyros as Randall "Teach" Fuller
Ben Mingay as Grease Nolan
Firass Dirani as Vito Rinnelli
Damien Thomlinson as Ralph Morgan
Matt Nable as Lt. Colonel Cooney
Robert Morgan as Colonel Sangston
Nathaniel Buzolic as Harold "Hal" Doss, Desmond's brother

tag: ul

text: Production[edit]

text: Development[edit]

text: The project was in development hell for 14 years.[10] Numerous producers had tried for decades to film Doss' story, including decorated war hero Audie Murphy and Hal B. Wallis (producer of Casablanca).[11]

text: In 2001, after finally convincing Doss that making a movie on his remarkable life was the right thing to do, screenwriter/producer Gregory Crosby (grandson of Bing Crosby) wrote the treatment and brought the project to film producer David Permut, of Permut Presentations, through the early efforts of Stan Jensen of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which ultimately led to the film being financed.[10]

text: In 2004, director Terry Benedict won the rights to make a documentary about Doss, The Conscientious Objector, and secured the dramatic film rights in the process. However, Doss died in 2006, after which producer Bill Mechanic acquired and then sold the rights to Walden Media, which developed the project along with producer David Permut.[12] Co-producers of the film are Gregory Crosby and Steve Longi.[13] Walden Media insisted on a PG-13 version of the battle, and Mechanic spent years working to buy the rights back.[11][14]

text: After acquiring the rights, Mechanic approached Mel Gibson, and wanted him to create a concoction of violence and faith, as he did with The Passion of the Christ (2004). Gibson turned down the offer twice, as he previously did with Braveheart (1995).[15] Then nearly a decade later, Gibson finally agreed to helm the film, a decision announced in November 2014. The same month, Andrew Garfield was confirmed to play the role of Desmond Doss.[12]

text: With a budget of $40 million, the team still faced many challenges. Hacksaw Ridge became an international co-production, with key players and firms located in both the United States and Australia. When Australian tax incentives were taken off the table, the film had to qualify as Australian to receive government subsidies. Despite being American-born, Gibson's early years in Australia helped the film qualify, along with most of the cast being Australian, including Rachel Griffiths (Doss' mother), Teresa Palmer (Doss' wife), Sam Worthington (unit leader), Hugo Weaving (as Doss' father), Richard Roxburgh (as a colonel) and Luke Bracey (as Smitty, one of Doss' most antagonistic unit members). Rounding out the cast was American actor Vince Vaughn.[16]

text: On February 9, 2015, IM Global closed a deal to finance the film, and also sold the film into the international markets.[17] On the same day, Lionsgate acquired the North American distribution rights to the film.[18] Chinese distribution rights were acquired by Bliss Media, a Shanghai-based film production and distribution company.[19]

text: Hacksaw Ridge is the first film directed by Gibson since Apocalypto in 2006,[20][21] and marks a departure from his previous films, such as Apocalypto and Braveheart, in which the protagonists acted violently.[22]

text: Writing[edit]

text: Robert Schenkkan and Randall Wallace wrote the script, and Wallace was previously attached to direct the film. Andrew Knight polished the original script. Gibson's partner Bruce Davey also produced the film, along with Paul Currie.[23]

text: Casting[edit]

text: The cast – Andrew Garfield, Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Teresa Palmer, Rachel Griffiths, Richard Roxburgh, Luke Pegler, Richard Pyros, Ben Mingay, Firass Dirani, Nico Cortez, Michael Sheasby, Goran Kleut, Jacob Warner, Harry Greenwood, Damien Thomlinson, Ben O’Toole, Benedict Hardie, Robert Morgan, Ori Pfeffer, Milo Gibson, and Nathaniel Buzolic, Hugo Weaving, and Ryan Corr – was announced between November 2014 and October 2015.[23][24][25][26][27] The younger Doss was played by Darcy Bryce.[28]

text: Garfield plays Desmond Doss, a US Army medic awarded the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman for saving lives during the Battle of Okinawa in World War II.[12] Garfield had high regards for Doss, and venerated him for his act of bravery, hailing him as a "wonderful symbol of embodying the idea of live and let live no matter what your ideology is, no matter what your value system is, just to allow other people to be who they are and allow yourself to be who you are." He found the idea of playing a real superhero, as compared to his past roles playing Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel, much more inspiring.[29] Garfield admitted that he cried the first time he read the screenplay.[30] He visited Doss' hometown and touched his various tools.[31] Gibson was drawn to Garfield the first time he saw his performance in The Social Network.[22]

text: Palmer wanted a role in the film so badly that she auditioned via phone, and sent the recording to Gibson. She heard nothing back for three months, until Gibson called Palmer to tell her in a Skype chat that he had cast her in the role of Dorothy, Doss' wife.[32]

text: Principal photography[edit]

text: Principal photography started on September 29, 2015,[21] and lasted for 59 days,[33] ending in December of that year.[10] Filming took place entirely in Australia.[15] The film was based at Fox Studios in Sydney, after producers vigorously scouted for locations around the country.[34] Filming took place mostly in the state of New South Wales — where Gibson spent much of his early years — in and around Sydney such as in Richmond,[35] Bringelly,[36] and Oran Park.[37] Gibson moved to the state in July 2015, two months before filming began.[38] The graveyard scene was shot at a set-constructed cemetery in Sydney's Centennial Park.[39] The grounds of Newington Armory at Sydney Olympic Park were used as Fort Jackson. Filming in Bringelly required the team to clear and deforest over 500 hectares of land, which evoked the ire of some environmentalists. However, the producers had complete approval and clearance to do so. Also conditions were imposed to replant and rehabilitate part of the land after filming ceased.[40] According to Troy Grant, New South Wales' deputy premier and minister for the arts, the film brought 720 jobs and US$19 million to regional and rural New South Wales.[41]

text: Altogether, three jeeps, two trucks and a tank were featured in the film.[15] Bulldozers and backhoes were used to transform a dairy pasture near Sydney to re-create the Okinawa battlefield. A berm had to be raised around the perimeter so cameras could turn 360 degrees without getting any eucalyptus trees in the background.[15] Gibson did not want to rely heavily on computer visual effects, either on the screen or in pre-visualizing the battle scenes. Visual effects were used only during bloody scenes, like napalm-burnt soldiers.[15] During filming of the war scenes, Gibson incorporated his past war-movie experiences, and would yell to the actors, reminding them constantly of what they were fighting for.[15]

text: Post-production[edit]

text: Kevin O'Connell, who won his first Academy Award for sound mixing in this film, stated that budget constraints forced him to utilize archival sounds of WWII-era weapons.[42]

text: Themes[edit]

text: The film has been described as an anti-war film,[43] with pacifist themes.[15] It also incorporates recurring religious imagery, such as baptism and ascension.[3]

text: Historical accuracy[edit]

text: After the war, Doss turned down many requests for books and film versions of his actions, because he was wary of whether his life, wartime experiences, and Seventh-day Adventist beliefs would be portrayed inaccurately or sensationally. Doss' only child, Desmond Doss Jr., stated: "The reason he declined is that none of them adhered to his one requirement: that it be accurate. And I find it remarkable, the level of accuracy in adhering to the principal of the story in this movie."[44] Producer David Permut stated that the filmmakers took great care in maintaining the integrity of the story, since Doss was very religious.[3]

text: However, the filmmakers did change some details, notably the backstory about his father, the incident with the gun Doss took out of his alcoholic father's hands, and the circumstances of his first marriage.[44][45] The film also omits his prior combat service in the Battle of Guam and Battle of Leyte (Doss was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for extraordinary bravery in both battles),[46] and leaves the impression that Doss' actions at Okinawa took place over a period of a few days, though his Medal of Honor citation covered his actions over a period of about three weeks.[44]

text: Music[edit]

text: This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2017)

tag: table

text:
Hacksaw Ridge: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Soundtrack album by Rupert Gregson-Williams

Released
November 4, 2016 (2016-11-04)

Recorded
2016

Studio
Abbey Road Studios

Genre
Film score

Length
53:56

Label
Varèse Sarabande

Producer
Rupert Gregson-Williams

Rupert Gregson-Williams chronology

The Legend of Tarzan: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
(2016)
Hacksaw Ridge: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
(2016)
Sandy Wexler: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
(2017)

text: James Horner was originally approached to compose the score for the film but was replaced by John Debney after Horner's untimely death in 2015.[47] Debney was himself replaced by Rupert Gregson-Williams after his score was rejected before Hacksaw Ridge was set to premiere at the Venice Film Festival.[48] When composing the music Gregson-Williams commented: "The soundtrack is really in two parts. A lovely romance blossoms as Desmond discovers both the love of his life and his faith. The second half of the movie is brutal...We wanted to reflect his spirituality without being pious, and his bravery without celebrating violence."[49] The film's accompanying score was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London, with an orchestra of 70 musicians and a 36-voice choir conducted by Cliff Masterson.[50]

text: Track listing[edit]

text: All tracks written by Rupert Gregson-Williams.

text:
No.
Title
Length

1.
"Okinawa Battlefield"
3:59

2.
"I Could Have Killed Him"
2:20

3.
"A Calling"
2:42

4.
"Pretty Corny"
1:44

5.
"Climbing for a Kiss"
3:47

6.
"Throw Hell at Him"
1:58

7.
"Sleep"
2:18

8.
"Dorothy Pleads"
3:17

9.
"Hacksaw Ridge"
4:20

10.
"Japanese Retake the Ridge"
4:36

11.
"I Can't Hear You"
2:54

12.
"One Man at a Time"
2:30

13.
"Rescue Continues"
3:46

14.
"A Miraculous Return"
2:50

15.
"Praying"
5:49

16.
"Historical Footage"
4:59

Total length:
53:56

text: Release[edit]

text: The world premiere of Hacksaw Ridge occurred on September 4, 2016,[51] at the 73rd Venice Film Festival, where it received a 10-minute standing ovation.[52] The film was released in Australia on November 3, 2016, by Icon Film Distribution, and in the United States on November 4, 2016, by Lionsgate/Summit Entertainment.[53][54] It was released by Bliss Media in China in November,[55][56] and in the United Kingdom in 2017,[57] with IM Global handling international sales.[21]

text: Marketing[edit]

text: In August 2016, Gibson appeared at Pastor Greg Laurie's SoCal Harvest in Anaheim, California, to promote the film.[58]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Box office[edit]

text: Hacksaw Ridge grossed $67.1 million in the United States and Canada and $108.2 million in other countries for a worldwide total of $175.3 million, against a production budget of $40 million.[5]

text: The film opened alongside Doctor Strange and Trolls, and was projected to gross around $12 million from 2,886 theaters. It was expected to play very well among faith-based, Midwest, and Southern audiences.[59][60] It made $5.2 million on its first day and $15.2 million in its opening weekend, finishing third at the box office behind Doctor Strange and Trolls. The debut was on par with the $15 million opening of Gibson's last directorial effort, Apocalypto, in 2006.[61] In its second weekend, the film grossed $10.8 million (a drop of just 29.1%), finishing 5th at the box office.

text: The film also opened successfully in China, grossing over $16 million in its first four days at the box office.[62]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 86%, based on 232 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Hacksaw Ridge uses a real-life pacifist's legacy to lay the groundwork for a gripping wartime tribute to faith, valor, and the courage of remaining true to one's convictions."[63] On Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average to reviews, the film has a score of 71 out of 100, based on reviews from 47 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[64] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.[65]

text: The Milford Daily News called the film a "masterpiece", adding that it "is going to end up on many 2016 Top 10 lists, that should get Oscar nominations for Best Actor, Best Director and Best Picture."[66] Maggie Stancu of Movie Pilot wrote that "Gibson made some of his most genius directing choices in Hacksaw Ridge, and Garfield has given his best performance yet. With amazing performances by Vince Vaughn, Teresa Palmer, Sam Worthington and Hugo Weaving, it is absolutely one of 2016's must-see films."[67] Mick LaSalle of SFGate called the film "a brilliant return for Mel Gibson, which confirms his position as a director with a singular talent for spectacle and a sure way with actors."[68] In The Film Lawyers, Samar Khan called Hacksaw Ridge "fantastic," and emphasised "just how wonderful it is to have Gibson back in a more prominent position in Hollywood, hopefully with the demons of his past behind him. If Hacksaw Ridge is any indication, we are poised for a future filled with great films from the visionary director."[69] The Telegraph awarded the film four stars, and added: "Hacksaw Ridge is a fantastically moving and bruising war film that hits you like a raw topside of beef in the face – a kind of primary-coloured Guernica that flourishes on a big screen with a crowd.”[70]

text: The Guardian also awarded the film four stars, and stated that Gibson had "absolutely hit Hacksaw Ridge out of the park."[71] The Australian's reviewer was equally positive, stating that, as a director, "Gibson’s approach is bold and fearless; this represents his best work to date behind the camera."[72] Rex Reed of Observer rated the film with four stars, and called it "the best war film since Saving Private Ryan... [I]t is violent, harrowing, heartbreaking and unforgettable. And yes, it was directed by Mel Gibson. He deserves a medal, too"[73] Michael Smith of Tulsa World called Hacksaw Ridge a "moving character study" and praised both the direction and acting. He observed: "It’s truly remarkable how Gibson can film scenes of such heartfelt emotion with such sweet subtlety as easily as he stages some of the most vicious, visual scenes of violence that you will ever see. ... Hacksaw Ridge is beautiful and brutal, and that’s a potent combination for a movie about a man determined to serve his country, as well as his soul."[74] IGN critic Alex Welch gave the film a score of 8/10, praising it as "one of the most successful war films of recent memory," and "at times horrifying, inspiring, and heart-wrenching."[75] Mike Ryan of Uproxx gave the film a positive review, praising Gibson's direction and saying, "There are two moments during the second half of Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge when I literally jumped out of my seat in terror. The film's depiction of war is the best I’ve seen since Saving Private Ryan."[76] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone gave the film 3.5 stars, writing, "Thanks to some of the greatest battle scenes ever filmed, Gibson once again shows his staggering gifts as a filmmaker, able to juxtapose savagery with aching tenderness."[77] In contrast, Matt Zoller Seitz for RogerEbert.com gave the film 2.5 stars, and described the film as "a movie at war with itself."[78]

text: Accolades[edit]

text: Hacksaw Ridge won Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing and was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Garfield and Best Sound Editing at the Academy Awards.[79] The film won Best Editing and was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Garfield, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Sound and Best Makeup and Hair at the British Academy Film Awards.[80] The film won Best Action Movie and Best Actor in an Action Movie for Garfield and was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor for Garfield, Best Editing and Best Hair and Makeup at the Critics' Choice Awards.[81] The film received three nominations at the Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama for Garfield and Best Director.[9] The film won Best Actor for Garfield, Best Film Editing and Best Sound and was nominated for Best Film, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score and Best Art Direction and Production Design at the Satellite Awards.[82]


document_title: A Christmas Story

question_text: where is the setting for a christmas story

text: A Christmas Story

text: Plot[edit]

text: The film is presented in a series of vignettes, with narration provided by the adult Ralphie Parker reminiscing on one particular Christmas when he was nine years old. Ralphie wanted only one thing for that Christmas: a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. Ralphie's desire is rejected by his mother, his teacher Miss Shields, and even a Santa Claus at Higbee's department store, all giving him the same warning: "You'll shoot your eye out."

text: Christmas morning arrives and Ralphie dives into his presents. Although he does receive some presents he enjoys, Ralphie ultimately is disappointed that he did not receive the one thing he wanted more than anything. After it appears all of the presents have been opened, Ralphie's father, "The Old Man," directs Ralphie to look at one last present that he had hidden. Ralphie opens it to reveal the Red Ryder gun he wanted.

text: Ralphie takes the gun outside and fires it at a target perched on a metal sign in the backyard. However, the BB ricochets back at Ralphie and knocks his glasses off. While searching for them, thinking he has indeed shot his eye out, Ralphie accidentally steps on his glasses and breaks them. He lies to his mother that a falling icicle broke his glasses, and she believes him.

text: Ralphie is in bed on Christmas night with his gun by his side. The adult Ralphie narrates that this was the best present he had ever received or would ever receive.

text: Other vignettes:

text:
The Old Man wins a "major award" in a contest, which turns out to be a lamp in the shape of a woman's leg wearing a fishnet stocking, which was derived from the logo for Nehi (pronounced "knee-high") pop, a popular soft drink of the period.[4] The Old Man is overjoyed by the lamp, but Mrs. Parker does not like it and a feud over it — referred to by adult Ralphie as "The Battle of the Lamp" — develops and results in the lamp's "accidental" destruction.[5]
The Old Man also fights a never-ending battle with the malfunctioning furnace in the Parker home. His frustrations cause him to swear quite often, including one profanity-laden rant that the adult Ralphie says "is still hanging in space over Lake Michigan."[6]
Still another source of frustration for The Old Man is the dogs that belong to the next door hillbilly neighbors, the Bumpuses. The Bumpuses own "at least 785 smelly hound dogs" that harass The Old Man whenever he comes home from work. On Christmas Day, the dogs ruin the family's dinner by romping through their kitchen and eating their turkey. This results in the family having Christmas dinner at a Chinese restaurant instead.[7]
Ralphie and his friends Flick and Schwartz are tormented by the neighborhood bullies Scut Farkus and Grover Dill. Ralphie eventually snaps and beats up Farkus.[8]
Flick accepts a dare from Schwartz to stick his tongue onto the school flagpole. His tongue freezes onto the pole, requiring assistance from the police and fire department to free him.
After getting a Christmas tree on the ride home, one of The Old Man's tires becomes flat, so he goes to fix it. Mrs. Parker encourages Ralphie to help. When Ralphie flips the tire he says, "Oh Fudge!" but he actually said the bad word. At home, Ralphie is given Lifebuoy soap in his mouth. His mother asks where he heard the word. He actually has heard from The Old Man every day but chickens out and says Schwartz. This leads to his mother calling Schwartz's mother on the phone.
For homework, Ralphie and his class are assigned to write on what they want for Christmas. Ralphie knows what he is going to write about: The Red Ryder BB Gun. He imagines the ultimate A+, but gets a C+, with Miss Shields writing, "You'll shoot your eye out!" on the paper.
Ralphie, a fan of the Little Orphan Annie radio program, eagerly awaits the arrival of a decoder pin he has applied to receive. When it comes in the mail, he uses it to decode a secret message at the end of the day's broadcast, but is disappointed to find it is only an advertisement for Ovaltine, the show's sponsor.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Peter Billingsley as Ralphie Parker

Jean Shepherd as adult Ralphie (voice)

Ian Petrella as Randy Parker
Melinda Dillon as Mrs. Parker
Darren McGavin as Mr. Parker (The Old Man)
Scott Schwartz as Flick
R. D. Robb as Schwartz
Zack Ward as Scut Farkus
Yano Anaya as Grover Dill
Tedde Moore as Miss Shields
Jeff Gillen as Santa Claus

text: Casting[edit]

text: The basis of the screenplay is a series of monologues written and performed by Jean Shepherd on radio. Shepherd wrote the screenplay adaptation with Bob Clark and Leigh Brown.[9] Several subplots are incorporated into the body of the film, based on other separate short stories by Shepherd. Shepherd provides the film's narration from the perspective of an adult Ralphie, a narrative style later used in the dramedy television series The Wonder Years. Shepherd, Brown and Clark all have cameo appearances in the film: Shepherd plays the man who directs Ralphie and Randy to the back of the Santa line at the department store; Brown – Shepherd's wife in real life – plays the woman in the Santa line with Shepherd; Clark plays Swede, the neighbor the Old Man talks to outside during the Leg Lamp scene.

text: In the DVD commentary, director Bob Clark mentions that Jack Nicholson was considered for the role of the Old Man; Clark expresses gratitude that he ended up with Darren McGavin instead, who later appeared in several other Clark films. He cast Melinda Dillon on the basis of her similar role in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Some 8,000 actors auditioned for the role of Ralphie; "He walked in, and he had us from the beginning," Clark later recalled of Peter Billingsley who was already a successful actor in commercials[9] and from co-hosting the TV series Real People. Clark initially wanted him for the role of Ralphie, but decided he was "too obvious" a choice and auditioned many other young actors before realizing that Billingsley was the right choice after all.

text: Ian Petrella was cast immediately before filming began. Tedde Moore had previously appeared in Clark's film Murder by Decree and was the only onscreen character from A Christmas Story who was played by the same actor in the sequel, My Summer Story. Jeff Gillen was an old friend of Clark's who had been in one of his earliest films.[10] The schoolyard bully, Scut Farkus, was played by Zack Ward, now an actor, writer and director, who had actually been bullied himself while in elementary school. In 2017, he said he was surprised at the impact his role had had over the years. "I saw that I was ranked — as Christmas villains go — higher than the Grinch. That’s amazing."[11]

text: Production[edit]

text: The screenplay for A Christmas Story is based on material from author Jean Shepherd's collection of short stories, In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash. Three of the semi-autobiographical short stories on which the film is based were originally published in Playboy magazine between 1964 and 1966.[12] Shepherd later read "Duel in the Snow, or Red Ryder nails the Cleveland Street Kid" and told the otherwise unpublished story "Flick's Tongue" on his WOR Radio talk show, as can be heard in one of the DVD extras.[13] Bob Clark states on the DVD commentary that he became interested in Shepherd's work when he heard "Flick's Tongue" on the radio in 1968. Additional source material for the film, according to Clark, came from unpublished anecdotes that Shepherd told live audiences "on the college circuit."[10]

text: Locations[edit]

text: The film is set in Hohman, Indiana, a fictionalized version of Shepherd's hometown of Hammond, named for Hohman Avenue, which runs through downtown Hammond.[14] Local references in the film include Warren G. Harding Elementary School and Cleveland Street (where Shepherd spent his childhood). Other local references include mention of a person "swallowing a yo-yo" in nearby Griffith,[15] the Old Man being one of the fiercest "furnace fighters in northern Indiana" and that his obscenities were "hanging in space over Lake Michigan," a mention of the Indianapolis 500, and the line to Santa Claus "stretching all the way to Terre Haute, Indiana." The Old Man is also revealed to be a fan of the Bears (whom he jokingly calls the "Chicago Chipmunks") and White Sox, consistent with living in northwest Indiana.

text: Director Bob Clark reportedly sent scouts to twenty cities before selecting Cleveland for exterior filming. Cleveland was chosen because of Higbee's Department Store in downtown Cleveland. (Since Higbee's was exclusive to northeast Ohio,[16] the department store referenced in Shepherd's book and the film is most likely Goldblatt's, located in downtown Hammond [with the Cam-Lan Chinese Restaurant three doors down on Sibley Ave].) Until they connected with Higbee's, location scouts had been unsuccessful in finding a department store that was willing to be part of the film. Higbee's vice president Bruce Campbell agreed to take part in the project on the condition he be allowed to edit the script for cursing. Ultimately, Higbee's was the stage for three scenes in the film:

text:
The opening scene in which Ralphie first spies the Red Ryder BB Gun in the store's Christmas window display. Higbee's was known for its elaborate, child-centered Christmas themes and decorations, with Santa as the centerpiece.
The parade scene, filmed just outside Higbee’s on Public Square at 3 AM. The parade was filmed at night because during the daytime the 1960s Erieview Tower and Federal Building were visible from the Public Square, as was the BP Tower, which was under construction at the time.
Ralphie and Randy’s visit to see Santa, which was filmed inside Higbee’s. The store kept the Santa slide that was made for the film and used it for several years after the film's release.

text: Higbee's became Dillard's in 1992 and closed for good in 2002.[17]

text: In addition to the scenes involving Higbee's, the exterior shots (and select interior shots where Ralphie lived, including the opening of the leg lamp) of the house and neighborhood, were filmed in the Tremont section of Cleveland's West Side. The house used as the Parker home in these scenes has been restored, reconfigured inside to match the soundstage interiors, and opened to the public as "A Christmas Story House". Appropriately, the fictional boyhood home of Ralphie Parker is on Cleveland Street, the name of the actual street where Shepherd grew up.

text: However, Cleveland was only one of several locations used. The school scenes were shot at the Victoria School in St. Catharines, Ontario.[18] The Christmas tree-purchasing scene was filmed in Toronto, Ontario, as was the sound stage filming of interior shots of the Parker home.[19][20] The "...only I didn't say fudge" scene was filmed at the foot of Cherry Street in Toronto; several lake freighters are visible in the background spending the winter at Toronto's port, which lends authenticity to the time of year when the film was produced.

text: In 2008, two Canadian fans released a documentary that visits every location. Their film, Road Trip for Ralphie, was shot over two years and includes footage of the filmmakers saving Miss Shields' blackboard from the garbage bin on the day the old Victoria School was gutted for renovation, discovering the antique fire truck that saved Flick, locating all the original costumes from the film, and tracking down the real-life location of the film's Chop Suey Palace in Toronto.[21]

text: Red Ryder BB gun[edit]

text: The Red Ryder BB gun was available beginning in 1938 and remains available today, but never in the exact configuration mentioned in the film. The Daisy "Buck Jones" model did have a compass and a sundial in the stock, but these features were not included in the Red Ryder model.[22] The compass and sundial were placed on Ralphie's BB gun, but on the opposite side of the stock due to Peter Billingsley being left-handed.[23]

text: Dating the story[edit]

text: Director Bob Clark stated in the film's DVD commentary that both he and author Shepherd wished for the film to be seen as "amorphously late-'30s, early-'40s".[24] A specific year is never mentioned in the film; however, numerous sources including The New York Times and CBS News have dated the film variously at 1940 to the early 1940s.[25][26][27][28]

text: Soundtrack[edit]

text:
A Christmas Story

Soundtrack album by Various artists

Released
November 10, 2009

Recorded
1983

Genre
Instrumental, holiday

Label
Rhino Records

text:
Professional ratings

Review scores

Source
Rating

Allmusic
[29]

text: Release and reception[edit]

text: Initially overlooked as a sleeper film,[30] A Christmas Story was released a week before Thanksgiving 1983 to moderate success, earning about $2 million in its first weekend.[31] Vincent Canby's mostly negative New York Times review complained that "the movie's big comic pieces tend only to be exceedingly busy. Though Mr. Billingsley, Mr. Gavin, Miss Dillon and the actress who plays Ralphie's school teacher (Tedde Moore) are all very able, they are less funny than actors in a television situation comedy." [32]

text: Roger Ebert suggested the film had only modest success because holiday-themed films were not popular at the time but he praised the nostalgia of the movie, and the Santa scene, which is the "best visit to Santa I've ever seen".[33] In 2000, Ebert added the film to his list of Great Movies.[34] The film would go on to win two categories in the 5th Genie Awards, for Director Bob Clark and Best Original Screenplay for the work of Leigh Brown, Bob Clark and Jean Shepherd.[35]

text: By Christmas 1983 the film was no longer playing at most venues, but remained in about a hundred theaters until January 1984.[10] Gross earnings were just over $19.2 million.[31] In the years since, due to television airings and home video release, A Christmas Story has become widely popular and is now an annual Christmas special. The film was produced and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The rights to the film were acquired by Turner Entertainment Co. after Ted Turner's purchase of MGM's pre-1986 film library. Subsequently, Time Warner purchased Turner Entertainment, and currently holds rights to the film.

text: Over the years, the film's critical reputation has grown considerably and it is considered by some to be one of the best films of 1983.[36] Based on 55 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an overall approval rating from critics of 89%, with an average score of 8.5/10. The site's consensus reads: "Both warmly nostalgic and darkly humorous, A Christmas Story deserves its status as a holiday perennial."[37] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 77 out of 100, based on 8 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[38] In his movie guide, Leonard Maltin awarded the film a rare[citation needed] four-star rating, calling the film "Delightful" and "Truly funny for kids and grown-ups alike" with "Wonderful period flavor."[39]

text: On December 24, 2007, AOL ranked the film their #1 Christmas film of all time.[40] IGN ranked the film the top holiday-themed film of all time.[41] In 2012, a Marist Poll named the film the favorite holiday film in the U.S.[42]

text: American Film Institute lists

text:
AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs – Nominated[43]
AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes:

"You'll shoot your eye out." – Nominated[44]

AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) – Nominated[45]

text: Broadcasting and home video release[edit]

text: Television[edit]

text: The film first aired on television on HBO in 1985, and quickly attracted a growing following. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the film began airing quietly on SuperStation WTBS and Superstation WGN.[46] In 1988, then-fledgling Fox aired the film the night after Thanksgiving.[46] In 1989–1990, TBS showed it Thanksgiving night, while in 1991–1992, they aired it the night after.[46]

text: 24 Hours of A Christmas Story[edit]

text: Turner Broadcasting has maintained ownership of the broadcast rights, and since the mid-1990s, aired the film increasingly on TBS, TNT, and TCM. By 1995, it was aired on those networks a combined six times on December 24–26,[46] and in 1996, it was aired eight times over those three days.[46]

text: Due to the increasing popularity of the film, in 1997, TNT began airing a 24-hour marathon dubbed "24 Hours of A Christmas Story," consisting of the film shown twelve consecutive times beginning at 7 or 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve and ending Christmas Day.[46] This was in addition to various other airings earlier in the month of December. In 2004, after TNT switched to a predominantly drama format, sister network TBS, under its comedy-based "Very Funny" moniker, took over the marathon. Clark stated that, in 2002, an estimated 38.4 million people tuned into the marathon at one point or another, nearly one sixth of the country.[10] TBS reported 45.4 million viewers in 2005,[47] and 45.5 million in 2006.[48] In 2007, new all-time ratings records were set,[49] with the highest single showing (8 p.m. Christmas Eve) drawing 4.4 million viewers.[49] Viewership increased again in 2008, with 8 p.m. Christmas Eve drawing 4.5 million viewers, and 10 p.m. drawing 4.3 million,[50] and 54.4 million total.[51] As of 2009, the film had been shown 250 times on the Turner family of networks.[51]

text: In 2007, the marathon continued, and the original tradition was revived. TNT also aired the film twice the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend (November 25). In 2009, the 24-hour marathon continued on TBS, for the 13th overall year, starting at 8 p.m. eastern on Christmas Eve.[52]

text: In 2009, the film aired on TBS during a 24-hour marathon on Christmas Eve. The first viewing at 8 p.m. Eastern on December 24 earned a 1.6 rating (18–49) and beat the major broadcast networks (NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox).[53] In 2010, the marathon averaged 3 million viewers, up 2% from the previous year, ranking TBS as the top cable network for the 24-hour period. The 10 a.m. airing on December 25 was seen by 4.4 million viewers, and the 8 p.m. airing on December 24 was close behind with 4.3 million viewers.[54] The marathons in 2011[55] and 2012[56] continued to see increases in ratings.

text: For the 2014 and 2015 editions of the marathon, Turner Broadcasting elected to simulcast it on both TNT and TBS, marking the first time since 2003 that TNT aired it as well as the first time the marathon is being carried by multiple stations; the two networks set their airings one hour apart (so that the TNT airings began while TBS was at the middle of the film).[57][58] Both networks were running 24 hour marathons in 2017, as well.[2]

text: Subsequent and earlier works[edit]

text: A sequel involving Ralphie and his family, titled My Summer Story (originally released as It Runs in the Family), was made in 1994. With the exceptions of Tedde Moore as Ralphie's teacher (Miss Shields) and Jean Shepherd as the narrator (the voice of the adult Ralphie), it features an entirely different cast. A series of television films involving the Parker family, also from Shepherd stories, were made by PBS, including Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss (1988), The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski (1985), The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters (1982), and The Phantom of the Open Hearth (1976).

text: A Christmas Story 2 is another sequel which ignores the references and events of My Summer Story and was released direct-to-video in 2012[59] and directed by Brian Levant. It was filmed in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.[60]

text: Stage adaptations[edit]

text: In 2000, a stage play adaptation of A Christmas Story was written by Philip Grecian.[61]

text: In November 2012, A Christmas Story: The Musical, based on the film, opened on Broadway. Written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (music and lyrics) and Joseph Robinette (book), the musical opened to positive reviews.[62] The run ended December 30, 2012.[63] The musical was directed by John Rando with choreography by Warren Carlyle and featured Dan Lauria as Jean Shepherd.[64] The musical received Tony Award nominations for Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical (Robinette), and Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre.[65]

text: The musical was then adapted for television as the three hour A Christmas Story Live!, which aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 17, 2017.[66] Reviews were mixed; on Rotten Tomatoes, the production received a 46% rating based on 13 critics' reviews and a very low 14% based on 44 audience reviews.[67]

text: Home video releases[edit]

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text:
Betamax (1984,1988)
VHS (1984, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000)
LaserDisc (1985): pan and scan
LaserDisc (1993): deluxe letterbox edition
DVD (1997, reissued by Warner Home Video in 1999): fullscreen, includes original theatrical trailer
DVD (2003) 20th Anniversary 2-Disc Special Edition DVD (2003): Widescreen & Fullscreen; includes cast interviews, audio commentary, and featurettes.
HD DVD (2006)[68]
Blu-ray (2006)[69]
DVD (2008) Ultimate Collector's Edition: Metal tin case features the same 2003 two-disc special edition, but includes special memorabilia.[70]
Blu-ray (2008) Ultimate Collector's Edition: Metal tin which features the same 2006 Blu-ray disc, but also includes a strand of Leg Lamp Christmas lights.[71]
Blu-ray (2013) 30th Anniversary Edition: Steelbook with Blu-ray in 1080p (like the previous Blu-ray and HD-DVD) with a DTS-HD Master Audio mono track (whereas the previous releases had Dolby Digital mono), and more special features than the previous Blu-ray and HD-DVD.