Naval Historian Breaks Down 'Master and Commander' Movie | Deep Dives

I'm so glad this movie is getting some appreciation. It was not a box office success but is easily one of the most accurate and well-written period war films of its decade.

It's a very rare movie where experts can watch it and have very little to quibble about. Master and Commander is a masterpiece of detail and accuracy.

One thing Master and Commander does that I have never seen in any other movie, is having sound move slower than light, as shown the French frigate is seen in the distance and you see the flashes of the cannon and then after a delay you hear the sound. It's also the only movie I've seen that has actors of the right age, how crowded the decks were and the diversity (as the navy at the time was actually very diverse), it's the only time I've heard mention the standard practice of loading more than one cannon ball in the gun at a time, having the cannons fly backwards when fired and using the correct terminology throughout the movie.

Whenever I'm watching this movie and my wife happens to walk by, she'll say "Oh, again? What a surprise.", with emphasis on the word surprise, because she even knows the name of the ship because of me watching it so many times.

Somehow I feel the lack of a sequel makes this film just that much more special. Leaving you on a cliffhanger like that makes the story really stick with you, keeps it in your mind. One of my favorite films, glad to see that it is incredibly accurate.

"One must always choose the lesser of two weevils"......Nothing more need be said, fantastic adaptation of a fantastic series of books.

Master and Commander is still used to check the setup of surround sound systems. Filmed on real wooden ships, the rolling creaks that surround the viewer will quickly reveal a poorly placed speaker, or one that is out of phase, or improperly amplified.

Practically every frame in this film is like a painting. Not only is it fantastically true to the history, it’s also a masterclass in cinematography.

Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World. One of the best films ever made, when the little blond midshipman says "Follow Me" and leads the men into battle. Epic. Simply Epic. I love that little dude.

Peter Weir, who directed and co-wrote the script for Master and Commander was renowned for his thorough planning and control of his movies, including finding talented collaborators. The visual tone is substantially due to cinematographer Russell Boyd who frequently worked with Weir over a 30 year period and won an Academy Award for this film. Sound Designer Richard King and Weir searched the Richard O'Brian novels for sound descriptions to include, found collectors with authentic cannons and recorded firing, cannonballs in flight, and striking wooden targets, and used classic sound eefects techniques to create a range of rigging sounds. The soundscape of the movie was assembled like a musical composition. King also won an Academy Award for sound editing for this movie.

One of my favorite movies of all time.

As a former American Sailor I have always been amazed at how much of this movie resonates with my experience in the modern Navy. The bells, routine, morale, hierarchy, jargon, leadership, tradition its all there.

Ooh I know this is going to be a banger of a video! Such an awesome movie. Hard to believe it’s 21 years old. Holds up better than 99% of historical period movies today.

The sound design of this movie is absolutely amazing it's such a shame I never saw it in cinemas that would be one amazing experience

I’m currently re-reading the entire series, so this is a welcome “Surprise”! I still think my favorite lines (from the books) are “Jack you have debauched my sloth!”

Dan Snow, a sailor here. When Capt. Sparrow tells his crew to handle the sails in a lubberly way, he is telling them to be sloppy in their work to appear more like a whaling crew instead of a well-trained navy crew. This was one more level to their deception they were trying to pull. And I agree totally that I too so wanted a sequel!! 🙂 Thanks for a great video!

The doctor telling the midshipman he’d never seen a braver patient gets me every time

As someone who absolutely and dearly loves this film, I am always so proud and happy to see what a strong community of fellow fans this film has gathered, who share the same passions and reasons for loving this masterpiece of a movie!

I had the pleasure of crewing aboard this vessel when she was named the (HMS) Rose the summer of 1979. At that time the Rose had no engines and we sailed on and off anchor as well as sailing her to the dock in New Bedford, MA. We had a crew of about 20. Of course Captain Richard Bailey being in command was key.

That rigging: just pure bliss. Such a great adaptation of the novels. I hope there will be a sequel, and I think Russell Crowe has 'grown' even more into the character of Jack Aubrey