What is the allure that causes grown adults to don leather and felt costumes like six year olds ready to run out and yell trick or treat? A fanatical group of despots that travel round the country? Whether your opinion of this renewed love for pirating is one of scorn or folly, there is no denying its ever-growing presence, even in our ?Depp? world here. As Johnny has gone on to other roles, Jack still lingers on. This brings us back to the question; what ingredients cause this awe for a character that was invented in the genius of our Johnny? It may never be explained, but I personally can testify to its reality as I wonder; could Johnny have dreamed that Captain Jack Sparrow would become a beacon of light for young and old?
Searching high and low for a Jack to represent our charity event, we stumbled upon Brandon Hillock. A pirate to be sure, he jumped the Disneyland boat for a much more better ship. In the months planning the event, I became acquainted with more Jack Sparrows than I knew could exist in The Locker as I was introduced to the pirate world itself. Seeing these photos on the net, I laughed at the reactions I would view in the videos wondering, how could grown people fumble for cameras with such awe as the kiddies scurry up to touch the pirate?
Standing in the corridor awaiting our Jacks entrance, I whispered a small prayer under my breath that my own doing, bringing a Sparrow look alike would not turn into a traitorous Johnny event. Never visiting Disneyland or seeing one of the pirates in person I had no idea what to expect, thinking I may have a trip down the plank myself coming in the near future. As I turned toward the commotion in the park, my breath caught in my throat. I felt the same heart stopping warmth that overcame me when I saw him on the screen. This was not Johnny in anyway, shape or form, but there was Jack Sparrow larger than life! The people were immediately drawn to him and the man that had stepped into the changing room had given way to this infamous Captain who awes us all. I watched him with a cynical eye, trying to configure the fact that this was just an outfit on a simple man, but it was no use. The magic overtakes it all. How can you describe it? It may be the coat, hat, sword or pistol. It could be that infamous voice that our Jack had perfected to match, so much as closing my eyes, I could almost swear someone, somewhere, had the film itself playing. I may never sail on the Black Pearl, but this was as close as you could get.
Walking into the empty deserted theater to view the test run of the first Pirates film for the theater manager, I shut the door behind me. I looked at the screen and Jack?s entrance had just begun. There he was, not belittled on the television screen in my home, but here again the way it was intended to be seen. I stood there in the pitch dark, conscious of the fact that I was totally alone in the presence of this great man?s vision and suddenly it hit me? Jack isn?t a pirate or just a plain character that was brought forth out of a whim of desire, but part of a gift that Johnny has given us. Who doesn?t remember their first kiss, their baby?s first steps or the first time they looked upon Johnny as Captain Jack Sparrow? There is no one alive that can tell me Johnny doesn?t hold the magic in his hand we all feel and now he has given the special gift of pinching a piece of that magic and blowing it through the wind to the world. How do I know? Captain Jack Sparrow looked into my eyes last week and simply smirked with a wink whispering?Ello Darlin.?
*thanks to the Pirates at kttc and Julie and Christy, whose love for jack helped inspire this piece. and to Brandon who brought the magic to life*
