Nope, this isn't another Pirates of the Caribbean movie about the last captain of the Black Pearl. It's actually a lovely documentary about the legendary Olympic Sabre (fencing) champion and coach, George Piller.
What makes this movie special? I have to confess that I'm especially fond of it because it's written and produced by my very own buddy from junior high school, the talented Greg Lynch Jr.! In high school, he always had a camera in his hands. I should have known that he'd continue to use his artistic eye to create great films in his future!
Inspired by his favorite sport (fencing), Doug Nichols makes his directorial debut with The Last Captain, although he is not new to film-making, having worked for studios like Pixar, Disney, and LucsFilm for 25 years.
Together, Greg and Doug challenged each other to put together a film that would pay tribute to an incredible man, while simultaneously showing the rest of us how two determined filmmakers could create something against all odds. Kudos to both of you, my friends!
Things I liked:
The interviews, photos, and other footage comprise a wonderful collection and tribute to an amazing man.
During World War I, George Piller charged through barbed wire of the enemy lines, earning military medals for valor. Winning medals became his life, as he won World Championships in Sabre (fencing) for three straight years. During World War II, he was captured by the Russians and miraculously escaped.
The film takes a painful look at the Holocaust and the Hungarian Revolution, illustrating the devastating effects on the country of Hungary and its professional fencers at the time.
Hungarians, athletes, and fencers will be fascinated.
The film was dedicated to the memory of Charles Selberg.
Things I didn't like:
It's sometimes hard to keep track of all of the Hungarian names of people mentioned in the story.
If you don't pay attention, you might miss why George Piller was called "The Last Captain."
Children are not the target audience here, so they might be a bit bored.
Interesting lines:
"You can create a person to be a great fencer, but if you show him how to be a great man and you put the two together, you have a superior product."- Peter Westbrook (Olympic Bronze Medalist)
It's so fun to see what people have done with their lives and to re-connect with them. I'm so proud of my old friend. Greg has worked in the movie industry ever since graduating from college, but this is his first shot at writing, producing, and doing the cinematography.
