Romance Pirata

My parents taped this movie off the TV when I was about 7 years old. We still had the Beta machine back then. I loved this movie and I watched it over and over and over again. I would watch it, rewind it and play it again until my family got so sick of it, they would come in and turn it off on me. I had it practically memorized, but after we got the VHS, I couldn't watch it anymore and I was so disappointed. I meant to transfer it onto a VHS, but I never have. I always thought it was a made-for-TV movie until I found it on this site. After I found it here, I immediately went and ordered the DVD because I was so excited. I'm not sure why it appealed to me so much as a kid, but I loved the corny jokes and the music was very catchy and upbeat. My brothers and I still break into a chorus of Tarantara every once in a while. Plus the movie has a little bit of everything - comedy, romance, adventure, drama. The reason I gave it an 8 rather than a 10 is because some parts of the movie are a little too cheesy, particularly the underwater scene.

Anyone rating this less than 7 clearly doesn't understand the film at all. When Gilbert & Sullivan first wrote The Pirates of Penzance in the late 1800's, they were writing it in satire of the operatic idiom. If the film's title wasn't enough of a clue in itself, The Pirate Movie is a satire of the sort of musical adventure cinema we were seeing in the 70's and early 80's (see Grease, Xanadu, The Wiz, Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar, Man of La Mancha, Rock & Roll High School... the list goes on!). Also, it was just meant to be a lot of fun. If you are going in, expecting something with the musical mastery of West Side Story, The Phantom of the Opera or Les Miserables, you are looking in the wrong place. If a film that could be the lovechild of The Goonies and ABBA sounds intriguing, then you are going to have a blast! So put away your critic's notepad, pop some corn and enjoy!

I had found the movie while searching youtube for something to watch and I found it, at first it felt like a fever dream and didn't feel like it was real but it is quite enjoyable and something I do go back to every now and again... the big dance numbers and singing make this super cheesy and I love it. From the cast and Ruth just being there for comedic value its everything you want, it may be your best princess bride and its worth watching on a rainy day.

when i was younger, my siblings and i wanted to rent a movie. my mother saw this in the movie store and rented. from then on its been our favorite movie of all time. its totally 80's but its awesome. the music, the dance, the story . . . its hysterical! the things they spoof . . . its total nostalgia . . . i say watch it and love it. kristy mcnichol is awesome!!! i would love to see her comeback!! and then there's christopher atkins, total 80s heartthrob, ted hamilton . . . maggie kirkpatrick . . . and who can forget bill kerr . . . its a MUST buy . . . great movie for children, great movie for the whole family to enjoy . . . thats all i have to say . .. except out of 10 starts i give it a 12.5!!

I have always found this to be a terribly under-rated film. Okay, so it isn't exactly true to Gilbert & Sullivan. So what? I love Gilbert and Sullivan, but this is obviously supposed to be a take-off and spoof, much like Scary Movie is a take-off and spoof. Nonetheless, I find this to be a wonderfully entertaining movie. It is extremely funny, it is filmed beautifully on location in Australia, and it has great music. Christopher Atkins and Kristy McNichol are wonderful in this film. I sure wish the studio would get around to re-releasing this film on DVD, and re-releasing the soundtrack on CD. It has been overlooked for far too long. I know many other people, who like me, simply love this film.