Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

In Port Royal, Elizabeth Swann has kept a gold medallion since childhood, taken from young Will Turner after a shipwreck. The medallion draws the Black Pearl, whose crew under Barbossa is cursed: for stealing Aztec gold, they became undead, showing up as skeletons in the moonlight. To lift the curse they must return every coin with each pirate's blood, and Bootstrap Bill Turner's is missing. Elizabeth is taken, and Will, now a blacksmith, teams up with pirate Jack Sparrow, who wants his ship back. At Isla de Muerta, Will breaks the curse and Jack kills Barbossa. Elizabeth chooses Will over Commodore Norrington, and Jack escapes the gallows and takes command of the Pearl again.

• After the credits Jack the monkey climbs onto the chest of Aztec gold, grabs a coin and turns skeletal in the moonlight. The curse is back, for him at least.

1. Behind the scenesJack Sparrow was born from Keith Richards

   Johnny Depp researched 18th-century pirates, decided they were the rock stars of their day and based the role on Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones. Disney executives were puzzled, but Depp stuck to his choices, gold teeth included.

   source ↗
2. ReferenceThe dog with the keys

   In the Port Royal jail, prisoners try to coax over a dog holding the cell keys. The gag comes straight from the Disneyland ride the film is based on.

   source ↗
3. ReferenceYo Ho, the ride's song

   Elizabeth and Jack sing "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)" on the beach, drunk on rum. It's the song from the Disney attraction, written by George Bruns and Xavier Atencio.

   source ↗
4. Behind the scenesThe curse came from the ride

   Writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio pitched the supernatural curse to tie the story to the ride. Michael Eisner, meanwhile, asked them to cut overly obvious ride nods, like a cave entrance through a waterfall.

   source ↗