Arr, mateys! There are few characters that have proven to be both popular and cool as pirates throughout film history. They have graced our screens for as long as cinema has existed, and whether they are portrayed as villains or heroes, they are often characters that exude coolness. Stereotypically, they have a great look with dozens of eccentric accessories, but importantly they sail the seven seas and answer to nobody’s rules but their own (plus the lingo is usually pretty cool too).
In celebration of the 16th anniversary of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’s theatrical release, here are 10 of the most notorious swashbuckling pirates from film history.
10. Captain LaRoche (The Pirates of Blood River)
Over the course of his career, Christopher Lee proved himself to be the perfect cinema villain and excelled in roles including Count Dracula, Saruman, Count Dooku, Frankenstein’s Monster and The Mummy. Playing such cool and legendary characters, it is only fitting that he once appeared as a pirate and traversed the seven seas. He got this chance in 1962, with the role of Captain LaRoche in John Gilling’s British action film The Pirates of Blood River. Slightly deviating in this role from his classic English accent and charming persona, he retains a suaveness and is fantastic in the villainous role. Captain LaRoche is menacing and dangerous, but equally cool and intriguing, complete with a French accent. In the film, a group of pirates led by LaRoche attack a 17th Century Huguenot settlement in a quest for treasure and will stop at nothing to obtain it.
Source: Screenshot via Columbia Pictures