Over at our sister site, award-winning newsman Buck Denver reports on the Pirate movie and interviews one of the film's stars. Check it out…
About The Author
Phil Vischer
Phil Vischer is an author, speaker, filmmaker, best known as the creator of the children's series VeggieTales. He also hosts the Phil Vischer Podcast and creates teaching resources for families.
Whee! Buck is back… my day is complete. 😉
Most excellent! I always knew that the ship they sailed had a certain something to it. As a huge Johnny Depp fan, you have made my day. 😀 Great job with it. lol.
What is…wrong with you? LOL! I should have seen this coming, huh?
Ah ha! I knew it! The “Edward Scissorhands'” line was not mere coincidence! Plus, have you noticed you never see Johnny Depp and the Veggie Pirates in the same room? He’s just THAT good! 😉
Haha! Love it.
Jelly on!
~Beth
FINALLY, I’ve been checking everyday for a new Jelly report!
Great one! My favorite kind of comedy: It’s funny because it’s true. Depp is always almost unrecognizable in his roles.
Wow, I had no idea.
Man, the accent… it sounds more like Johnny Depp than he does himself somehow!
That’s cool.
NEVER watch a Buck news report when one has bronchitis. It is hazardous to your health! Oxygen….. I need Oxygen!! can’t… breathe…laughing…too…hard….cough cough.
were you Johnny??? That was hilarious!!!!!
Phil, Those numbers look a bit pale on opening week. DVD still on the way though. Any thoughts on what this means for the future of the veggies an their market? There seems to actually be a sizeable crowd of people going for childhood memories (wow they have been around that long 🙂 but are new parents/kids in touch? Do they need a couple generations off to make a comeback? Jellies anyone?
Well I missed opening weekend due to being sick but braved the -9 degree weather tonight (1/18) to see my favorite Veggies. My four year old daughter and five year old nephew loved the movie. We’re going to try to see it again in the theaters since I missed part of it due to a much needed bathroom break by my nephew. Phil your writing was great!!! For some reason I didn’t think the music was as good as Jonah. Maybe I just need to see it again.
Oh how I laughed!
I’m hoping to buy tickets for the Pirate movie again, if it weren’t for the fact I’m a tad too embarrased to admit just how much I love Veggietales, I’d have someone take me as soon as possible. Someone even questioned me if I was reverting to Christianity.
I don’t believe Veggietales needs to build its foundation on Christianity (or any other religion for that matter) and the name of God in order to pass its valuable morals and lessons along to its audience. The downside to that whole ideal is that the series won’t appeal or be distributed to a larger audience. Some people are so ‘dedicated’ to their beliefs that they tend to push aside anything associated outside their religious scope. That’s just the way it is. I’ve been to Christian, Catholic, and Jewish churches, and it’s no surprise I’m bound to find some Veggietales videos ONLY in a Christian church.
Someone around this site commented on how there need to be more movies with Christian themes, and I had to disagree with that. Why must moral deeds and values that are taught so faithfully in Veggietales, be strictly under the name of Christianity? I am NOT against religion in any way or form, but that’s something to think about. Veggietales can appeal to an audience of all ages, and videos like these should not be limited for people under a certain religion. I know that’s not the intention, but after when considering the series’ history, people can get the wrong idea. I’d love nothing more than to share my videos with other people. I just wish it was better distributed.
I wonder what Phil Vischer and the guys at Big Idea think about this. I personally don’t mind the Christian theme, but that’s just me. Will Big Idea start to ‘wean off’ the Christian undertone in the future? I’d still try to support Big Idea regardless of where Veggietales goes, but I’m highly interested to hear opinions on this.
LOL SOOOO FUNNY!!
You ROCK Phil! (you too Buck)
I think the fact VeggieTales has been Christian is thanks to the fact that, well, most of the poeple invloved are Christians. And a question worth pondering, especially as western society gets more secular, is the proper source for one’s morals. All of the lessons in VeggieTales are taken from the Bible. I’m not sure…the Bible is the main source for ethics among (Protestant) Christians. We are effected by culture at large, but much of what we believe that is counter-culture (like that women should not dress provacatively, etc.) is taken from scripture. And some of the lessons in VeggieTales deal with situations difficult to actually stay upright in. That God is involved, and He has basis for His commands…these are important concepts to us. Because if God is not involved…well, then how do we know what’s right “for us” in the midst of a rather “do whatever feels good” culture?
Btw, Phil, the interview was great, very funny
Hi, Raye!
Wow, you sure are opening a can of worms here, aren’t you? Or maybe we should say a can of “evil cheese curls”! 😀
Morals and values do not exist in a vaccuum. They rely on a particular worldview. You can say “Do not tell lies”, and that’s a good moral value, but why? Why shouldn’t I tell lies? The answer to that question depends on your worldview. A secular humanist will answer that question different than an evangelical Christian.
The makers of VeggieTales have an explicitly Christian worldview, and always have. Even this new Pirate movie, while not overtly Biblical like their first movie, Jonah, is still clearly Christian in its worldview. In this movie, our heroes learn a lesson in bravery, that you can be a hero when you overcome your fears. But how can you overcome your fears? A secular humanist would tell you that you can overcome your fears by relying on yourself and having faith in yourself. That’s not the message of this new Pirates movie. The message here is pretty clear; God — the king — has given you everything you need to face the obstacles in your life. Rely on God, and you’ll find you have everything you need to be a hero.
Oh, and by the way, if you agree with the moral of the story, and how we should not be afraid and face our fears, then why are you afraid to admit to your friends that you like VeggieTales? 🙂
I hope you stick around, and I hope someday you do more than just tolerate Christianity. After all, God does more than tolerate you. “Remember, God made you special, and He loves you very much.”
Ahaha. I don’t mean to cause any trouble :/ And no, I’m not afraid to admit to anyone that I like Veggietales. I sometimes sing Silly Songs in class with my friend! But when something hints to border on ‘ obsession’ then that fan-ism is just kinda scary, but that’s a whole other story.
I guessed I missed the memo that Veggietales’ main target are specifically Christian audiences. But my concern wasn’t religion as much as distribution. That Christian morality’s been there since the beginning of the series, and while my family is not Christian anymore I still feel that element is still an intrinsic part of Veggietales. If anything, I’d rather they -not- omit the root of the messages. But I see where you’re coming from.
Raye, don’t stop being Christian just b/c your family isn’t. Everyone is trying to get the message out there for everone’s sake to be reminded that you are loved by God! There two kinds of tools, the special tools and the commonly used tools, we are the tools being used for a special purpose to spread God’s word and tell them what to and how to get to where God is. My guess would be the commonly used tools are probably the bad and stubborn people in this world that won’t give in to God’s word or accept him. (If I’m wrong please type it, I want to know when I’m wrong.)
Anyway, seen the movie now I got a question, why is petinua’s hairdo the way it is? It looks like Madme Blueberry’s hair in ‘The Wizard of Ha’s” sort of. and I got another question when does “The Pirate’s who don’t do anything” come out on DVD? (If you can, at least answer this question!) 😉
Hey Friend! Phil wasn’t involved in the character design or hair styling design for the movie so he can’t speak to that. As for the
DVD release date, it should be made public sometime in the fall. We don’t have any info on that here. Sorry I can’t be of more help!
Hey thanks for answering! and sorry that Phil wasn’t involved in the character design or hair styling design. and as for the movie release I can’t wait! 😀 but I’ll try!
Hey one more question, not trying to bother you or push but besides spring 2008, does anyone really know when the release date is for the new show ‘Huckleberry Larry’? I know that includes Bob and Larry, but does anyone know when that will be exactly out? If not exactly give me what the month will be March, April, or Febuary? 🙂
For anyone young enough to not remember the B-52’s or hearing Rock Lobster for the first time on Dr. Demento…..well, the hair style for Petunia (in Rock Monster) was a spoof of how the girls in the B-52s wore their hair. A big, bouffant, bee-hive style.
Hey thanks! I never knew about that with hair style, I would’ve had to wait until when they talked during the movie on dvd or something. So is anything new in big idea?