He leaves you for Smee

Hook dir. Steven Spielberg, 1991

Sketched in pencil, then inked with pens and ancient diluted Daler-Rowney pearlescent liquid acrylic

Alice in wonderland

While a cutlass is probably the most “stereotypical pirate blade” and WAS actually pretty common among sailors of all stripes in the Age of Sail due to its versatility as both a weapon and a tool (could be used like a machete to cut through rope or vegetation), I don’t think it suits Hook at all. It’s too heavy and frankly, too common. As someone who thinks of himself as a gentleman who is socially superior to his crew, Hook seems to me to be someone who would be much more comfortable with a rapier. Rapiers were common among the upper class who were actually trained in specific fencing moves. They don’t have a lot of cutting weight to them but do give a long reach good for stabbing. This is the sort of weapon we see Hoffman’s Hook use in the 1991 Spielberg film.

December 28 1934 - 27 September 2024