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» » Pirates (1987)

Short summary

Three very different adolescents unite against their employer who exploits them for cheap labour.
Clayton is the rebel, tough and streetwise, a teenage hero but an adult reject. Alun is the brains, a college boy, shy and naive. Liam is a bodybuilder, self determined and confident. Pirates deals with the change in relationship between these three opposing characters after they take summer employment in the local hardware store, where they discover that their boss, who exploits them for cheap labour, is importing and distributing pirate video cassettes.

User reviews


  • comment
    • Author: Usaxma
    I first watched "Pirates" in the '80s although I struggle to remember exactly where I saw it. As a short-film, it was probably late-night filler on BBC2 or Channel 4.

    The film is simple but effective, telling the story of three very different youths who are employed by a dodgy warehouse operator, played by William Vaughan. Paying his employees a pittance, Vaughan is a cold-hearted, unsympathetic boss. When the three workers discover that their boss is running an illegal pirate video operation, they set about seeking revenge.

    The film is light-weight but entertaining. Its heart is in the right place and it captures the mood of the era, lazy summers and that moment in time when you are leaving teenage years and about to enter adulthood.

    It came as no surprise to discover that the director, Julian Richards, had progressed to successful big-screen movies. His "The Last Horror Movie" is an excellent achievement.

    8 out of 10.
  • Credited cast:
    Simon Foy Simon Foy - Clayton
    Graeme Gordon Graeme Gordon - Liam
    Russell Nash Russell Nash - Alun
    William Vaughan William Vaughan - Morgan
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