Moby Dick

Original 'Moby Dick' poster
spotted on Gran Canaria in the
historic Hotel Madrid in Las Palmas

Very soon the new Ron Howard film 'In the Heart of the Sea' will be released worldwide. It will tell true story of the whaler Essex which was one of mainly two that helped inspire Herman Melville to write his fictional novel many years after the Essex tragedy. Melville himself (played by Ben Whishaw) will appear in the film In the Heart of the Sea. The Ron Howard film (see new poster) aims to tell the true story of 1820 as told in the historical book by N. Philbrick about the whaler Essex and its crew's epic fight for survival after their ageing ship had been badly damaged by an enraged whale. It was the most talked-about tragedy at sea until the Titanic sank nearly 100 years later. However, it is true that scenes for the film Moby Dick directed by John Huston were shot on (and off) Madeira, as well as Youghal, Co.Cork, in Ireland and… in the Canary Islands on Gran Canaria, where I spotted this original poster (left) in the bar of the classic Hotel Madrid where the walls are  crammed with historic photos, documents and other memorabilia and where the film's actors were guests .

Now the Canaries were chosen once again for the outdoor scenes of the eagerly awaited 'In the Heart of the Sea', but this time the filming location was the island of La Gomera.