Playa del Sombrerico - Torre del Pirulico - Mojacar

As I'm a great Fan of the Swashbuckler Genre I will start our Location Report with the mysterious History of the "Treasure Island" Movie Ship.
It was my Grandpa who saw this magnificent 3 mast sailing vessel, with the name "Hispaniola" on the stern, in the harbour of Alicante, 1964.
This ship, actually an italian vessel ("Marcel B.Surdo"), had quite a career as a Movie Frigate and was the Star in different great Sea Adventure Productions, all filmed in Spain: "John Paul Jones", "Billy Budd", "H.M.S.Defiant" and "Son of Captain Blood". In 1964 Orson Welles started his project "Treasure Island" and Director Jess Franco (2nd unit on "Chimes at Midnight") filmed a few first sequences, using the old Movie Frigate, which was laying in the port of Alicante.
The Ship was prepared and ready for action. To avoid extra costs it only got its new name "HISPANIOLA" on the stern and probably a new bow figure.
The Ship still looks pretty much as the "Defiant".
The fantastic Ship sailed by Alec Guinness in the movie "H.M.S.Defiant".


"Treasure Island"	Hispaniola, 1964 - Port of Alicante

Hispaniola, 1964

I first recognized that my Grandpa found the "Hispaniola" when I saw the Dias with a projector.
Before that I always thought that he made photos of the "DEFIANT" as the solution of my Dia Scanns wasn't high enough. Now on the big screen you could easily read the name on the Stern: "Hispaniola"! (Don't have a good Scanner for Dias, but think this scann will do)

Defiant ("H.M.S.Defiant")

Avenger ("Billy Budd")

The similarity between the "Hispaniola", the "Avenger" and especially the "Defiant" is pretty clear. For more informations about the Movie Ships and Swashbucklers filmed in Spain, click here: "Marcel B. Surdo"


The 1964 "Hispaniola" had only a very short life, the photos of my Grandpa are pretty rare and historical precious. In 1965 the Ship played a leading role in the excellent "Surcouf" movies of Sergio Bergonzelli. In 1966 it came back to Denia to sail for "Cervantes".

And now lets have a look on the Vessel of the new "Treasure Island" Production (1972).
In comparison with the precious "Hispaniola" of 1964 this vessel looks like a wreck!
No color on the whole ship, the Sails wave in the wind like old potato sacks.
I heard that this Vessel sailed for the "The Emigrants" (1971) before it became the new "Hispaniola". Have never seen the movie "The Emigrants", so I can't say anything bout that.
Can you enlighten me? If you have any informations about the Vessel used for the 1972 "Treasure Island" movie I would be happy to hear them! Thanks in advance.

This construction for the ship's bell on the "Hispaniola" of 1972 is the one you see on all other Movie Ships played by the "Marcel B.Surdo".

The new stern of the 1972 "Hispaniola" looks like an shabby ornamental lid on a wood box.

"Treasure Island" - Locations

Now we start our expedition to the "Treasure Island"

Torre del Pirulico - Torre del Penon

Jim Hawkins (Kim Burfield)

comparison photo april 2008

Torre del Pirulico

The Torre del Pirulico, sometimes called the Torre del Penon, was a great location for the
more than strange Dennis Hopper flick "Las flores del vicio" ("Bloodbath").
Other Locations of this insanity are the Castillo de Macenas, Bedar and Mojacar.

Playa del Sombrerico