Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Pirate Radio (2009)

This is topic Pirate Radio (2009) in forum Film Handlers' Movie Reviews at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=001606

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 11-15-2009, 07:38 PM:

Today Regal 15 in Eugene, #4, no presentation problems, very good in fact. [beer]

Who is the braintrust at Focus Features that decided to release this movie now? Idiot(s). In the face of 2012, it opened at #11 in the US and will have a *very* short run with New Moon on its heels. They probably had a "counterprogramming" strategy in mind. Epic fail.

This is EASILY one of the best movies I've seen this year. Highly entertaining, brilliant casting, novel premise, and on top of that the last 20 minutes had half the (smallish) audience BAWLING OUT LOUD! I expect that will be highly unexpected by anyone who ventures to see this and expects a pure comedy. PR finds a winning combination of 60s music and counter-culture behavior including attitudes toward sex; creates an ensemble of oddball but lovable characters; throws them all together on a so-called pirate radio station on a ship anchored off Great Britain outside the territorial limits. It works, very well too.

And what other movie out right now has a main character named Mr. Twatt?

I loved this. 4.5 out of 5 stars. Maybe it's a generational thing. [Shrug]

Spoiler Alert - Click to Toggle

OK, the big climax scene is so over the top it's ridiculous. Did they get a discount on all the "big boat about to sink" water cannons and sets etc. used on Titanic? The decision to stage the sinking of the ship that way, in such great detail, in what is really a very small movie at heart, seems questionable. Hence I deduct half a star from my rating.

Posted by Mark Lensenmayer (Member # 134) on 11-15-2009, 08:38 PM:

Great casting and performances. Very good writing. A bit too long...that last sequence should be shorter.

My favorite character was Bob. I was much sadder for Simon's situation than the entire end of the movie.

Length drops my rating to a B. Wife would give a C, as she would have cut more.

Nice to see the lovely and delicious Emma Thompson in a small role. You youngsters can have your Megan Fox, I'll stick with Emma, a true classic.

Posted by Mike Croaro (Member # 3123) on 11-15-2009, 10:25 PM:

Folks:

Saw the film today at the Cinearts at Palo Alto Square (formerly operated by Landmark).

Presentation awfull - xenon lamp flickering badly.

I went with a friend to the 1:45 showing and there were probably about 100 people there. Mostly older people. Very entertaining film. More music that you typically get in an independent film.
I'll give it a 4 out of 5.

Mike

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 11-16-2009, 01:00 AM:

See also this thread with the movie's original title.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 11-16-2009, 08:41 AM:

It is my understanding the Brit version is 30mins longer. Can anyone confirm and let us know what is missing?

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 11-16-2009, 09:02 AM:

This is according to wikipedia

quote:
With an initial running time coming in around three hours, many scenes were removed as the editing progressed solely for reasons of time. These include a sub-plot about a rival pirate broadcaster being sabotaged by the Radio Rock crew (featuring James Corden) and a flashback to Gavin's past explaining his return to the ship. Felicity also has a scene explaining her joining the crew to escape her fiancee and we learn more about Angus's reasons for believing the crew not liking him. All of these scenes have been included on most home video releases as deleted scenes introduced by Richard Curtis... Following the film's financial failure at the British box-office, Focus Features commissioned a re-edited version for North American release, retitled Pirate Radio. Curtis deleted approximately twenty minutes of footage from the original UK version to address complaints from several critics that the film's running time was excessive.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 11-16-2009, 09:28 AM:

Ahh, Wikipedia. What can't it do? [Wink]

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 11-16-2009, 09:36 PM:

Have one opinion?

Posted by Sam Graham (Member # 2889) on 12-01-2009, 04:34 PM:

CINEMA: Megaplex 17 at Jordan Commons, Sandy, UT
AUDITORIUM: 1
PRESENTATION: Dolby Digital Cinema DLP
PRESENTATION PROBLEMS: None [Cool]

RATING: Two and one half stars (out of four)

THE PLOT: A bunch of halfwit burnouts broadcast rock music from a boat outside boundary lines. Actually, not much has changed today (including the music), except they broadcast from strip malls. Wackiness ensues.

Gee. I wouldn't have expected the fat buddy from Shawn of the Dead to look that good naked.

Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 12-01-2009, 05:08 PM:

Where the hell is KVXL's RedDick (Josh Jones) when ya need him? HUH???

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 12-13-2009, 09:52 AM:

Probably made with no thought of the US market.

I loved it, but then again I was part of a dorm radio outfit that was similar. (US radio itself was similar in the 60's.)

Amazing that the 25 year olds "got it" and laughed heartily.

Loosely based on Radio Caroline (see Wikipedia) the original title (The Boat That Rocked The World)was more appropriate.

Not a great film, but an enjoyable time at the cinema. . . gonna be a great Airline film! 3 stars Louis

Posted by Jeremy Jorgenson (Member # 2989) on 12-13-2009, 07:26 PM:

quote: Louis Bornwasser
Amazing that the 25 year olds "got it" and laughed heartily.

Although, come to think of it, this is a movie about an older generation not giving a younger generation enough credit.

Posted by Justin Gorka (Member # 3727) on 12-31-2009, 07:17 AM:

I find amusing that the film was re-named for the US release...

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 12-31-2009, 08:57 AM:

Probably done as a way to disassociate it with the "version" that performed so poorly.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 02-06-2010, 10:35 AM:

Justin: the title has a different meaning in the UK. The USA never had a need for pirate radio stations, since all businesses here are pirates, including my own. Louis

Posted by Gracia L. Babbidge (Member # 582) on 02-08-2010, 12:07 AM:

I projected this one a number of times - thoroughly enjoying the soundtrack.

When I did get around to watching it, I found it very entertaining, and well worth sitting down to watch.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 02-08-2010, 01:05 AM:

'Pirate Radio' is a much better title.