I expected the film was going to be Americanised (or should that be Americanized?) and be dumbed down a little to cater for a mass audience but I was amazed to find they didn't do that.
I assume many of the references were lost on non-British audiences so this is to all you non-Brits out there: What did you think of the movie?
Not sure what non Brits thought of this movie but it will be released in America at the beginning of next year by an American distributor so it must sort of work over there.
shareNorth Americans don't know what to think of it yet because we aren't allowed to watch it yet.
I want to watch this movie ASAP!!!!!!
I don't think it will work in the US, not because of idiosyncratic British humour but because it simply isn't particularly funny.
It's such a shame because I loved the original series, the writing was so consistent that a single scene could provide more laughs than the entire film.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0469021/reviews-31
Well, pretty much everyone in the cinema I was in were laughing all the way through, so I don't think that's going to be a major issue.
shareIn the screening I went to there was mostly silence apart from the occasional chuckle. It may find an audience with American fans of the programme but I think the comedy is quite tired and rehashed.
You never know how the audience around you will react; when I went to see Django Unchained everyone was in raptures, particularly when Schultz says 'You silver tongued devil, you.' Django's certainly got some good laughs but I was rather surprised.
http://www.hawkensian.com/
Same, both times I saw it the audience were roaring with laughter. I've rarely seen a film get such a popular reception.
shareYou missed out "in your opinion"
[quote]but because it simply isn't particularly funny[/quote
It is a comedy, and written pretty much like the show. I was hoping it wasn't adapted in any way, it played out like an extended episode of the show in my opinion.
Also in your other comment you make a big point of no one enjoyed it in my screening. I personally don't watch comedy films alone-or with people who dislike them as it makes them unfunny. So maybe the reason why you didn't like it is that you were aware of everyone else's view, and didn't want to look foolish laughing by yourself.
I thought it was very much like a flabby adaptation for the big screen. Alan Partridge was never meant to have guns and sieges and fire extinguishers to the face in it. Coogan was also overblown and the original co-stars Lynn and Michael weren't given the screen time they deserved. Too much siege and not enough Alan.
I was sighing with disappointment rather than laughing, the rest of the audience didn't affect my reaction to it.
http://www.hawkensian.com/
That is the whole basis of the character, he is not meant to have a tv show, so he has a radio show; In the film his last bit of worth is about to be taken away (his radio show) and he acts accordingly. I think it worked perfectly. Maybe next time watch it in a room full of fans enjoying the film, but to each there own.
shareI know what I find funny and it wasn't this. An audience laughing around me may lift spirits somewhat but it would not have a profound effect on me. Partridge's signature narcissism was funny at times but generally it focused on the boring siege plot and tired slapstick comedy. Not entirely sure what you're getting at in your analysis.
http://www.hawkensian.com/
Of course you may not have found it funny, though many others did and for the opposite reasons you gave. Also my analysis was pretty basic, not entirely getting it is a bit embarrassing.
shareYour analysis's woolly lack of insight is the only thing that could be called 'embarrassing'. The many others are just wrong then, it barely scrapes the surface of the programme's brilliance. Everything's too big, Alan's life is supposed to be painfully trivial; the programme was at its funniest when he found himself in ludicrously naff and toe-curling situations.
http://www.hawkensian.com/
Your analysis's woolly lack of insight is the only thing that could be called 'embarrassing'.
not entirely getting it is a bit embarrassing.
The combination of bad grammar, condescension and very poor 'sarcasm' makes for a cringe worthy opening to your post, it falls rather flat. The IMDb forums are infected with condescension, please refrain from adding to it.
How could you assume 'lack of intellect or humour' from our brief exchange on here? I'm assuming you think I have a lack of humour because I didn't laugh at a film you found funny? How ridiculous.
I'm not saying that whatsoever. I'm saying his performance was overblown and the comedy was largely tired and rehashed.
By making such a statement as well as resorting to bratty rude comments you're the one who is being 'plain stupid'.
http://www.hawkensian.com/
as well as resorting to bratty rude comments
I'm assuming you think I have a lack of humour because I didn't laugh at a film you found funny?
The combination of bad grammar, condescension and very poor 'sarcasm' makes for a cringe worthy opening to your post, it falls rather flat
I was not the first to do that, my comment was strictly about your analysis rather than anything about you personally. You were the first and only person to become condescending.
You assume wrong, there's a surprise.
So there are more than one thing that can be called embarrassing, you see.
wannabe's
I could end all messages with CEO
Yes it is possible for you to type that three letter combination on your keyboard and if you did you'd look like a complete prat.
Right..
What a useless post you risible individual pahah.
http://www.hawkensian.com/
No opinion on the film, but it was fun watching that twitter guy get reduced to trying to brag about his "real life" to win the argument, haha. I also really, really feel bad for the people who read his twats.
shareHaha, I'm glad you were entertained.
As do I, haha.
http://www.hawkensian.com/
Yeah, you total pair of Alans. Good work! Very amusing skit.
shareIt was rather entertaining. That guy is a braggart and came off very pompous. Worse than that, his argument was weak and descended into the pitiful rather quickly. 100 followers and a record label and a blog that gets 2000 views? Amazing! For a 14 year old girl. I mean really, are these things meant to impress anyone? Do you know how many followers and views the decrepit old racists on Duck Dynasty get?
Anyway, on to the actual purpose of this thread.
As an American and a big fan of British television, as well as Steve Coogan (loved him in The Trip and Saxondale respectively) I went into this movie expecting Coogan being narcissistic and witty. I had not watched the Partridge series, so I had no idea what to expect from the character.
Frankly I was a little dismayed from the get go. There was so many reused (and lazy) jokes that I actually found myself shaking my head at one point while watching.
The entire bit where he is on the phone talking to someone who isn't actually on the phone (oh what genius! us dumb Americans could never grasp such an unlikely and comical situation!) is something that Coogan did in an episode of Saxondale. I'm serious, it's the same exact bit. It wasn't funny in either. And that is just one of many rehashed bits from the big vault of comedy cliches. How about the old "get stuck in the window and have pants fall off" bit. Brilliant. I bet if you looked, you could find at least 200 movies on IMDB where that exact situation occurs.
Don't get me wrong, some scenes did well, but most were just not very clever in any way.
I don't think it's a cultural thing. Bad writing and cliches transcend nations and cultures.
Still love ya Coogan, even Hemingway wrote some *beep* ones in his time.
Aha yes he is, most insufferable. He even struggled with maintaining rudimentary English, let's hope he doesn't branch out into song writing.
Isn't it a shame how popular 'reality' TV is, I'd like to meet someone who is genuinely hooked by all its contrived nonsense. I watched a bit of 'The Diamond Collar' recently, it was staged to the point of seriously insulting any sentient being's intelligence.
Regarding Alan, I agree with you completely, I too was shaking my head. I highly recommend both series 1 & 2 though!
http://www.hawkensian.com/
nm
Marlon, Claudia and Dimby the cats 1989-2005, 2007 and 2010.
Any money being made from your blog? If it attracts enough viewers, it should be up for monetizing somehow.
shareNot at the moment, I should look into it though.
Sorry, I've only just seen this!
http://www.hawkensian.com/
[deleted]
This is the point where catfight properly begins, up until this point it was all hissing and no claws.
And this waste of time is why there should be a separator before the signature.
Being British and an avid movie viewer is irritating to say the least. British films look like they've been filmed on £80 DV camcorders. They never resemble the Hollywood film style that I've grown to love. Not necessarily a bad thing, but if you mute the audio you can tell straight away it's a British film. Obviously a budget issue.
But considering I'm not a Partridge fan, (I'm familiar with the character however) I rather enjoyed the film even if I didn't laugh that much. The style is very 'Hot Fuzz'. It's a light weight film and personally I think it will stand up to repeated viewings.
"Have you ever tried to grab a tongue?" ~ Karl Pilkington
personally I think it will stand up to repeated viewings.
Of COURSE it stands up to repeated viewings!!
I saw it for the second time last night whilst eating my chicken dinner and I had to be careful not to choke because I'm laughing so much!
Well I just finished watching this film on Netflix and really enjoyed it. There were a lot of good laughs (for me). It's refreshing to watch a simple comedy without a lot of T&A and rough language. I have never seen Alan Partridge before, although I have heard of him as being a Brit comedian. I'm a huge fan of British comedy (Monty Python, Faulty Towers, Ab Fab etc.) and this did not disappoint.
shareAlmost everything that made the telly show great was lost with the film. The writing was most certainly not "pretty much like the show".
shareAbsolutely.
http://www.hawkensian.com/
Your analysis is terrible.
"dumbed down" "americanised" "mass audience"
That's all three of the most awful stereotypical platitudes that you could fart out about some british show or movie in one sentence, good job.
That's all three of the most awful stereotypical platitudes that you could fart out
It's what he was expecting bit didn't get not a review. You're such an ass hat
My wife's Hungarian, and she didn't laugh at all at the tv show, because she had no frame of reference for all the, Nick owen, lame radio presenter, English stuff.
But she did laugh a lot more at this, so I think the jokes are a bit more universal.
Also we went to a pretty small screening upstairs at the electric cinema, so there weren't many people in there but everyone seemed to enjoy it and it got a lot of laughs.
http://www.chrismurtagh.co.uk/
Wow, the Electric Cinema looks incredible. As I suspected, the 'Buy Ticket' section of their website makes for interesting reading.
http://www.hawkensian.com/
Well it can seem a bit puny when you compare it to the modern imax cinemas, but it's classy and you can get a beer. And if you want to waste money there are sofas and waiter service and stuff like that, quite a unique place really.
http://www.chrismurtagh.co.uk/
I live in London but I recently saw a flick at a cool cinema in Brighton - the Duke of York's Picture House. It is pretty much unaltered since 1910. I mean, they have sound and colour now but you know what I mean.
They also have a bar and sofas in the balcony. It's worth a visit if you ever get the chance.
Saw it with a pretty packed audience at the New York Film Festival today, it KILLED i can't remember the last time I heard so much laughter in a film screening, as someone with familiarity of the character but having not seen any AP stuff prior I LOVED it.
share(not related to discussion) @Murtaghchris I clicked on your webpage in your signature, and I must say, wow, what a brilliant artist you are! Fantastic work!
Here is his website (well worth checking out; see especially the Portfolio link):
http://www.chrismurtagh.co.uk/
I don't want realism. I want magic!
Thanks much appreciated, I could do quite realistic pictures, but they wouldn't be as good as some other people who are really into that, I'd rather do stuff that's individual, if it's my way of doing it, I've already won in a way, and there's more chance of it being original.
thanks again
http://www.chrismurtagh.co.uk/
I'm from New Zealand and I thought it was very funny cheers.
Although I was a huge fan of the 90's TV series and I'm a fan of Steve Coogan in general.
Just been released here in Australia. I've never seen the TV show either, but think Steve Coogan is good, so gave it a go. Hysterical - and the audience were roaring with laughter. Funniest movie I've seen in a good while
shareAlso in Australia. Seen all the episodes, and this is classic Alan! Our audience were in hysterics quite often, so I think its going down well with audiences here!
shareMost the people who go see it in the states will be Alan Partridge and Coogan fans already so there is no need to alter it's tone. It's not like it could ever be a blockbuster in the states.
shareI saw it on the plane going to Europe. I watched it going and then watched it coming back. I thought it was absolutely brilliant, and haven't laughed so much in ages. I did see the original tv show, though, so knew what to expect. When it gets a real release here, I'll be taking the family to see it.
There are a lot of things said that were obviously going to be understood in the UK, but not many people in the USA are going to know about, so I think it must suffer because of that. I wouldn't be surprised if the long delay on the release is due to re-shooting some stuff to make more of the observations more universal.