HTF DVD REVIEW: PIRATE RADIO (1 Viewer)

[Ed Faver]

PIRATE RADIO (SD-DVD)

Release Date: April 13. 2010
Studio: Universal
Rating: R
Aspect: 2.35:1
Run Time: 117 minutes
Languages: English, Spanish, French Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French
MSRP: $29.95

THE FEATURE

Pirate Radio, previously known as 'The Boat That Rocked,' is the creation of Richard Curtis, the writer/director of Love Actually and the writer of many pleasant films including Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill. Pleasant is the word that best describes Pirate Radio. During the early and mid-1960s, radio in Great Britain meant the BBC. This meant no popular music on the airwaves, despite the fact that the best new music was coming out of England via The Beatles, The Who, and many other groups. The BBC was, apparently, at least 20 years behind the time and this government-run organization had no interest in catching up.

To fill the void, the North Sea was dotted with ships transmitting the music of the day to the youth of Great Britain, who were starved for what the rest of the western world's teens were taking for granted. Pirate Radio is the story of one such ship, broadcasting as 'Radio Rock,' a floating Animal House of sorts that is presented as the gold standard of unsanctioned British broadcasters. The ship, run by owner/operator Quentin (Bill Nighy) is loaded with (mostly) harmless, fun-loving types led by The Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman), Doctor Dave (Nick Frost) and Gavin Canavagh (Rhys Ifans) who compete to be the top dog DJ of a very motley crew. Dropped into this mostly no-holds-barred atmosphere is Carl (Tom Sturridge), an underachieving private school reject whose mom feels that extended exposure to a man's world would do him good. We see the story through 'Little' (so dubbed by the DJs) Carl's eyes.

What we see is nothing the cinema hasn't shown us previously. Carl, a terminal virgin, has his Sure Thing stolen by Doctor Dave. Carl and Sure Thing make up and make 'it.' Carl suspects mom planted him on Radio Rock's deck to meet the father he never knew. Carl meets his dad and--surprise--it's not who we thought it would be. The government tries and tries again to shut down Radio Rock. Kenneth Branagh plays the government minister who makes it his life's work to destroy these floating fun palaces and is clearly spitting out pieces of scenery while he does it. Nothing is new. The characters are largely types. We know how things turn out in the end. And yet...it's a damn good time. The jokes are funny, the actors are committed to their roles and Richard Curtis just knows how to give us a good time. It's a shame this very fun piece didn't go anywhere during its theatrical release. I kinda like the original title, 'The Boat That Rocked,' better. I can say with certainty that, under whatever title, I will be watching Pirate Radio again and again.

RATING: 4/5

VIDEO

Nothing special to report here. Pirate Radio is what you would expect of an SD-DVD in 2010. The transfer is anamorphically enhanced for widescreen TVs in a 2.35:1 ratio. Colors have a warm, golden tone that emphasizes the 'remember when' aspect of the film. The largely primary color palette of the film is presented undiminished. There is some softness to the image, but it is not distracting.

RATING: 3/5

AUDIO

The 5.1 Dolby Digital presentation is put to full use. The film is wall-to-wall rock and roll. The soundtrack makes the most of it without distracting from the dialogue and sound effects. The surround speakers pumps out the music while the dialogue is crisply presented in the front end. The subwoofer primarily serves the music until the climax of the film when the story gets kind of loud.

RATING: 4.5/5

EXTRAS

Special features are confined to a commentary track with Curtis, producer Hillary Bevan Jones, and actors Chris O'Dowd and Nick Frost, several deleted scenes, and a trailer. On the commentary, Curtis leads a very chatty group. As with his commentary on Love Actually, Curtis is a gentle group leader, allowing everyone their say.

The deleted scenes are a must-see. Curtis introduces each and we are given some insight into his disappointment with the film's failure to capture an audience. Interestingly, he refers to the film as 'The Boat That Rocked' at all turns. These 'deleted scenes' are not the customary snippets off the beginnings and ends of scenes that appear in the film. The film is episodic in nature and these are whole, self-contained, scenes that were removed to bring the film down to a manageable running time. They add to the fun and are worth your time. A particularly touching scene that this DVD allows us to see involves a bachelor party and Abbey Road Studios in London. I'll say no more except make the time to watch all the deleted scenes.

RATING: 4.5/5

SUMMARY

I loved Pirate Radio. As previously stated, there is nothing new or ground-breaking to be seen here. It's a 117 minute smile. Well-acted, jokes that pay off, and fabulous music. Unfortunately, it didn't find an audience. Hopefully, this DVD release will give it new life.

RATING (not an average): 4/5