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USHE Press Release: Pirate Radio (Blu-ray)

post #1 of 32
2/1/10 at 4:43pm
Thread Starter 



DIRECTOR RICHARD CURTIS, CREATOR OF LOVE ACTUALLY AND NOTTING HILL,

WILL HAVE YOU DANCING IN YOUR SEAT WITH THE ROCK AND ROLL

MUSIC AND SPIRIT OF THE 1960s

PIRATE RADIO

Featuring Legendary Music From The Who, The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix,

David Bowie and The Rolling Stones

APRIL 13, 2010

OWN IT ON BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF, DVD AND DIGITAL DOWNLOAD

FROM UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAINMENT


OVERVIEW: From Richard Curtis, director of Love Actually, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones's Diary and Four Weddings and a Funeral,

comes the musically charged, feel-great comedy about rock and roll in the 1960s. Called “A rip-roaring comedy” by Peter Travers

of Rolling Stone and inspired by true events, Pirate Radio follows a band of hilarious rogue deejays who boldly defied the British

government by playing the music that defined a generation, including artists such as The Who, The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix, David

Bowie and The Rolling Stones, among others. Hailed as “the finest rock movie since Almost Famous” by Kyle Smith of the New

York Post, Pirate Radio stars Academy Award®-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt, Capote), Bill Nighy (Pirates of the

Caribbean, Love Actually), Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead), Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill), Kenneth Branagh (Valkyrie, Harry

Potter and the Chamber of Secrets), Tom Sturridge (Vanity Fair), Chris O’Dowd (How to Lose Friends and Alienate People), Rhys

Darby (“Flight of the Concords”), Talulah Riley (Pride and Prejudice) and January Jones (“Mad Men”).

BONUS FEATURES EXCLUSIVE TO BLU-RAYTM HI-DEF: Unleash the power of your HDTV with perfect picture and purest

digital sound.

• BD-LIVETM: Access the BD-LiveTM Center through your Internet-connected player to get even more content, watch the

latest trailers and more!

o MY SCENES: Bookmark your favorite scenes from the movie then share with your BD-LiveTM buddies.

• pocket BLU™: USHE’s groundbreaking pocket BLU app uses iPhone™, iPod® touch, Blackberry®, Android™ and more

to work seamlessly with a network-connected Blu-rayTM player and offers advanced features such as:

o Advanced Remote Control: A sleek, elegant new way to operate your Blu-ray™ player. Users can navigate

through menus, playback and BD-Live™ functions with ease.

o Video Timeline: Users can easily bring up the video timeline, allowing them to instantly access any point in the

movie.

o Mobile-To-Go: Users can unlock a selection of bonus content with their Blu-ray™ discs to save to their device or

to stream from anywhere there’s a Wi-Fi network, enabling them to enjoy exclusive content on the go, anytime,

anywhere.

o Browse Titles: Users will have access to a complete list of pocket BLU™-enabled titles available and coming to

Blu-ray™ Hi-Def. They can view free previews and see what additional content is available to unlock on their

device.

o Keyboard: Enter data into a Blu-ray player with your device’s easy and intuitive keyboard that will facilitate such

Blu-ray™ features as chatting with friends and sending messages.

• FEATURETTES

o TUNING IN: Richard Curtis and cast members including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kenneth Branagh and Bill

Nighy discuss the enormous influence pirate radio had in the UK in the 1960s.

o 7” OF HEAVEN: Richard Curtis, Bill Nighy, Chris O’Dowd and Philip Seymour Hoffman discuss the life-changing

effects of the music of the 1960s.

o ALL AT SEA: Richard Curtis, Chris O’Dowd, Rhys Darby and Rhys Ifans discuss the fun and perils of filming at

sea.

o GETTING SHIP SHAPE: Nick Frost and Chris O'Dowd discuss re-creating the Radio Rock boat as a set on dry

land and Rhys Darby brings us on a tour of the set.

o HITTING THE DECKS: Tom Wisdom, who plays Mark ‘The sexiest man in the world’, shows us around Mark’s

cabin, a true ‘love den,’ on the day 35 semi-clothed women come to pay him a visit!

o MARK’S LOVE DEN: Nick Frost, Rhys Ifans and Chris O’Dowd discuss the fun of learning to be a 1960s DJ for

the film.

BONUS FEATURES (DVD and BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF):

• DELETED SCENES

• FEATURE COMMENTARY: Commentary from Writer and Director Richard Curtis, Producer Hilary Bevan Jones and

actors Nick Frost and Chris O’Dowd.

SYNOPSIS: From the creator of Love Actually and Notting Hill comes a trip back to the freewheeling, free-loving ’60s when the

very rock music that inspired a generation was censored by the government. When a group of rebellious deejays decides to defy

the ban, they take to the seas to broadcast music and mayhem to millions of adoring fans. Featuring a soundtrack that includes The

Who, The Kinks, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, The Rolling Stones and many more, it’s a feel-great film based on a true story that

critics cheer is “exuberant!” (John Powers, Vogue).

TECHNICAL INFORMATION – BLU-RAY™ HI-DEF:

Street Date: April 13, 2010

Copyright: 2010 Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Selection Number: 61106154

Running Time: 1 Hour, 57 Minutes

Layers: BD-50

Picture Format: Widescreen

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Rating: Rated R for language, and some sexual content including brief nudity

Languages/Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish and French Subtitles

Sound: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French DTS Surround 5.1, Spanish DTS Surround 5.1

TECHNICAL INFORMATION – DVD:

Street Date: April 13, 2010

Copyright: 2010 Universal Studios Home Entertainment

Selection Number: 61106155

Running time: 1 Hour, 57 Minutes

Layers: Dual layer

Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1

Rating: Rated R for language, and some sexual content including brief nudity

Languages/Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish and French Subtitles

Sound: English Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 and French Dolby Digital 5.1

CAST AND FILMMAKERS

Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Nick Frost, Ryhs Ifans, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Sturridge, Rhys Darby, Talulah Riley,

January Jones

Directed By: Richard Curtis

Written By: Richard Curtis

Executive Producers: Richard Curtis, Debra Hayward, Liza Chasin

Produced By: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Hilary Bevan Jones,

Director of Photography: Danny Cohen

Production Designer: Mark Tildesley

Editor: Emma Hickox

Costume Design By: Joanna Johnston

Casting By: Fiona Weir

http://www.filminfocus.com/focusfeatures/film/pirate_radio/


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post #2 of 32
2/1/10 at 4:57pm
Thread Starter 
Okay...I have a question.

I may have my information wrong, but I think I read that
this is a British film, quite good, but when it was brought
to American audiences it went through extensive cuts and
that the British version is better.

If this the case, would I be better off importing this title

and is there a region-free available?

 

Of course all of this is dependent on whether my information
is correct or not. 

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post #3 of 32
2/1/10 at 7:06pm
According to the runtime posted on IMDb, the cuts amount to about 19 minutes. My understanding is that one subplot was removed, along with a few incidental scenes. As well, the title was changed from The Boat That Rocked to Pirate Radio. Being an Anglophile (as well as having English parents), I would import, especially since the amazon.uk price isn't that painful (11.98 pounds).
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post #4 of 32
2/2/10 at 11:19am
And it is region free. I just dont understand why british blu-rays have so many ratings logos all over the disc and packaging.
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post #5 of 32
2/2/10 at 11:52am
Ron - British is always better
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post #6 of 32
2/2/10 at 3:11pm
 I have the British version of this and it's well worth getting. It's uncut, region-free and features commentary, deleted scenes, and a making-of. The stuff that is cut isn't necessarily needed but there are quite a few hilarious moments that aren't there. I didn't expect the US release to have the UK cut because the opening credits, ending, and cuts in between don't lend themselves to seamless branching.... they've would've had to added a second disc.

I wonder if it's a new commentary or if they just cut the existing one... I'm betting on the later.

That and the US cover is HORRENDOUS. I hate that big red bar on the top.
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post #7 of 32
2/9/10 at 3:56am
Thread Starter 
Just ordered the British version from Amazon U.K.

Here is a link for anyone interested.
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post #8 of 32
2/9/10 at 12:09pm
I think I remember reading somewhere that Richard Curtis himself had cut the film down for US release (although he may have been pressured by the studio).  At any rate, I do wish the UK version would be made available in the US.  (I believe this is happening with Red Cliff).
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post #9 of 32
2/9/10 at 6:53pm
Without one of the deleted scenes, something that happens in the third act (no spoilers) seems to come out of nowhere, and has a kind of deus ex machina quality to it.  The UK version is not really better, or more coherent, or even less coherent -- there's just more of it.  And if you like this movie, you will want more of it.

Oh, yeah -- awesome nude scene in the UK version!
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post #10 of 32
2/9/10 at 6:56pm
Thread Starter 
I was shocked that with shipping it only cost $21
from the U.K. to the U.S.

 


There is even a money converter on the site that
will show total in U.S. currenncy.

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post #11 of 32
2/9/10 at 10:23pm
Ron,

I order from Amazon UK as frequently as I do their US site. Yes, the price discrepancies can be puzzling. For example, I ordered Falling Down, Easy Rider & Midnight Express from Amazon UK for a grand total of $50 with shipping included. To order these three in the digibooks from the US site with free shipping would've cost $21.00 more! I recently ordered Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon from Amazon UK because Sony presently only sells it stateside in a box set. It set me back about $16.00 with shipping. You'll also find that it only takes two or three days longer on average to receive your package from across the pond.

I should add that content-wise, all the titles I listed above are identical to the their US counterparts (1080p, region free, ntsc supplements) minus the digibook packaging. 
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post #12 of 32
2/10/10 at 2:04am


Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronald Epstein View Post

I was shocked that with shipping it only cost $21
from the U.K. to the U.S.

 


There is even a money converter on the site that
will show total in U.S. currenncy.

Ron,
I've been buying several titles from Amazon's UK site because of their pricing and available titles.   I just received the two disc release of GWTW and Sunrise.  Yesterday, I watched Great Expectations and the extended version of Almost Famous.  Overall, I think I bought about 20 Blu-ray titles.






Crawdaddy

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post #13 of 32
2/10/10 at 2:04am


Quote:
Originally Posted by Robert Crawford View Post



Ron,
I've been buying several titles from Amazon's UK site because of their pricing and available titles.   I just received the 2-disc release of GWTW and Sunrise.  Yesterday, I watched Great Expectations and the extended version of Almost Famous.  Overall, I think I bought about 20 Blu-ray titles.






Crawdaddy

 


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post #14 of 32
2/10/10 at 4:20am
Thread Starter 
Crawdaddy,

Is that extended version of ALMOST FAMOUS exclusive 
to the U.K.?

Not even sure if that title is available in the U.S. 
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post #15 of 32
2/10/10 at 5:13am


Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronald Epstein View Post

Crawdaddy,

Is that extended version of ALMOST FAMOUS exclusive 
to the U.K.?

Not even sure if that title is available in the U.S. 


Almost Famous isn't available in the U.S.

 

 

 

 

Crawdaddy





 

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post #16 of 32
2/10/10 at 5:16am
Thread Starter 

Quote:
 Almost Famous isn't available in the U.S.


On my way to order that, too.  Thank You.
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post #17 of 32
2/10/10 at 5:18am
Thread Starter 
My God!  Just paid $5 for that Blu-ray and with shipping
it came to $13. 
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post #18 of 32
2/11/10 at 7:47am
I hadn't heard of this movie until I started reading things about it coming out on Blu-ray. Being a big fan of Notting Hill and Love Actually, I am very interested in it. However, I would like to know more about how the US version compares to the UK version. My wife and I usually sit through all the deleted scenes in Love Actually (we've got the US version on DVD), but I never get the feeling that the movie was too short. In other words, as good as some of those scenes are, I think they made the right decision to cut them. So, is the UK version really better, or was it too long? Does the US version have all the cut scenes as deleted scenes?

I'm very tempted to order the UK version, but I've found an awful lot of comments indicating that the movie was a bit on the long side and could have been cut down some.

Edit: Since I posted this, I have had a chance to read several UK reviews of "The Boat That Rocked". Every single one of them mentions that the film is too long. Is it possible that the US cut is a better film? I'd really like to know if the Pirate Radio disc has all the scenes cut from the UK version.


Edited by Brian McHale - 2/11/10 at 12:34pm
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post #19 of 32
2/11/10 at 12:36pm
I've had The Boat That Rocked BD for the better part of 6 months. I wouldn't want a shorter version. I order BD's from the U.K. rather regularly anymore.
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post #20 of 32
2/11/10 at 2:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian McHale View Post

Edit: Since I posted this, I have had a chance to read several UK reviews of "The Boat That Rocked". Every single one of them mentions that the film is too long. Is it possible that the US cut is a better film?

 


You're probably never going to find someone that will say that a studio edited version of a movie is the better one (even if it is).
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post #21 of 32
2/11/10 at 3:12pm
Thread Starter 
I look at it this way....

I would rather watch the Director's cut of a film over
a studio cut any day.

And, unless the U.S. version has all the cut scenes
in a supplemental area, it seems to me that the import
is the "extended edition" we will never see here domestically.

Plus, it's available now at a great price, shipped.
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post #22 of 32
2/11/10 at 3:19pm


Quote:
Originally Posted by Ronald Epstein View Post

I look at it this way....

I would rather watch the Director's cut of a film over
a studio cut any day.
 


In all fairness, so would I because it does represent his vision for the movie. However, I've seen some director's cuts where some edits were needed for the good of the movie.
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post #23 of 32
2/11/10 at 4:27pm
Thread Starter 
Travis, I'll give you that.

But knowing that the U.S. version has been cut and how
much I anticipate I will like this movie --- I don't want to sit
and wonder what the heck was missing from this release.

...and besides, someone mentioned a NUDE scene in the
import version.  That's something I am sure nobody wants
to miss (unless it's a guy).
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post #24 of 32
2/11/10 at 5:13pm
When people talk about this being a "studio cut", do they mean that the director was not involved, or that the studio forced the cuts? I did a bit of searching and found that Richard Curtis did make the cuts. The following quote is from http://www.darkhorizons.com/interviews/1499/richard-curtis-for-pirate-radio-:

"We made an agreement to cut the film down a bit. Just one or two reviews had said it’s a bit long and that always really puts me off a film. Even films I really want to see. The Dark Knight, Watchmen, it took me half a year to see those two films, just because in the back of my mind, I’d read that thing about being a bit long. So, I didn't want to, as it were, bother with that, so I said, “What I’ll do is, I’ll just spend a day in the editing room, and be really bold, and take out anything which I can see could go.” And I think I immediately took out 17 minutes or something. And then we tested that version. And I said, “If, when we show it, I suddenly find the film is worse, then we’ll just have to go with the old one.” But it actually – there was more – how would you put it? More energy left in the room at the end of the movie than I remembered the last time I’d seen it in the UK. Because it was – it did bounce along even better. So I was happy to do it."

While I respect the director's vision of a movie, I've also seen many director's cuts that were not (IMO) better than the theatrical cut. When I read something like this, it makes me feel like the movie might indeed have been too long when it was originally released and I wonder if the cuts might improve the movie. On the other hand, I would definitely want the cut scenes to show up on the disc.

I look forward to more people weighing in on this matter, in particular anyone who has seen both cuts.
 
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post #25 of 32
2/11/10 at 5:50pm
I just ordered The Boat That Rocked and Almost Famous (Untitled--Extended Cut) for $31.45 shipped.  Great pricing!

- Steve
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post #26 of 32
2/12/10 at 6:58am
A comedy should always be a little shorter, leaving the audience wanting more, so I think Curtis made the right decision cutting those 17 minutes. And I DID want more, and thoroughly enjoyed all the deleted scenes that were included in the UK version in their finished form. The film was also quite episodic, so the narrative doesn't suffer from the cuts, and the deleted scenes work great by themselves (since you already know and love the characters by then). Loved the movie; never saw the US version.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian McHale View Post


While I respect the director's vision of a movie, I've also seen many director's cuts that were not (IMO) better than the theatrical cut. When I read something like this, it makes me feel like the movie might indeed have been too long when it was originally released and I wonder if the cuts might improve the movie. On the other hand, I would definitely want the cut scenes to show up on the disc.

I look forward to more people weighing in on this matter, in particular anyone who has seen both cuts.
 


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post #27 of 32
2/12/10 at 1:11pm
Wayne, I agree: comedies are usually better if they don't run too long. There aren't many pure comedies that can run more than 2 hours and get away with it. Romantic comedies are different and can pull it off. Maybe that's what would make this movie different from Love Actually or some of the other movies Curtis has made.

I'll certainly be checking back in on this thread, but for now my plan is to wait until the US version hits and I read some reviews comparing the two versions. If the US version has all the cut scenes included on the disc, I will probably lean in that direction.
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post #28 of 32
2/12/10 at 2:16pm
Does the shorter version, Pirate Radio, drop any songs?
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post #29 of 32
2/13/10 at 8:31am
I just watched the UK version last night and from what I've heard about the cuts that were made for the US version, they are all things I would miss on my next viewing (when Twatt goes "undercover" on the boat and Simon's stag on shore as well as Simon lip synching Lorraine Ellison's "Stay With Me Baby"). So I'm glad to have the longer version. I also watched all of the deleted scenes and it breaks my heart to see what had to go even to get it down to the UK length. I think some of the funniest bits are in the deleted scenes, my favorite being the Miss C bit (which is so short, it's hard to understand why it was necessary to let it go).
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post #30 of 32
2/13/10 at 9:55am
Yikes, the"Stay with Me Baby" lip synch is not in the U.S. version? That alone is worth the UK version. Plus the big nude scene gag. My favorite deleted scene was where they were all staking out Apple records HQ, and then hid behind the car when someone came out. It helps to know how much Curtis wanted Beatle music throughout the film, too, but I guess the rights were just too much. I'm okay with that, since it exposes so many other great songs from that time. Still, the Apple scene is just perfect reverence.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gomezfan69 View Post

I just watched the UK version last night and from what I've heard about the cuts that were made for the US version, they are all things I would miss on my next viewing (when Twatt goes "undercover" on the boat and Simon's stag on shore as well as Simon lip synching Lorraine Ellison's "Stay With Me Baby"). So I'm glad to have the longer version. I also watched all of the deleted scenes and it breaks my heart to see what had to go even to get it down to the UK length. I think some of the funniest bits are in the deleted scenes, my favorite being the Miss C bit (which is so short, it's hard to understand why it was necessary to let it go).
 


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