Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 21, 2014

Declan Lowney's "Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa" (2013) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal. The supplemental features on the disc include an audio commentary with actor Steve Coogan and writers Neil Gibbons and Rob Gibbons; gallery of bloopers; twenty one deleted and extended scenes; and standard featurette with raw footage from the shooting of the film and cast and crew comments. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

The cool driver

Extravagant Norwich-based DJ Alan Partridge (Steve Coogan, The Look of Love, What Maisie Knew) realizes that his job is on the line after he accidentally discovers that the new owners of the radio station where he has been working for years aren’t terribly impressed with his ratings. To save his skin, he convinces them to sack veteran DJ Pat Farrell (Colm Meaney, Con Air, Layer Cake).

The deeply disappointed Pat quickly packs up his personal items in a box and decides to go home in peace, but on the way out of North Norfolk Digital he changes his mind. Later on, while his colleagues are celebrating with the new owners, he returns with a shotgun and takes over the station. The police immediately surround the area, but Pat refuses to negotiate. The only person he is willing to accept as a mediator is Alan, whom he considers his only true friend.

What happens next is virtually impossible to describe with simple words, but even if it was, I would not have spoiled the film for you. Suffice to say, you should be prepared to laugh hard – very, very hard.

The film is loaded with superb one-liners that are delivered so quickly that at times it becomes almost impossible to keep up with them. Some of the humor is also so dry/grotesque that there is a good chance that a few sequences may actually trigger different emotions amongst international viewers unfamiliar with Alan Partridge and his style. (British viewers will be just fine).

Coogan is undoubtedly the heart and soul of the film. The manner in which he handles himself in front of the camera occasionally reminds of his impersonation of Manchester legend Tony Wilson in Michael Winterbottom’s wonderful 24 Hour Party People, but his improvisations here are definitely wilder. Arguably the most outrageous one occurs shortly after he attempts to sneak out of the besieged radio station but loses his pants.

Meany looks appropriately confused at first and later on determined to be the hero that goes out with a bang. His exchanges with Coogan after he takes over the radio station are hugely entertaining. It is difficult to tell whether the majority of them were carefully scripted -- in the long featurette included on StudioCanal’s Blu-ray release director Declan Lowney mentions that the script he was initially given was more of a guide, not a well polished diamond -- but the depth of the material suggests that different and very talented people might have spent a good deal of time working on them.

Director Lowney and cinematographer Ben Smithard (Tom Hooper’s The Damned United, Barnaby Southcombe’s I, Anna) shot Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa with the Red Epic camera on location in Norwich and Cromer, Norfolk. Unsurprisingly, the film looks exceptionally sharp, very clean and notably smooth.

The film’s unusually diverse soundtrack features music by Philip Glass (Koyaanisqatsi), John Farnham (You're the Voice), Andrew Roachford (Cuddly Toy), Glen Campbell (Wichita Lineman), and Sparks (The Number One Song in Heaven).

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Declan Lowney's Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal.

The high-definition transfer is excellent. Virtually all close-ups, including the ones from the darker studio during the second half, boast outstanding depth, while clarity is impressive throughout the entire film. Contrast and sharpness levels are stable. Color reproduction also does not disappoint. There is a wide range of perfectly saturated and very healthy browns, blues, grays, and greens. Because the film was shot with the Red Epic camera, the image is also notably smooth and clean. Lastly, there are no purely transfer-specific anomalies to report in this review. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. Also included is a Descriptive Track (LPCM 2.0). For the record, StudioCanal have provided optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image frame and the black bar below it.

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa will not test the muscles of your audio system, but if you appreciate excellent fidelity and nuanced dynamics you will be very pleased with the lossless 5.1 track. The music (see the sequence where Alan sings while driving his car) and the shootouts during the second half sound outstanding. Additionally, the dialog is always exceptionally clean, ultra-crisp, stable, and easy to follow. Select viewers, however, will likely need to use the optional English subtitles because some of the accents can be quite thick.

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Hectic Danger Days: The Making of Alpha Papa - a standard featurette with raw footage from the shooting of Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, and comments from actors Steve Coogan and Felivity Montagu, producer Kevin Loader, writers Neil and Rob Gibbons, director Declan Lowney, and writer Armando Iannucci, amongst others. In English, not subtitled. (35 min).

• Deleted Scenes - a collection of twenty one deleted and extended scenes. In English, not subtitled.
  
  1. Alternative opening
  2. Driving to work
  3. Chat with Michael
  4. Alan Arrives at party
  5. Original Bernie scene
  6. Welcome to Big School
  7. Ira
  8. Cod liver oil
  9. Jingle
  10. Towels
  11. Michael's tattoos
  12. Alan and Angela in toilet I
  13. Alan and Angela in toilet II
  14. Original Lynn firing
  15. I was in that siege
  16. Lynn's job interview
  17. Alternative roadshow bus sequence
  18. North Walsham
  19. Michael and Steve Stubbs
  20. Martin gets it wrong
  21. Alternative ending

• Bloopers - a collection of bloopers, some of which are very, very funny. In English, not subtitled. (5 min).

• Commentary - audio commentary with Steve Coogan and writers Neil Gibbons and Rob Gibbons.

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Brilliantly scripted and acted, Declan Lowney's Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa is one of the funniest films I have seen in quite some time. Even if you are completely unfamiliar with Alan Partridge and his style, I urge you to find a way to see this film. I guarantee you will have a terrific time with it. StudioCanal's technical presentation of Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa is outstanding. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.