7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.6 |
Occupying a career stasis-defining role as a mid-morning DJ on North Norfolk Digital Radio, Alan Partridge's hopes for one last shot at the big time suffer a severe setback when it emerges that his employers have been taken over by a giant media conglomerate. Alan soon finds himself back in the spotlight, however, when newly-sacked fellow DJ Pat Farrell returns to the studio with a shotgun and begins taking hostages. Called in by the police to act as a hostage negotiator, can Britain's most famous Toblerone addict turn the tables and finally save the day?
Starring: Steve Coogan, Colm Meaney, Felicity Montagu, Anna Maxwell Martin, Darren BoydComedy | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
An optional English Audio Descriptive LPCM 2.0 track is also available (48 kHz/24-bit).
English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region B (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
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
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).
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.
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.
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