7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
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 SDH, French, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
BD-Live
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Now that America has made the acquaintance of English actor Steve Coogan as writer, producer and co-star of the Oscar-nominated Philomena, it's time they met his comic alter ego, Alan Partridge, who has been a beloved staple of British popular culture for more than two decades. Coogan first invented Partridge (full name: Alan Gordon Partridge) in 1991 for the BBC radio program On the Hour, in collusion with Armando Iannucci, curently the creative force behind HBO's hit series Veep. Initially a sports reporter, Alan Partridge eventually expanded his range into TV and webcasts, though one of Alan's reliable qualities is his uncanny knack for snatching failure from the jaws of success, usually by offending everyone around him. Having published his autobiography in 2001 (entitled I, Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan), Alan Partridge was ready to conquer the big screen. After a long period of development, his first feature film debuted in the U.K. in August 2013 under its original title, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, where it was a huge hit. In the U.S., the retitled Alan Partridge has been distributed by Magnolia Pictures, which released the film according to its usual model of limited theatrical play, video-on-demand and now this Blu-ray disc. Unfortunately for those of us in region A, the studio was unable to secure rights to the many extras included by Studio Canal in its region B- locked Blu-ray of the film. Although the video and audio are up to Magnolia's usual standards, anyone with an all-region player will want consider both discs before deciding on a purchase.
Cinematographer Ben Smithard (Belle and My Week with Marilyn) shot Alan Partridge on the Red Epic, striking an appropriate balance between the familiar small-screen aesthetic that is Alan Partridge's familiar domain and the larger canvas for which the film script was conceived. Magnolia's 1080p, AVC-encoded Blu-ray appears to have been derived from the same master used for Studio Canal's region B-locked Blu-ray, which was presumably taken directly from the digital intermediate. As is typically the case with digitally originated projects, the image is crisp, detailed and free of noise or interference. Blacks are solid, and the color palette favors an understated naturalism that emphasizes cooler tones—a comment, perhaps, on both the local climate and the generally chilly atmosphere as the new ownership cleans house at North Norfolk Digital. The average bitrate of 20.004 Mbps is low for a Magnolia disc, but adequate for digitally originated footage of a film that involves relatively little action. No artifacts were in sight.
Alan Partridge's 5.1 mix is presented in lossless DTS-HD MA, and I'd call it "low key", except that's not a phrase that comes to mind when describing Alan Partridge. Even when he's speaking in a quiet tone, his presence seems loud, which is probably why the film doesn't have an elaborate mix. There are a few gunshots and one minor cannon burst, but nothing seriously challenges the bass extension. The track is well structured in its layering of the DJs' voices with the music they're playing, as they go on and off the air, so that we hear the programs from their point of view, that is, with more emphasis on vocal patter and less on the music. The eclectic soundtrack includes a selection from Phillip Glass's score for Koyaanisqatsi; Glen Campbell's rendition of "Wichita Lineman"; "Roxanne" by The Police; "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" by Chicago; and several versions of Willie Nelson's "Always on My Mind", which plays a crucial function in the plot. Incidental music was supplied by Ilan Eshkeri (Kick-Ass ).
Studio Canal's region B-locked Blu-ray of Alan Partridge offered a commentary with Coogan and the Gibbons brothers, deleted and extended scenes, a blooper reel and a half-hour behind-the-scenes documentary. None of these were made available to Magnolia. The following extras are included on this disc:
Alan Partridge is an inspired creation, and Alan Partridge is a hilarious film that is well worth your time in one form or another. Whether Magnolia's Blu-ray is the appropriate form for any one person will depend on factors such as one's equipment, interest (or not) in extras and willingness to order from abroad. Either way, Magnolia's disc is technically superior and, on that basis, recommended.
2019
2010
Bruno
2009
2012-2019
2015
1981
2006
2009
20th Anniversary
2004
2012
2011
The Immaculate Edition
1979
2016
2016
2018
2018
2012
2013
2017
2017