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alan partridge: alpha pappa

Is it popular abroad? Can't help thinking it's very British humour, but that might be comedy bigotry on my part.
 
I was surprised by how good it was. The whole audience was laughing about as frequently as you can laugh without sounding insane.


Yup, same here, never heard anything like it in a cinema. But people who go to the cinema are usually pretty thick. (I've seen too many Adam Sandler/Vince Vaughan shitathons on freebies to count them as a discerning voice!)

Look, it was never going to add anything to the ridiculous genius of the past, but it did give an extra 90 mins of genuine lols to add to the franchise. :D

Sidekick Simon now looks like part of the furniture, to his massive credit, and Lyn pulled that "what, me?" face better than anyone.

There were a couple of bits of magic - the nightie gag was a nice 'wallop, we're in business' bit and there were a few others that hadn't been ruined by the preview ads ;)

Some of the casting was a bit shite...The Blonde male police fella had all the hallmarks of a BBC prop cupboard staffing, and the Gordale head was very flat and not nearly smarmy/hateable enough.

And I was a bit 'wtf' at the bit about Michael at the end. Thought it was a touch unnecessary?! Did I read it right?
 
Is it popular abroad? Can't help thinking it's very British humour, but that might be comedy bigotry on my part.

I was wondering that. A lot of countries have national comedies that do well against generic Hollywood films, but few non-slapstick ones translate abroad (or the formula is remade). I'm sure it will have an Aus/NZ audience and British sit-coms play well in Sweden but I would be interested to know if it has a small niche international audience like Curb Your Enthuiasm.
 
We went to see it with a friend who insisted on going to one of these new "lounge" cinemas where you pay a preposterous price for a ticket (£22!) to sit in a massive high-tech chair and order food like you are in an aeroplane.

As such, the cinema only had the four of us plus two other people in it and there was no atmosphere whatsoever.

I'd have much rather had us go to his local odeon and laughed along with the masses. We trekked 40 minutes across London to appease him.
 
We went to see it with a friend who insisted on going to one of these new "lounge" cinemas where you pay a preposterous price for a ticket (£22!) to sit in a massive high-tech chair and order food like you are in an aeroplane.

As such, the cinema only had the four of us plus two other people in it and there was no atmosphere whatsoever.

I'd have much rather had us go to his local odeon and laughed along with the masses. We trekked 40 minutes across London to appease him.


this anecdote in itself is quite patridge
 
Those Lounges are shite tbf. The Cinema industry keeps coming up with new and innovative ways of distancing our thoughts that going to the Cinema should cost around a tenner with these new and innovative ways/experiences. I just want to see the fillum!
 
Those Lounges are shite tbf. The Cinema industry keeps coming up with new and innovative ways of distancing our thoughts that going to the Cinema should cost around a tenner with these new and innovative ways/experiences. I just want to see the fillum!

I'd have far prefer to have watched it at home, with mates, on my big tele, with my sound system, than at the Odeon I saw it at in Crewe.

No one was sat in their booked seats. 8 people left after 5 mins as they were at the wrong film. The guy next to me kept texting and checking his phone. The people behind me had a long discussion about one of the actors in the film. And about 5 people couldn't go 90mins without a piss.

I'm not so fussed if the cinema industry fails. Its rubbish.
 
His behaviour at a funeral is how we all, deep down, want to behave at funerals.
 
We went to see it with a friend who insisted on going to one of these new "lounge" cinemas where you pay a preposterous price for a ticket (£22!) to sit in a massive high-tech chair and order food like you are in an aeroplane.

As such, the cinema only had the four of us plus two other people in it and there was no atmosphere whatsoever.

I'd have much rather had us go to his local odeon and laughed along with the masses. We trekked 40 minutes across London to appease him.

Meh, what you call atmosphere, I would call sitting with an anxiety inducing crowd of strangers in a dark room with no leg space. But dont they know that us social rejects dont usually have 22 quid spare to watch a movie? :(
 
Is it popular abroad? Can't help thinking it's very British humour, but that might be comedy bigotry on my part.

I've always thought that about Alan, that he's very much a social commentary on English life, and thus his appeal could be limited to the British Isles and maybe Canada, Australia and New Zealand. But then I only noticed two British celebrity references in the film, and both of them, Sting and Susan Boyle, have had success abroad, so maybe they're trying to introduce him to those further afield.

And not a single mention of Bill Oddie or Jet.
 
On the first viewing, I reckon I might rate it just ahead of In The Loop, The Day Today allumi's last TV-to-film attempt. Both very very good though.
 
And I was a bit 'wtf' at the bit about Michael at the end. Thought it was a touch unnecessary?! Did I read it right?

I know :( I couldn't really cheerfully discuss the film as we walked out as I was a bit verklempt.

Overall thoroughly enjoyed it and echo the comments about audience response. Very mixed crowd laughing a lot when we saw it. I liked the fact they also had the moments of sadness and pathos which are a vital aspect of Partridge, of course always deflated immediately by his prize chumpery.
 
I was wondering that. A lot of countries have national comedies that do well against generic Hollywood films, but few non-slapstick ones translate abroad (or the formula is remade). I'm sure it will have an Aus/NZ audience and British sit-coms play well in Sweden but I would be interested to know if it has a small niche international audience like Curb Your Enthuiasm.

see post # 14
 
I've always thought that about Alan, that he's very much a social commentary on English life, and thus his appeal could be limited to the British Isles and maybe Canada, Australia and New Zealand. But then I only noticed two British celebrity references in the film, and both of them, Sting and Susan Boyle, have had success abroad, so maybe they're trying to introduce him to those further afield.

And not a single mention of Bill Oddie or Jet.

see post # 14
 
Looking forward to this. I also hear that Alan has revised his views on the pedestrianisation of Norwich city centre. Evolving Alan. :)
 
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