DVD Reviews

Pirate Radio – Blu-ray Review

By Jeff Swindoll Apr 14, 2010, 11:53 GMT

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 ...more

“Governments loath people being free.”

In 1960s Britain, if the BBC didn’t play it you didn’t hear it. Several independent radio stations set up on ships offshore and broadcast rock to the hungry rock starved public. The government was not amused, but this film inspired by the situation has the power to amuse and delight. Rock on!

Carl (Tom Sturridge) has gotten into trouble in school. So his mother (Emma Thompson) sends him to stay with his godfather Quentin (Bill Nighy) so the boy can get his head right. That might not be such a good idea as, even though Quentin lives in relative isolation, he lives on a ship in the North Sea called Radio Rock that serves as a pirate radio station.

So the mad crew of disc jockeys may not be the best examples for young Carl. Those daddy-oes of the radio include the Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman), an American, randy Dave (Nick Frost), “Simple” Simon (Chris O’Dowd), nutty New Zealander Angus (Rhys Darby), stoic Midnight Mark (Tom Wisdom), mysterious Smooth Bob (Ralph Brown), newsreader John (Will Adamsdale), and technicians Harold (Ike Hamilton) and “Thick” Kevin (Tom Brooke).

The all male crew is only allowed occasional visits from the fairer sex, but they’re fed by Felicity (Katherine Parkinson) but she’s safe since she’s a lesbian. Tensions arise with the Count when the popular DJ Gavin Kavanagh (Rhys Ifans) returns to the aquatic airwaves and they start trying to one up each other.

The government is not amused by the audio pirates and minister Dormandy (Kenneth Branagh) is charged with eliminating the stations. In turn, he instructs his subordinate Twatt (Jack Davenport) with the task. So the days of high sea broadcasting are numbered as the officials look for devious ways to shut them down, but will our rollicking rebels obey them or become real pirates?

I had my doubts about the film. Richard Curtis had previously directed the delightful Love, Actually. It too featured a multi-character story and some of the same faces in roles.

What caused me to doubt was that the film was released in the UK as the Boat that Rocked and ran 135 minutes. It did not perform well at the UK box office and was criticized roundly. When being released for us Yanks, it was cut down to 117 minutes and re-titled Pirate Radio. It was also promoted with a “true story” angle that isn’t exactly true.

The film was inspired by real events, but the storyline is a fantasy concocted by those true events. I thought that by the time the credits rolled that the redone, re-edited nature of what I had heard would show through. However, when it was over I’ll have to admit that I loved Pirate Radio.

It helped immensely that many Brit faces in the cast are familiar to me. Bill Nighy is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. He does so little, yet what he does with so little looks so big. A sideways glance, a twitch, or a smirk is done with such aplomb that I couldn’t help but be delighted.

Rhys Ifans also oozes groovy charm as the lecherous Gavin. Both he and Nighy have an old 60s charm that I couldn’t help but think of Peter O’Toole (another of my favorites). NO wonder I loved them. Nick Frost is a funny, yet snarky charmer and the rest of the cast also charms in each of their vignettes.

It’s always good to see rebels telling “the man” to stick it; however, they’re going to need a bigger boat. I had a grand time. It might’ve been nice to see the full 135 minute cut, but I think most if not all of that is in the deleted scenes.

If you’re a fan of British comedy or Curtis I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Don’t let the production rumblings fool you. It was a full steam ahead fun film. For those about to rock, I salute you.

Pirate Radio is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (2.35:1). Special features are presented in high definition and include deleted scenes. There are optional introductions by director Richard Curtis and with those on they total 68 minutes. If you leave them off they total 50 minutes.

The Blu-ray has three more deleted scenes than the DVD release. You also get 19 minutes of making of featurettes and a commentary by director Curtis, producer Hilary Bevan Jones, Nick Frost, and Chris O’Dowd. The disc is also BD-Live enhanced, has the ability to bookmark favorite scenes (aka My Scenes), and Pocket Blu that allows you do download to your Apple products.

I had begrudgingly booked passage on this cruise, but when the ship came back in I found myself having a great time. A killer soundtrack (I can’t get Knights in White Satin out of my head), fabulous performances, and a groovy storyline make a delightful trip. Throw in a fabulous transfer and other extras and bon voyage. I want to watch it again. Knights in White Satin.