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When it comes to the certificate, the 15 stops young children from seeing it. However, my view is that yes, it’s got enough f-words to give it a 15, although a 12 only allows a maximum of 4, but in terms of letting younger people see it, there’s no real violence in it and any sexual references would go over the heads of very young children, a bit like when the same thing happens in the Simpsons. Besides, I was 12 when I saw my first 15-cert film in a cinema anyway. And when it comes to Alan Partridge, children under 15 who are familiar with the character will want to see this and won’t be scarred by anything in it.
A 15-cert can pack a lot more in than it used to. For example, the first two Die Hard films have been re-rated 15 when Fox wanted to put them out in the cinema again – when both were previously an 18 in their uncut form, although the first one is the only one that’s been an 18 in the cinema AND the only one which was released uncut in the cinema. And the third one has long since had all its cuts restored. But I digress.
Alan Partridge – “I am Siege Face”.
The 2.35:1 frame initially took a bit of getting used to, especially for a programme which has been seen in either 4:3 or 16:9, but while this occasionally lends itself to some odd camera angles, I can see they wanted to have a different look whilst retaining the same Norfolk location. I’m pleased to report that the picture, in 1080p high definition, is crisp and issue-free, bringing the comedy to the screen perfectly.
And it’s a must to see Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa more than once as there are so many gags in it that I’ll have missed some first time round, and apparently there is a single case of someone says “Ah-aaah!”, his famous catchprase – but not uttered by him here. I missed that, though. The writers have clearly spent a long time perfecting the script, taking out everything unnecessary to the point where you have a tight 90 minutes that doesn’t drag at all, and even extends into the credits.
Watching this film, I’d like to think that, seeing Tim Key with a gun regularly pointed to his head is payback for inflicting those piss-poor poems on us during Charlie Brooker’s TV shows.
And when I saw this at the Trafford Centre and got in my car, Smooth FM were playing ABBA’s Knowing Me Knowing You, while shortly afterwards, I switched to XFM and heard Hurt by Johnny Cash, referred to in the film as ‘King of the Jews’, the reason for which you’ll find out when you watch it.
Go to page 3 for the extras.
Alan Partridge’s guide to cinema etiquette.
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.