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Dad’s Army is the classic TV series from the 1960s which, shock horror, just did not do a lot for me as it was before my time, but my parents loved it.
Led by Arthur Lowe, who I remember from the Mr Men books narration, as Capt. George Mainwaring, the sitcom ran for nine series, from 1968 to 1977, including a 1971 movie. It was set in the fictional south coast seaside town of Walmington-On-Sea during World War II, featuring gentle character comedy as well as broad slapstick, and told of the misadventures of the local voluntary defence force, aka Home Guard, consisting of men too old or ‘unfit’ for military service.
Then, someone had the bright idea (not) of remaking it for a 2016 movie where the platoon have to deal with a visiting female journalist and a German spy, as World War II draws to its conclusion. And in watching this second trailer, I did NOT laugh once! Whatever next – Allo Allo: The Movie?!
This time round, Marvellous‘ Toby Jones takes the lead as Captain Mainwaring, with Bill Nighy as Sergeant Wilson, Michael Gambon as Private Godfrey, Mark Gatiss as Colonel Theakes, The Inbetweeners‘ Blake Harrison as Private Pike, Tom Courtenay as Lance Corporal Jones, Daniel Mays as Private Walker, Bill Paterson as Private Frazer, and a role for the only suriving cast member, Ian Lavender, as Brigadier Pritchard.
In addition, there’s Catherine Zeta-Jones, Alison Steadman, Emily Atack, Sarah Lancashire, Annette Crosbie, Holli Dempsey and Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa‘s Felicity Montagu.
DON’T MAKE IT, PIKE!!!
But, of course, they are. And it’s coming to UK cinemas on February 5th 2016, and given how anything showing in January and February, which isn’t an Oscar and/or BAFTA contender, is only shoved there because it’s a stinker, it doesn’t take long to figure this out, does it? And in watching this trailer, never mind 1944, in 19*94*, I had more laughs in dealing with a perianal abscess!!!
Check out the trailer below and click on the new Dad’s Army poster above for the full-size image:
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.