Product Description

Philip Seymour Hoffman, January Jones, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick FrostDirector: Richard Curtis

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5609 in DVD
• Brand: Blu-ray New Releases
• Released on: 2009-09-07
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .26 pounds
• Running time: 134 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Richard Curtis turned his talents to telling the story of 1960s pirate radio with The Boat That Rocked. And while the film may not have scaled either the commercial or critical heights of some of his earlier work, there are still plenty of reasons to commend the film.

Chief among them is the excellent cast. The Boat That Rocked brings together a welcome collection of British talent, including Bill Nighy, Kenneth Branagh, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost and Gemma Arterton, and then they’re joined by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Between them, they effectively recall the Radio Caroline story, as a pirate radio station is set up on a North Sea cruising yacht, broadcasting to England. Said broadcasts become wildly popular, making celebrities out of some of those concerned. Yet naturally enough, the authorities, led by Branagh’s Sir Alistair Dormandy, aren’t best pleased.

Curtis then laces The Boat That Rocked with plenty of comedy, and a killer soundtrack. But he loses his focus when editing the film down, as it’s a movie that, try as it might, still manages to outstay its welcome by a good 20 minutes. It doesn’t help that he’s simply trying to cram too much in here, and contrasted with the tight screenplays of some of his earlier films (take the script of Notting Hill as an example), it’s curious that he chooses to do so.

Yet quibbles aside, The Boat That Rocked is still a fine comedy, with a real love for its subject matter. It arguably works best in the home, too, over the big screen, and with many laugh-out-loud moments, and some memorable characters, it’s ultimately hard to resist the film’s many charms. --Jon Foster

Synopsis
Writer-turned-director Richard Curtis (Love Actually, Notting Hill) directs a cast comprising the cream of British acting talent—which includes Bill Nighy (Notes On A Scandal, Love Actually), Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill, Once Upon A Time In The Midlands), Nick Frost (Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz) and Kenneth Branagh (Henry V, Celebrity), along with one lone American star in the shape of Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote, Doubt)--in this comedy set in Britain in 1966. With the BBC only allowing two hours of rock and roll to be played on its airwaves per week, a pirate radio station aboard a North Sea-cruising yacht broadcasts music to the pop-starved masses, turning its seafaring disc jockeys into overnight superstars.

Taking the infamous Radio Caroline as inspiration, The Boat That Rocked is an hilarious feel-good romp in the tradition of Curtis' best-loved work, and benefits from a knockout soundtrack featuring some of the most memorable tracks of the time.

Customer Reviews

It rocked indeed
There are several good films about the hsroty of rock and in particular the history of moderm music in Britain.

This is another contribution that covers the period of the pirate station in the North sea that turned into Radio 1 in the end. The story is told with humour and charm and a hint of comedy.

The movie focuses on the character's interpersonal relations, their passion for music and their energy to rebel against the establishment. It is a well written and well told story.

It might disappoint to those who expect a serious acurate and perhaps more relevant story.

A good feel good movie, and I loved it!!
I guess that all Directors are judged on their past works, so Richard Curtis has a lot to live up to. I think the major issue that some people had with the film is that it had too many sub plots and seemed too fragmented. Oh, and apparently it is too long (for the Americans anyway). On the other hand, you have people like myself. I originally went to see this movie because I wanted to be entertained. And I WAS entertained. Yes I know RC can be sentimental, but do I care, NO!!! I loved this movie, and it made me LAUGH. The 60's soundtrack is fabulous, the performances are fine, and the scene where the boat goes off the air and.... made me jump for joy! The best scene of any film this year!! "Let's spend the night together" never sounded so good. It is a feel good movie, pure and simple, Richard Curtis' love letter to 60's music. So, don't expect Oscar winning performances, but do expect to feel entertained and hopeful in these troubled times and I bet you'll be humming the soundtrack for weeks. Good on Ya, Richard!!!

One Of My Favourite Films
This film was just what you might expect from Richard Curtis. It had all the humour that you would expect and it had a great storyline too. Anyone who wants a laught should definitely buy this movie