Pirate Radio: Rock'N'Roll!

Pirate Radio was released in 2009 but I didn't have the chance to see it in the movie theatre.  But it's been on my list.  Then I found out it was on my son's list.  So, it went to the top of the Netflix Q.  Today, we sat down and watched it together.  We rarely do this.  Only once in a while do we go to the movies or watch a movie together.  Our lives intersect a number of times on a daily basis and we spend time together, but we rarely have the time to spend two hours to sit and watch a movie.  So, when we do, I appreciate it all the more for the company I'm keeping.  And, since this is a movie about rock music, it interested us both.  Though I do feel I should mention that the last movie we saw in a theatre was Men Who Stare At Goats, and we both really liked it.  It was gently funny all the way through.  Not a "laff fest" one would expect with a Ben Stiller-Owen Wilson movie.  Plus, George Clooney looks so much like my brother, its uncanny.  His kids used to see pictures of George and say "Dad, look! there's a picture of you!".  So, you might want to check out Men who Stare at Goats with an open mind....... it's very silly.  But fun.  And you just might laugh gently throughout.  Also, lots of other good actors are in it, I think Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, Robert Patrick (I love Robert Patrick- he was in the X-Files and Terminator II as the second terminator and he was SOOO cool!).

And, on to Pirate Radio.  First a few interesting facts.  This movie was very loosely based, and when I tell you loosely, I think it really, really means loosely, on an illegal radio station based in the North Sea in the 1960's.  The station was called the Radio Caroline, a popular pirate radio ship with a similar history and style.  Its purpose was to circumvent the hold record companies had on the broadcast of popular music in the UK.  Radio Caroline was founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly to broadcast popular music in the UK.  The station continues to broadcast today as a satellite and internet broadcaster, with occasional transmissions from the final offshore ship, the MV Ross Revenge.  But it is such a wonderful, fun story.  And it makes a great movie, especially when you have the actors Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy and Rhys Ifans (who is allowed to come into his own) in the film. 

So, yes.  I give this movie all thumbs up.  The music is great.  Of course it is.  A lot of great music, a lot of great scenes and action.  Philip Seymour Hoffman is wonderful as the American DJ, Bill Nighy is great as the moneybags, there are several other DJ's who are great, and Rhys Ifans- who has played many second banana roles, character roles, is now in a more dominant role in an ensemble movie and it suits him very well.  Ifans handles the role and does it with great aplomb.  As for other surprises, Kenneth Branagh plays a rather dull member of the government and doesn't impress.  The only fun part is that his assistants are named Mr. Twatt and Ms. Clitt.  The best part is that Emma Thompson has a short cameo.  I knew that actress was somebody and she kept hiding behind high collars and sunglasses......

Last but not least, as this is a movie about rock music, apparently, I wasn't paying enough attention but someone slipped in a song or two that was anachronistic.  (I read that on IMDB.)  I do remember that one of the songs was "Fire" by Arthur Brown and to my memory, that came out in 1965 (I think) because my older brother Matt called me into his bedroom, turned on a radio? tape recorder?  he was always obsessed with radio and tape recorders.  Anyway, he said, "Jane, listen to this..... "Fire! (da DUM, da DUM,) well, you get the point, it was Arthur Brown's Fire and I heard it the first time when I was 20 years from being born because I am not telling you how old I am.  But you've probably guessed that I was not born yesterday since I have a son.  Anyway, I remember sixties music.  The background music and soundtrack are fantastic in this movie and is reason to see it alone.  I am not going to tell what else it is, that is for you to discover.  I know it brought me back, even those songs that shouldn't survive. Crimson in Clover, over and over...... thankfully that was silenced quickly, but I still remember where I was when I heard it first.


Sources for the preceding:  IMDB and Wikipedia.org.  Just in case you wondered.