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Amazon.co.uk Review
In the 1970s the British film industry went through a craze for turning hit TV comedies into big screen features. From On the Buses (1971) to Porridge (1979), Dad's Army was one of the few which made the transition with style. Set in the small south coast town of Walmington-on-Sea in 1940, the film does have the structure of three TV episodes remade and sequenced together. Beginning with the formation of the local Home Guard, the company has a self-contained adventure on military manoeuvres, before a finale which allows for some heroism as three German officers take over the church hall.
Dad's Army has all the gentle character comedy of the classic BBC TV series, benefiting enormously by retaining the entire television cast, headed by the incomparable Arthur Lowe as the blustering Captain Mainwaring and supported by the equally wonderful John Le Mesurier and Clive Dunn. The cinema budget allows far superior production values to the original series, with a loving re-creation of 1940's England and some surprisingly beautiful cinematography. Above all, the film is both funny and a nostalgic reminder of a time when ordinary middle-aged and old men could be both real and movie heroes. --Gary S. Dalkin
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I brought this film on one of my first trips back home to the UK for the pawltry sum of 2 pounds 99 from WHSmiths.
The one thing im going to tell you about film spin offs in the 70s of famous sitcoms is that basicaly they were really juggled around old scripts from the tv episodes.
Steptoe and son did it On the buses did it and so did alf garnet in (in sickness and in health).
The one of films are great old fatihfulls for which i really watch for the nostalga of growing up in the UK in the late 70s & 80s.
Year after year i drag my old claasics out and create my own ye olde British Christmas and create the nostalga of my growing up in Britain at that time for which really no longer even exsits in the UK anylonger.
Anyway the dads army film seems to be a mix of the first ever episode of dads army and another episode called the deadly attachment which was all about the platoon having to guard a german U boat crew.
I am very fond of dads army and another of the creations of the people that wrote dads army was It aint half hot mum but i really didnt like that series as much.
It was well worth the 2 pounds 99 .
At the moment having all these old classics on DVD seems to be the only way now you can watch decent comedy and TV now adays is riddled with stupid reality shows that basicaly get on me nerves so bad the only thing i watch on TV in the States is the history channel and discovery channel.
All i have to say is long live the good ole days of decent family viewing and thank god for DVD.
The one thing im going to tell you about film spin offs in the 70s of famous sitcoms is that basicaly they were really juggled around old scripts from the tv episodes.
Steptoe and son did it On the buses did it and so did alf garnet in (in sickness and in health).
The one of films are great old fatihfulls for which i really watch for the nostalga of growing up in the UK in the late 70s & 80s.
Year after year i drag my old claasics out and create my own ye olde British Christmas and create the nostalga of my growing up in Britain at that time for which really no longer even exsits in the UK anylonger.
Anyway the dads army film seems to be a mix of the first ever episode of dads army and another episode called the deadly attachment which was all about the platoon having to guard a german U boat crew.
I am very fond of dads army and another of the creations of the people that wrote dads army was It aint half hot mum but i really didnt like that series as much.
It was well worth the 2 pounds 99 .
At the moment having all these old classics on DVD seems to be the only way now you can watch decent comedy and TV now adays is riddled with stupid reality shows that basicaly get on me nerves so bad the only thing i watch on TV in the States is the history channel and discovery channel.
All i have to say is long live the good ole days of decent family viewing and thank god for DVD.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
When you allow the money men to interfere in the making of a film of a well loved TV classic, the result can only be what has happened here - a massive let down and the sense that a chance to make a worthy film record of a comic masterpiece has been allowed to slip away.
For whatever reason, many of the sets familiar from the TV shows (the vicar's office, the church hall) have been changed in the film and this immediately strikes a false note. Similarly, few of the faces from the back row of the platoon seen on TV have been retained and, worst of all, Janet Davies has been replaced as Pike's Mum by Liz Fraser who is completely wrong for the role and was presumably deemed to be a "bigger" name. What a slap in the face for Janet Davies and a poor reward for the many wonderful performances she gave over the years. As for the direction, David Croft who was responsible for directing most of the TV episodes so beautifully would surely have taken more care to get the period feeling right and done a far better job overall but, once again the producers thought they knew better and assigned the job to journeyman Norman Cohen whose style is practically anonymous. Although this is a real disappointment, it is worth watching just to see such a cast of wonderful comic character actors. Luckily the original TV episodes (or most of them) survive on DVD for us to enjoy.
For whatever reason, many of the sets familiar from the TV shows (the vicar's office, the church hall) have been changed in the film and this immediately strikes a false note. Similarly, few of the faces from the back row of the platoon seen on TV have been retained and, worst of all, Janet Davies has been replaced as Pike's Mum by Liz Fraser who is completely wrong for the role and was presumably deemed to be a "bigger" name. What a slap in the face for Janet Davies and a poor reward for the many wonderful performances she gave over the years. As for the direction, David Croft who was responsible for directing most of the TV episodes so beautifully would surely have taken more care to get the period feeling right and done a far better job overall but, once again the producers thought they knew better and assigned the job to journeyman Norman Cohen whose style is practically anonymous. Although this is a real disappointment, it is worth watching just to see such a cast of wonderful comic character actors. Luckily the original TV episodes (or most of them) survive on DVD for us to enjoy.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Why?
Dad's army has to be one of the most iconic and funniest comedies of all time so why make this pathetic movie, it's un funny, un imaginative (it is mostly a mash up of battle... Read more
Published 2 months ago by G.J.S
Falls at the last fence!
As far as British comedy goes, "Dad's Army" is up there with the very best. A great series, lasting many years and touching many of the laudable efforts of the real Home Guard... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Marcus
Nothing Better
Nothing better to while away a lazy Sunday than this feast of fun. The team are at it again and make me laugh. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Taiwantrio
Great film of a classic British Sit-com
A great series made into a fun (episode style) movie.
For this price - it's criminal!
BUY THIS FILM!!!
For this price - it's criminal!
BUY THIS FILM!!!
Published 9 months ago by Gooner
dads army the movie
at last a spin of movie that works and is funny felt so let down by the likes of are you being sevred movie and rising damp this is well worth the money funny but not crude its a... Read more
Published 14 months ago by steve p
"How can the stupid British ever hope to win?!"
Dad's Army is the feature film version of the hugely popular BBC television sitcom of the same name. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Spike Owen
Very funny
I am plaesed with this product. I bought most of the old comedy series and I am pleased with all of them exept Norman Wisdom box set as it is cheap and it breaks to pices and the... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Mrs. Maria-Magdalena Krishnan
Lovely film, lovely price!
I know the film wasn't put together as the TV team had wished, but I still find this really entertaining from start to finish. Read more
Published 18 months ago by V E Tully
entertaining
As has been said, this seems a bit of a hodge podge of TV episodes revised to make a film, but the actors are so good, and the characters so believable, that they rise above the... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mr. Alec Theobald
Class tension; comic characters.
Dad's Army The Movie: Captain Mainwaring and his men were very successful in this film, exhibiting a fascinating atmosphere. As a family we watched with interest. Very liked. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Can
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