The Boat That Rocked

Tonight, thanks to Steve's research that suggested the region coding on the Blu-Ray release of this movie wasn't really there and that thus led me to purchase that disc, we gathered to watch the full-length, original version of the film that appeared in the U.S. as Pirate Radio.

I liked it a great deal more than the American release, which I quite loved.

Like Love Actually, another of director Richard Curtis' wonderful films, this movie hits me emotionally and strongly moves me. I've praised the film before here, so I won't go over it again except to say that if you liked the American release and have a Blu-Ray player, you could do a lot worse than to pop for this U.K. version.

Spoiler Alert! Near the end of the film, when the ship is going down, the Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman) gives a short speech that I love:

To all our listeners, this is what I have to say - God bless you all. And as for you bastards in charge, don't dream it's over. Years will come, years will go, and politicians will do fuck all to make the world a better place. But all over the world, young men and young women will always dream dreams and put those dreams into song. Nothing important dies tonight, just a few ugly guys on a crappy ship. The only sadness tonight is that, in future years, there'll be so many fantastic songs that it will not be our privilege to play. But, believe you me, they will still be written, they will still be sung, and they will be the wonder of the world.

Rock and roll blasts in my head and is the soundtrack of my life. It is a wonder of power and emotion, and this movie is a love song to it.