Released in the UK in August, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa dominated the British summer. Like The World’s End, the film had long been mooted – it was originally delayed because of the 7/7 terrorist attacks in London, 2005 – but judging by the final product, that was evidently time well-spent. It’s acquired an early 2014 release in US cinemas (as simply Alan Partridge) which will introduce the character to anyone who hasn’t been keeping a close eye on the best of British comedy over the last twenty years.
The release of the film in the US is no doubt due to the increased stateside fame of both creator Armando Iannucci – responsible for Veep and In The Loop – and star Steve Coogan, who had minor roles in big budget fare like Around the World in Eighty Days before focusing on more credible projects like The Trip (a TV show for the BBC in the UK, but gained a cinematic release via IFC Films in the US), The Other Guys, and Philomena (more on that later) with Judi Dench. If that’s the case, then more power to them – Alan has been a semi-regular feature on British screens for the last twenty years, and the more attention the movie gets, the greater likelihood of a sequel appearing in the not too distant future.
The genius of Iannucci and Coogan was to make Alpha Papa everything that Partridge fans have longed for and more. Endlessly quotable and groingrabbingly funny, it’s the logical extension to brand Partridge. To satiate your hunger in the wait for the US release, might I point you towards the audiobook of Alan Partridge’s biography I Partridge: We Need to Talk About Alan, both series of I’m Alan Partridge, and the less fulfilling but still funny Knowing Me, Knowing You With Alan Partridge. Being British, those series only add up to around 30 episodes altogether, and six hours for the audiobook, after which you can boast to your friends about your in-depth knowledge of cult British comedy. You’ll be the coolest kid around.