1. The Boat That Rocked
The Boat That Rocked (retitled Pirate Radio in North America) is a
2009 British comedy film written and directed by Richard
Curtis, with pirate radio in the United Kingdom during the 1960s as
its setting. The film has an ensemble cast featuring Philip Seymour
Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost, and Kenneth Branagh.
Set in 1966, it tells the story of the fictitious pirate radio station
"Radio Rock" and its crew of eclectic disc jockeys, who broadcast
rock and pop music to the United Kingdom from a ship anchored in
the North Sea while the British government endeavors to shut
them down. It was produced by Working Title Films for Universal
Pictures, and was filmed on the Isle of Portland and at Shepperton
Studios.
2. • The film is rated a 15 containing strong language and
moderate sex references. This hints at the target
Audience audience of young adults. It can also hint that the
genre is a comedy, as it is for a mature audience, but
does not have any warnings associated with other
genres (e.g. horror= violence/gore etc.).
• From looking at the film opening and the age rating, it
says that it is possibly a film aimed at men, however
not ruling out women as an audience.
• In addition, the film could also be aimed for adults
who lived during the sixties. This would make the
film a way of looking back to this period when they
were younger and remembering pirate radio.
3. Mise-en-scene
• C- In the opening scene to the film, we see two parents and a child wearing clothes common of the
60’s, giving the audience an idea of the time the film is set. Later, we also see one of the main
characters (“The Count”), wearing dirty, messy clothes which helps to tell he is a pirate radio
broadcaster and that he is not common in the way people dressed then.
• L- The scene starts at night, with house light bulbs providing high key lighting. This gives a more
comfortable, homely feeling, and tells us at what time people listen to radio in secret.
• A- In the opening, the film shows us an idea of how adults and children were in the time of the
setting, i.e. the adults seem old fashioned and boring, sat reading a newspaper at night, while the
children are more rebellious and mischievous by listening to pirate radio when they should be
asleep.
• M- The first we see of the Count, we see he has yellow teeth, showing him to be more of a slob and
that he doesn’t care too much for his health, creating the idea of him being a rebel more obvious.
• P- The intro shows a lot of younger people listening to their own radios, which tells the audience
that a lot of young people pay attention to the rock stations. We also see the Count using a radio
microphone, making it clear that he is a radio broadcaster and that many younger people listen to
him.
• S- From the introduction to the film, the film tells us it is set in Britain, 1966, the golden era for rock
being played on radio. There is also a view of a taxi driving down a harbour, suggesting this location
may be significant, or that the character (Carl) is travelling on a boat.
4. • In the start of the opening, there is a lot of slow/ normal paced editing showing
everyday family life, possibly reflecting back on the parents being boring compared to
Editing when listening to radio. Although, this then picks up into more fast paced editing when
James turns on the radio and the Count appears. This helps to match the pace of the
background music and creates a higher interest in the film.
• During the time the boy is seen going to bed, there is an ellipsis between when he
closes his room door and lying awake in bed, waiting for his parents to go to bed. By
cutting to him waiting for his parent to go to bed, it shows that some time has passed
and that he has been waiting a while. In addition, by waiting for his parents to go to
bed, it tells us that he shouldn’t be listening, or doesn’t want his parents to hear him
listening to radio. This could be hinting that the film may be a comedy/ feel-good
film, as it show a light approach to the child being secretive.
• In addition, during the title montage, the clips have been edited to have a radio effect.
The length of the clips follow the pace of the music (“All day and all of the night” by
the Kinks), again creating interest in the in the film. The radio dial effect after just
seeing the Count broadcasting, also makes it obvious that the film is centred around a
specific radio station.
• During this montage , radio affect, there is a use of split screens to show people
dancing and enjoying the music around Britain. By doing this, it show that many people
all around Britain enjoy listening to pirate radio and their music, creating a sense of
how popular pirate radio was during this time period.
5. • In the very beginning of the scene, the use of an establishing
shot is used on the house. This helps set the scene of a
Camera British family home in the 60’s and helps explain where the
boy lives later in the scene. There is also another establishing
shot at the end of the opening, showing a taxi driving down
the side of the harbour, again showing us the setting might
be the harbour, or that Carl is travelling on a boat.
• When James is walking to his room, there is a tracking shot
following him to his room. Because the camera tracks him to
his room, it suggests that he may be an important
character, which moves all focus on him and what he’s doing.
It is later shown that by following him, we are then
introduced to one of the main characters.
• The first time we see the Count talking into the radio, there
is an extreme close up on his mouth to the microphone. The
amount of attention on his mouth, moves the focus to what
he is saying and puts a layer of mystery/ enigma about
him, as we cannot see his whole face.
6. Non- Diagetic sound:
Sound • The sound at the beginning of different radio shows being
played, automatically tells the audience that this is going to
be a film focused on radio, or a specific radio show. This
also includes sound motif to help set the time the film is
set, through the use of sayings and radio shows we
associate with radio at that time (e.g. “are you sitting
comfortably”).
• There is also more fast paced music in the background once
the Count is first shown. This sudden music compared with
the music played previously from the older radio
shows, tells that this was the time when rock and roll first
came to radio. In addition, there is no sound bridge used
between when the boy turns the radio on and the music.
This sudden burst from the radio makes the music more
exciting and adds more interest in the film.
7. • By introducing the studios of the film (Universal studios/ Working
Film title), it may already provide interest in the film, as the studios are
well known for producing good quality films.
conventions • Before the scene begins, there is a textual introduction into the film.
This intro tells us the setting ,the backstory of rock being played on
radio and that people preferred pirate radio stations due to no other
stations playing enough rock during 1966.
• During the montage of music throughout the opening, the names of
the main actors in the film are shown, along with the name of the
film at the end. These could both hint on the genre of the film as
some the actors featured in the film are known for comedy
films, and the name of the film suggests it might be a comedy/feel-
good film.
• During the opening, there is not actually much humour
involved, which is unusual for a comedy film. This means that the
intro is to purely gain interest in the film and introduce comedy later
in the film, making the film seem more like a feel- good film.
• From the opening, conventions of film openings met are: titles (e.g.
studio, film title, main actors/ key cast etc.), establishment of
setting, music to set mood, genre and gains interest in the film.
8. • There is a fair amount of enigma during the first segme
the intro, for example, who is the boy (James)? Why’s h
Film Enigma waiting until his parents are asleep? We ask these beca
we believe he is a main character, but is actually a listen
to the main centre of the story.
• However, there is a lot more enigma once the Count is
introduced, which is answered later in the film. For
example, who is he? Why does he call himself “The Cou
Who’s the character in the taxi (Carl)? Where’s he going
why? Because we do not know all the answers yet, it br
about more interest and encourages the audience to
continue watching the film.
