Dad's Army Movie Screening

Dad's Army Appreciation Society Event
New Olympus Theatre, Barton Street, Gloucester
4th May 2002

The last time I saw the Dad's Army Movie on the big screen must have been around 1975/76. I was coming back from the School swimming pool and the school bus drove past the Odeon Cinema in Stockton on Tees High Street, I remember seeing in big bold capital letters above the doors DAD'S ARMY!

Along with Doctor Who, Dad's Army was my favourite television show, (I was all of 6 years old) and one of the first word's I learned to locate in the Evening Gazette TV listings! Naturally, my parents didn't get a moment's peace once I found out the film was on at the local cinema, so off we all went to see it! I was enthralled, Mum enjoyed it, Dad probably would have too, had my sister not lost most of her Dolly Mixtures on the floor and he spent half the film picking them up!

Of course, there was a lot to keep me focused on the screen in the ensuing 95 minutes, even then, I felt the film balances comedy and drama perfectly, something contributed by the fine actors performances. How many actors could deliver the goods these days when making a film under pressure and in a matter of weeks? As is common knowledge now, the making of the film was not a pleasurable time for the stars of Dad's Army or Jimmy Perry!

Over the years I always enjoyed watching the movie and as soon as I had a Video Recorder, recorded it from the television. As time moved on, I eventually bought the Video but to my dismay noticed that although the beginning and the end of the film appear in Widescreen on the TV and Video versions, the moments in between proceed to feature the film in the smallscreen TV viewing format!

It was great therefore to suggest a few years ago at the Bristol convention to Tony and Paul that a showing of the film would be a great idea. I was pleased therefore when the showing was announced in Gloucester on May 4th this year.

Excited to be attending this event, my wife and I travelled to the New Olympus Theatre in Barton Street. A wonderful location as it was almost a throwback to years gone by, red décor, old-fashioned seats; we even had the 1940's style stewardesses serving us Ice Cream tubs.

The projectionist informed us this was going to be a rather special event, the Dad's Army movie had not been shown at that cinema for over thirty years and was not likely to be shown again as the film was now in a rather brittle state. So we were warned that the sound quality may be poor in places and the film may snap at any point! But it was all there and really in the lap of the Cinema God's!

After a showing of the 1969 and 1972 Christmas Night with the Stars Sketches and moving into the main Cinema we were treat to a vintage Pathe Gazette film of the Home Guard before our main feature started.

Then it arrived, the German Staff Car descending over the Green Hills and then German General Paul Dawkin's sighting of Private Godfrey emerging from his WC, then the members of Walmington On Sea Home Guard posed for 90 minutes of Big Screen Action. "How can those stupid British hope to win this war?".

I really couldn't help marvel at seeing the film again on this format, its amazing how much depth you lose from some of the shots by seeing the film on the smallscreen. The sense of urgency of the imminent invasion seemed to be heightened with wider-angle impact shots. Also we were able to capture reactions from John Le Mesurier and others which are sometimes cut out of the smaller screen shots (as the TV version tends to focus on the subject rather than the support).

The only glitch in the film (apart from a few sound problems in the beginning) was the sequence when the Vicar rings the bells and the Platoon form a blockade to fend off a possible invasion. This was almost amusing in itself as the film had obviously broken at some point in the past and had being repieced the wrong way, so yes we had the sequence but not necessarily in the right order!

The quality was a lot better than expected though and the colour seemed richer and the images clearer. Personally, I hope that if the film is ever considered for DVD release the original film version will be restored and remastered for all to enjoy and hopefully the way it was originally to be seen!

My thanks to Tony Pritchard, Paul Carpenter and the staff of the New Olympus Theatre for making this event possible, it was for me, a truly memorable afternoon!
Andy Howells