| Date | |
|---|---|
| Author | DCM |
| Categories | cinemaExhibitor NewsFilm PremiereNews |
Stars of the film industry worked the red carpet in Anglia Square, rather than Leicester Square, last week following a Facebook campaign for Norwich to host the world première of Alan Partridge – Alpha Papa.
Sporting a stylish blue safari suit, the silver-voice of the East Anglian airwaves, Alan Partridge, mingled with Norwich crowds outside The Hollywood independent cinema before jumping in a helicopter for a follow-up première in Leicester Square, ahead of the film’s release in cinemas nationwide on 7 August.
Alan works the Norwich red carpet in style
Trevor Wicks, Director of Hollywood Cinemas, explained to DCM Close Up what a shock and honour it was when the Norwich site was chosen to unveil Alpha Papa to the world: “The whole thing started from a little acorn that was a local facebook campaign. The public chose us, I suspect, because we are a traditional cinema and this would have been in keeping with the flavour of Alan Partridge.”
Trevor Wicks, Hollywood Cinema, prepares to host Norwich's first première since 1971
The movie sees the hapless disc jockey caught up in a siege at the North Norfolk Digital radio station where he works and he inexplicably becomes a hostage negotiator for the police.
Posing for the cameras
“This movie is an attempt to reinvent myself really, as an action hero,” Partridge told Entertainment News exclusively in London. “But not like a greased up simpleton like Stallone. More like a sort of John Nettles in Bergerac or John Thaw in the Sweeney.
“I don’t think this film’s going to win any Oscars to be frank,” he continues. “I just want it to have some sort of positive impact on people’s lives and if it can stop one child sniffing glue or throwing eggs at my car, then it’s a job well done.”
However the North Norfolk Digital presenter brushed aside questions on the Norfolk junket, telling Entertainment News in Leicester Square: “The Norwich thing was just me throwing a bone to the dogs. That was a sort of tin pot side show, frankly, but they won’t mind me saying that frankly because they don’t watch national news.”
Norwich Hollywood Cinema’s Trevor Wicks responded that: “Alan’s quite correct, we don’t watch national news if we can help it. With this we went GLOBAL. The coverage was enormous and certainly, on this occasion Anglia Square put Leicester Square in the shadows."
Partridge fans were out in force
“With nearly 25 years as an independent operator, our world première was probably my highlight so far, and everything went very well which wouldn’t have been possible without Studio Canal and Steve Coogan, the guys who started the facebook campaign, Rob and Raf, my extremely hardworking staff and everybody else involved to get the cinema ready. As somebody remarked ‘The old place scrubbed up well!’”
Watch red carpet footage from Entertainment News at the Leicester Square première and an exclusive interview where Alan explains how he got in shape for his action hero film role. For more film news updates follow @EntNewsShowbiz on twitter.