Film versions of British sitcoms

I know that there were films of British sitcoms made in the 70s - it seems to have been a trend. I haven't seen many but I know a lot of them aren't supposed to be as good. I know the film of Are You Being Served? more or less recycled old plots from the series.

I haven't seen the Porridge film in full, but was it as good as the series? I can imagine with Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais writing, there wouldn't have been recycled scenes and jokes, not with their quality of comedy writing.

I have heard of The Likely Lads film - wasn't this quite different to Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads?? I know that the film came after both series, in around 1976.

The Porridge film was good. Gorden Kaye had a little part in it. I had to buy it to see it, but no regrets there :-) It's quite funny.

I also enjoyed the Dad's Army film by the way but I don't know if it was made in the 70s.

The Porridge film is indeed pretty good, but I always get a sense of deja-vu watching it. It's not quite a direct copy of any of the series plots (see: Rising Damp), but it doesn't really have a distinct voice in the way that the On The Buses films, for example, do.

Dad's Army is one of the best of the entire field. I also love the Steptoe & Son movies.

I have a few of these like the Dad's Army, Bless This House, Rising Damp, The Steptoes. The thing that gets me is all the recasting in the movies. I think the Steptoe & Son movies are the only ones that have all the original cast... which isn't much of a feat considering it's just the Albert and Harold.

I can understand some of it, but going so far as to recast Mike in Bless This House was utterly bonkers. I mean, I get that Askwith was a bigger name than Stewart, but as far as I can gather he was quite the popular hearthrob due to the TV series' success, so why change him? Mad.

The Steptoe movies were excellent. I'll probably get lynched for saying this, but I prefer the On The Buses movies to the series. Especially the sublime Holiday On The Buses... The Likely Lads film I saw recently and it had me laughing all the way through. Bless This House - as Aaron says, Robin Stewart made Mike his own and Askwith was rubbish. But oh GOD Peter Butterworth was just ghastly as Trevor. His performance is so clumsy and stilted. Dreadful.

For me the only three that really work are The Likely Lads, Dad's Army and Up Pompeii.

Up Pompeii is an example of recasting really working in the film's favour, with Michael Hordern a significant upgrade on either of the TV fathers; with the rest of the family there is less to choose, Barbara Murray is good but not necessarily better, and Royce Mills perhaps less funny than the son in the TV version; however as the daughter Maddy Smith worked for me at number of levels.

Porridge is enjoyable, but does not quite reach the heights of the TV series, perhaps opening out loses the claustrophobia that was essential to the dynamic. On the subject of recasting does anyone know why the Governor, and only the Governor, was recast?

What about Till Death Us Do Part? It was a good story showing Garnet when they were just married and Reet was born and culminating in the 1966 World Cup Final.

I also have the Love Thy Neighbour film, not bad, as well as the Steptoes and On The Buses. I have Bless This House and The Likely Lads too. I really enjoy that one. I have the Rising Damp movie in the complete box set.

I have to agree that the Steptoe and the On the Buses fims are the best (although haven't seen the Rising Damp one yet). I never realised that On the Buses was a series when I saw the films but I was young(er) then. I also think they are better than the series too.

I agree...that's how I began to watch On The Buses, through the films. They stand alone well and have some good gags (and more location stuff) - although what happens to the second child in 'Mutiny' I don't know.

Always enjoy the Porridge film - they often put it on at Christmas - and Dad's Army is still great despite the early part being a rehash of Series 1. Worst film? Rising Damp. Doesn't work without the audience - despite Denholme Elliot.

The reason Robin Askwith replaced Robin Stewart in the film version of Bless This House was because Stewart was a tad unreliable and would often turn up late for rehearsals on the TV show with flimsy excuses.

Carry On producer Peter Rogers, who produced the Bless This House movie, did not want someone so unreliable in his cast so the part of Mike went to Askwith.

Bless This House is one of my favourite of the sitcom spin-offs. I loved the idea of bringing in Terry Scott and June Whitfield as new neighbours!

Quote: Chappers @ May 9 2012, 12:48 AM BST

What about Till Death Us Do Part? It was a good story showing Garnet when they were just married and Reet was born and culminating in the 1966 World Cup Final.

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Easily the best, they gave it a fresh angle without takign a contrived holiday to Spain. Some great scenes like Alf failing to bum a cigarette off the soldiers while all the women are having better luck through flirting.

When Else announces she pregnant you see reach for fag, brilliant stuff.

I liked Guest House Paradiso.

Quote: kall @ August 28 2012, 11:18 PM BST

I liked Guest House Paradiso.

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I like Bottom (the show...but also girl's bottoms, but that's another story) but I found that film horrible.

The Porridge film was ok...but it seemed a bit cobbled together in my opinion. Some old jokes, a few b-stories that don't seem to fit together...but the actor's performance was as good as ever. But again, it was just ok.
From what I'm hearing the Porridge movie is one of the better examples of a film versions of sitcoms. Maybe the movie format isn't the right medium for a sitcom story.
But I have to admit that I like Miami Twice from OFAH and I know that many members of this site hate it. So, o mighty shit storm come over me.