Well I'm only 37 years late, but good movies stand the test of time, and this one (which is a few years older than me) is still hilarious in 2008! It's not really that dated, to be honest, other than the music, fashion and various bus-driving techniques. You don't see sexy young "clippies" on your local Arriva nowadays, more's the pity. Where are the laughs to be found in an Oyster card? The union stuff seems pretty 70s as well. But the locations look strangely up-to-date. I'm guessing they were somewhere in North London/Hertfordshire near the Elstree studios.
All this crap about it being sexist or whatever, anyone who thinks that has obviously never been in a workplace full of men. Men haven't changed. The only difference is that the media is run by many more women and "out" gay people nowadays, and so they clearly won't relate to the humour here. Fair enough, but don't make the mistake of thinking these types of attitudes are dated, cos they're not. In fact, they enjoyed somewhat of a fashion revival in the 90s with the "new lad" culture, which survives well into the present day on various cable channels and magazines like "Nuts" and "Zoo".
As one other reviewer said, it's that honesty and realism about what working men think about and do, to get through the monotony of the day, that makes On The Buses stand out as above average...not to mention the fact that slapstick comedy and innuendo, well-executed and as convincing parts of a plot line, are timelessly funny! The plot, such as it was, is almost instantly forgettable. Technically I guess this is a flaw, but what sticks in my mind after watching the movie is a general manic feelgood factor.
If you're the kind of person who finds female-orientated programmes like Big Brother entertaining then probably this isn't for you. If, however, you want to watch an ego-free ensemble comedy that can make you laugh then you could do a lot worse than On The Buses.
All this crap about it being sexist or whatever, anyone who thinks that has obviously never been in a workplace full of men. Men haven't changed. The only difference is that the media is run by many more women and "out" gay people nowadays, and so they clearly won't relate to the humour here. Fair enough, but don't make the mistake of thinking these types of attitudes are dated, cos they're not. In fact, they enjoyed somewhat of a fashion revival in the 90s with the "new lad" culture, which survives well into the present day on various cable channels and magazines like "Nuts" and "Zoo".
As one other reviewer said, it's that honesty and realism about what working men think about and do, to get through the monotony of the day, that makes On The Buses stand out as above average...not to mention the fact that slapstick comedy and innuendo, well-executed and as convincing parts of a plot line, are timelessly funny! The plot, such as it was, is almost instantly forgettable. Technically I guess this is a flaw, but what sticks in my mind after watching the movie is a general manic feelgood factor.
If you're the kind of person who finds female-orientated programmes like Big Brother entertaining then probably this isn't for you. If, however, you want to watch an ego-free ensemble comedy that can make you laugh then you could do a lot worse than On The Buses.