I forgot until now the recent Wills & Kate TV movie, including St Andrews university full of plummy Sloanes and not one Scottish person in sight - then olde London Town featuring the usual collection of red phone boxes and ancient buses with LA-style overhead street signs sitting uneasily in the background.
Best bit were the strange National Enquirer style gossip mags with titles such as The Orb and The Telegram :eek:
Also IIRC SNCF trains cannot ride on UK railways because of the bogey's are incompatible - Eurostar trains have adapters to allow them to run on UK and French track. So unlike Mission Impossible - you cannot have SNCF trains running through Kent!
That's not all.
The train shown had no OLE, so it couldn't run in France and anyway there is no third rail shown.
TGVs don't have third rail capability, so couldn't run in the UK anyway at the time the film was made (1996), as HS1 wasn't opened until 2003 (section 1) and 2007 (section 2).
The train shown was running on the right. French trains run on the left.
At the time, a TGV wouldn't have been allowed to run through the tunnel, due to breaking HSE regulations, such as evacuation procedures and being able to split the trains. These rules have apparently been relaxed in order to allow Deutsche Bahn for example to run services to the UK starting in 2013.
But MI1 is only a film and as in most films creative licence is used.
I don't like the way alot of American shows depict Britain. One I actually didn't mind was Buffy. Giles was British and thankfully they had a British actor rather than an American putting on a posh accent.
It's funny how America does seem to think most people here speak in a very posh way and drink tea all the time. Lol
Didn't bother me either. I think its because Joss Whedon (Creater) went to school in England that he did quite a good job with it, although obviously the stereotypes were still there.
Spike was also British (from Ye Olde North London) and played by an American actor putting on a posh accent.
He wasn't being posh. He was doing a cockney accent and quite a good one imo. There's alot of people who didn't even realise he wasn't english.
The worst one i've seen was on The X-Files - actually there were two examples that come to mind. One upper class family who spoke like 'I say darling...' and then during the movie when they briefly go to a scene of a guy in england he's living in a big posh house with a Butler and he's with his grandkids who are wearing playsuits like something out of The sound of music - actually cringeworthy.
Does anyone remember when they had that 'scottish' guy on Sex and the City? Yep aparently we're all such ineloquent talkers that we can't be understood. Mind you what do you expect from that show.
It is a 2 way street - if you see how Americans are portrayed in a tv show or a movie when visiting London, loud, brash, arrogant, usually wearing a stetson and a bootlace tie. Often a cop over here to crack a case, break all the rules - shooting people.
Not to mention the fact that other than Hugh Laurie and maybe 5 other actors, the attempts at American accents (as if there's just one--frankly there may be even more than the UK) are just as laughable as the reverse.
Really, you need to be Australian to do an American accent! (okay, not really, but I think Simon Baker may be even better at it than Hugh Laurie)
Surely most of the British stereotypes are played up to by the TV bods. They know most of Britain isn't like that, but its how people think of Britain. Stupid fat loudmouth Yanks ( ).
As for shows that "get" Britain, my 7 year old watches a cartoon called "Phineas and Ferb". Every now and then there are definitely good British references (see episode "Elementary My Dear Stacy"). So much so I had to look up the creators and one of them lived here for 6 years, which explains everything).
Major Monogram: Good morning, Agent P. Doofenshmirtz is up to no good here, in the UK. And, uh, after your last mission in London, we ran into some trouble with the British Spy Union. So joining you today is Agent Double 0-0. And joining me today is is the lovely Inspector Initials.
Inspector Initials: Double 0-0, you and Agent P will be assigned the same mission against Dr. Doofenshmirtz.
[Suspense music]
Agent Double 0-0: You realize this man is a Platypus?
Inspector Initials: They're american, Double 0-0. Just be glad it's a mammal.
Major Monogram: Ooh. Rrreow. Well, go get him, Agent P.
Agent Double 0-0: What? That's it? No files? No location? No contact? What kind of a mission is this?
Not to mention the fact that other than Hugh Laurie and maybe 5 other actors, the attempts at American accents (as if there's just one--frankly there may be even more than the UK) are just as laughable as the reverse.
Really, you need to be Australian to do an American accent! (okay, not really, but I think Simon Baker may be even better at it than Hugh Laurie)
Even I know that Hugh Laurie has an awful American accent! Is it even American?
Spinal Tap got it right with their depiction of Britons, you can't even tell it's three Americans, Harry Shearer's accent slipped a couple of times but that was it.
Even I know that Hugh Laurie has an awful American accent! Is it even American?
Not sure I agree, many US tv critics really rate his performances in House and say he should have won an Emmy by now. They wouldn't be saying that if he couldn't do the accent.
I was amused by an episode of Sanctuary showing a shot from the air of a wide valley enclosed by a chain of mountains with the caption "Essex, England". I recognised it as Borrowdale Valley in the Lake District!
In the U.S prison series 'Oz' they had an IRA terrorist who was locked up in the prison and the character said that he'd be hanged if returned to the U.K - only we don't have captial punishment anymore.
No acknowledgement in those episodes that the character would've murdered innocent people.
I was amused by an episode of Sanctuary showing a shot from the air of a wide valley enclosed by a chain of mountains with the caption "Essex, England". I recognised it as Borrowdale Valley in the Lake District!
With the lead character, of course, Amanda Tapping who had already been a Canadian pretending to be an American in Stargate and is now putting on a modestly plum UK accent for Sanctuary.
Though, of course, she was really born in the UK (moved to Canada aged 3) and so the accent is actually reasonably accurate and does not jar.
Given that she originated in Essex I certainly prefer her accent in Sanctuary to what might have been if she had gone truly native.
I always find British accents in American shows amusing, especially when it's someone British doing them. Not just because they sound nothing like anyone I've ever met, but also because they also often have the characters use American terms and pronounciations, which just makes it seem even more surreal. So you have someone speaking in either a posh or a dickens-esque cockney accent, speaking in American English.
Even I know that Hugh Laurie has an awful American accent! Is it even American?
I disagree. I think he has a very good American accent. I was very surprised when I heard that he was Engish, but I did wonder why I had never heard of him before.
It is interesting how much emphasis you all put on accents. I dont think of that much while watching a TV show, its the location that is used to depict a place that is clearly wrong. That is what bothers me. I love it how they show Texas as mountainous..:rolleyes:
I always find British accents in American shows amusing, especially when it's someone British doing them. Not just because they sound nothing like anyone I've ever met, but also because they also often have the characters use American terms and pronounciations, which just makes it seem even more surreal. So you have someone speaking in either a posh or a dickens-esque cockney accent, speaking in American English.
Using American terms when you are in the USA is simple courtesy and happens if you are more than a rare visitor in my experience. If you live there (like Dr Elizabeth Corday in ER, for example, then they would soon be second nature I would imagine).
I have travelled the States quite a bit working and giving lectures or doing radio/TV and always took care to say elevator rather than lift, rest room instead of toilet or truck instead of lorry - for example - as I appreciated that doing this would be more simply understood. So it made sense.
We are readily familiar with most American expressions here as we see them on TV and movies every day and so use them quite a lot anyhow (you will find truck in many British shows instead of lorry these days). So why not do this?
I have seen Americans in the UK be aware enough to reciprocate with UK terminology.
As for pronouncing words differently - in Lie to Me, for example, the main character who was British and played by a Brit but who had clearly lived or worked in the US for a long time in the back story was perfectly played. Plenty of Brit expressions and ways of pronouncing words used habitually but he also used everyday practical American terms for the reasons I just pointed out. It is good manners and speeds communication not to be deliberately obstructive by saying things that might cause confusion.
Anyhow - sometimes we are the eccentrics and US ways of saying things are actually more correct.
Say in your head now - Dynamite, Dynamo and then say Dynasty and you will see what I mean!
Using American terms when you are in the USA is simple courtesy and happens if you are more than a rare visitor in my experience. If you live there (like Dr Elizabeth Corday in ER, for example, then they would soon be second nature I would imagine).
I have travelled the States quite a bit working and giving lectures or doing radio/TV and always took care to say elevator rather than lift, rest room instead of toilet or truck instead of lorry - for example - as I appreciated that doing this would be more simply understood. So it made sense.
We are readily familiar with most American expressions here as we see them on TV and movies every day and so use them quite a lot anyhow (you will find truck in many British shows instead of lorry these days). So why not do this?
I have seen Americans in the UK be aware enough to reciprocate with UK terminology.
As for pronouncing words differently - in Lie to Me, for example, the main character who was British and played by a Brit but who had clearly lived or worked in the US for a long time in the back story was perfectly played. Plenty of Brit expressions and ways of pronouncing words used habitually but he also used everyday practical American terms for the reasons I just pointed out. It is good manners and speeds communication not to be deliberately obstructive by saying things that might cause confusion.
Anyhow - sometimes we are the eccentrics and US ways of saying things are actually more correct.
Say in your head now - Dynamite, Dynamo and then say Dynasty and you will see what I mean!
So,,can you explain what you mean by this to an American?
Comments
Best bit were the strange National Enquirer style gossip mags with titles such as The Orb and The Telegram :eek:
That's not all.
The train shown had no OLE, so it couldn't run in France and anyway there is no third rail shown.
TGVs don't have third rail capability, so couldn't run in the UK anyway at the time the film was made (1996), as HS1 wasn't opened until 2003 (section 1) and 2007 (section 2).
The train shown was running on the right. French trains run on the left.
At the time, a TGV wouldn't have been allowed to run through the tunnel, due to breaking HSE regulations, such as evacuation procedures and being able to split the trains. These rules have apparently been relaxed in order to allow Deutsche Bahn for example to run services to the UK starting in 2013.
But MI1 is only a film and as in most films creative licence is used.
Didn't bother me either. I think its because Joss Whedon (Creater) went to school in England that he did quite a good job with it, although obviously the stereotypes were still there.
He wasn't being posh. He was doing a cockney accent and quite a good one imo. There's alot of people who didn't even realise he wasn't english.
The worst one i've seen was on The X-Files - actually there were two examples that come to mind. One upper class family who spoke like 'I say darling...' and then during the movie when they briefly go to a scene of a guy in england he's living in a big posh house with a Butler and he's with his grandkids who are wearing playsuits like something out of The sound of music - actually cringeworthy.
Does anyone remember when they had that 'scottish' guy on Sex and the City? Yep aparently we're all such ineloquent talkers that we can't be understood. Mind you what do you expect from that show.
Really, you need to be Australian to do an American accent!
As for shows that "get" Britain, my 7 year old watches a cartoon called "Phineas and Ferb". Every now and then there are definitely good British references (see episode "Elementary My Dear Stacy"). So much so I had to look up the creators and one of them lived here for 6 years, which explains everything).
Bit of an obscure reference that I suppose.
Not going to say the Thames is clear water, but it has got significantly cleaner since the Victorian era.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/8059970/The-clean-up-of-the-River-Thames.html
Even I know that Hugh Laurie has an awful American accent! Is it even American?
Didn't even realise they were Americans
Easily the best depiction for me...
Not sure I agree, many US tv critics really rate his performances in House and say he should have won an Emmy by now. They wouldn't be saying that if he couldn't do the accent.
It was clearly filmed in Canada because of the cars licence plates, road signs etc
No acknowledgement in those episodes that the character would've murdered innocent people.
That's implied by the term "IRA terrorist."
With the lead character, of course, Amanda Tapping who had already been a Canadian pretending to be an American in Stargate and is now putting on a modestly plum UK accent for Sanctuary.
Though, of course, she was really born in the UK (moved to Canada aged 3) and so the accent is actually reasonably accurate and does not jar.
Given that she originated in Essex I certainly prefer her accent in Sanctuary to what might have been if she had gone truly native.
But they didn't refer to him as a terrorist in 'Oz' - it was a completely one-sided, almost sympathetic, portrayal.
There was a "flash-forward" to what would happen to him if he was extradited to Northern Ireland, he would be given a show trial and then hanged.
It annoys me more when good series like Oz and Sons of Anarchy get is so wrong as you assume that intelligent people are making them, Oz was on HBO.
Really?
LOL
It really isn't though.
I have been to US and people there genuinely think he is american.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQJrovKgrTw
Actually it might have been a flashback, a show trial and then sentenced to be hanged and then he escaped to the U.S.
They did used to do a flashback thing for each prisoner to show why they were in Oz.
I disagree. I think he has a very good American accent. I was very surprised when I heard that he was Engish, but I did wonder why I had never heard of him before.
It is interesting how much emphasis you all put on accents. I dont think of that much while watching a TV show, its the location that is used to depict a place that is clearly wrong. That is what bothers me. I love it how they show Texas as mountainous..:rolleyes:
Using American terms when you are in the USA is simple courtesy and happens if you are more than a rare visitor in my experience. If you live there (like Dr Elizabeth Corday in ER, for example, then they would soon be second nature I would imagine).
I have travelled the States quite a bit working and giving lectures or doing radio/TV and always took care to say elevator rather than lift, rest room instead of toilet or truck instead of lorry - for example - as I appreciated that doing this would be more simply understood. So it made sense.
We are readily familiar with most American expressions here as we see them on TV and movies every day and so use them quite a lot anyhow (you will find truck in many British shows instead of lorry these days). So why not do this?
I have seen Americans in the UK be aware enough to reciprocate with UK terminology.
As for pronouncing words differently - in Lie to Me, for example, the main character who was British and played by a Brit but who had clearly lived or worked in the US for a long time in the back story was perfectly played. Plenty of Brit expressions and ways of pronouncing words used habitually but he also used everyday practical American terms for the reasons I just pointed out. It is good manners and speeds communication not to be deliberately obstructive by saying things that might cause confusion.
Anyhow - sometimes we are the eccentrics and US ways of saying things are actually more correct.
Say in your head now - Dynamite, Dynamo and then say Dynasty and you will see what I mean!
So,,can you explain what you mean by this to an American?