Did Rene Zellweger's accent in Bridget Jones count as Estuary? (Even though it's not her own in real life.)
Do the Americans speak English better than the British?
Well, I don't know... Maybe, somewhat, but not typically. But it's a typical London accent (or at least southern English), a more educated one, though. Rene Zellweger did quite a good job.
Well, I don't know... Maybe, somewhat, but not typically. But it's a typical London accent (or at least southern English), a more educated one, though. Rene Zellweger did quite a good job.
Sorry, one post is just enough. I didn't want it to be posted twice. Something's wrong with my computer. :-(
It happens when the site's being slow. Anyway, I asked that not because I really know Estuary from my back pocket, but because I once read a British review of the flick that criticized poor Rene for fabricating some sort of awful Estuaryish travesty of an accent, which I think was the first time I had ever even heard of Estuary. (Seems like the British just loooove to trash any attempt by an American actor to put on a UK accent, no matter how competent it really is).
How about in Shaun of the Dead? The fat kid who was always giving Shaun a hard time at the electronics store? The one who was always saying "Hello, maaaate," into his phone? And for that matter, what kind of accent was Nick sporting?
How about in Shaun of the Dead? The fat kid who was always giving Shaun a hard time at the electronics store? The one who was always saying "Hello, maaaate," into his phone? And for that matter, what kind of accent was Nick sporting?
<<How about in Shaun of the Dead? The fat kid who was always giving Shaun a hard time at the electronics store? The one who was always saying "Hello, maaaate,">>
It's a shame - I haven't seen it! Everyone has seen it but me! But I'm going to watch it.
<<(Seems like the British just loooove to trash any attempt by an American actor to put on a UK accent, no matter how competent it really is).>>
It's a kind of rivalry between the British and the Americans: who is better in imitating each other's accents. It's no use hunting for every tiny little mistake or inconsistency in these actors' accents. There'll always be some, since it is hard to pick up another accent all of a sudden. OK, I know they practise a lot but it's not like growing up speaking an accent.
I really say Rene Zellweger was quite good, but there were some attempts with conspicuous inconsistencies. For example, Dick van Dyke's (in)famously bad attempt to imitate Cockney in Mary Poppins. Cockney is a really hard one to imitate perfectly, and that guy was lapsing in and out of it.
You are American, aren't you? So what do you think of Jude Law's accent in Existenz? Have you seen it? The title was spelled in an unusual way, so I'm not sure, but it is pronounced as "existence".
It's a shame - I haven't seen it! Everyone has seen it but me! But I'm going to watch it.
<<(Seems like the British just loooove to trash any attempt by an American actor to put on a UK accent, no matter how competent it really is).>>
It's a kind of rivalry between the British and the Americans: who is better in imitating each other's accents. It's no use hunting for every tiny little mistake or inconsistency in these actors' accents. There'll always be some, since it is hard to pick up another accent all of a sudden. OK, I know they practise a lot but it's not like growing up speaking an accent.
I really say Rene Zellweger was quite good, but there were some attempts with conspicuous inconsistencies. For example, Dick van Dyke's (in)famously bad attempt to imitate Cockney in Mary Poppins. Cockney is a really hard one to imitate perfectly, and that guy was lapsing in and out of it.
You are American, aren't you? So what do you think of Jude Law's accent in Existenz? Have you seen it? The title was spelled in an unusual way, so I'm not sure, but it is pronounced as "existence".
I am, and I haven't seen it. Is it any good? I can't remember if he did an American accent in A.I. ....
I have to say that most of the time I just go with the flow and don't pay much attention to the quality of a faked accent, unless it's really horrible. I heard Michael Caine's US-speak in The Weather Man, and it was perfectly acceptable to me -- better than the one he did in Second-Hand Lions. But then, Southern accents are the hardest ones to get right, and some of them even sound fake on the people who really have them! Big Fish was a good example -- Ewan McGregor never sounded quite right to me, but I've heard other people who probably really do talk like that, and they sounded odd to me, too. So it may not have been him -- just the accent itself. If that makes sense.
I have to say that most of the time I just go with the flow and don't pay much attention to the quality of a faked accent, unless it's really horrible. I heard Michael Caine's US-speak in The Weather Man, and it was perfectly acceptable to me -- better than the one he did in Second-Hand Lions. But then, Southern accents are the hardest ones to get right, and some of them even sound fake on the people who really have them! Big Fish was a good example -- Ewan McGregor never sounded quite right to me, but I've heard other people who probably really do talk like that, and they sounded odd to me, too. So it may not have been him -- just the accent itself. If that makes sense.
I'm not sure if any British actors are able to effect an American accent that would sound truly convincing to Americans themselves. Whenever I hear a British actor speak in an accent other than which I know to be his natural one....Ewan MacGregor was quoted, one of our local boys....I haven't much idea how it would sound to people whose accent s/he is taking off.
To me, the affected American accents of Brit actors all sound the same, unless of course it's meant to be a particularly well known American accent, like that of the Deep South. For instance, if a British actress were to play the part of Blanche Du Bois in Streetcar Named Desire, I wonder how it would compare with that of Glenn Close (American) who I saw play the very same part at the Olivier Theatre on London's South Bank.
How well received in America was the American accent of Jude Law (British) as Dickie Greenleaf in The Talented Mr Ripley?
Of course, the British whinge about just anything (currently it's an exceptional heatwave!) so why should the British accents of American actors be exempt from one of the national sports?
I have never seen any harsh criticism here of the (to my ears) cool RP English English version of the British accent assumed by Gwyneth Paltrow (American). I know she's married to an English guy and lives here in London, but when I heard her speak in her native American accent it seemed really weird. I found myself wishing she'd go back to her great "Sliding Doors speak". She did not look out of place behind a pint in a pub either!
To me, the affected American accents of Brit actors all sound the same, unless of course it's meant to be a particularly well known American accent, like that of the Deep South. For instance, if a British actress were to play the part of Blanche Du Bois in Streetcar Named Desire, I wonder how it would compare with that of Glenn Close (American) who I saw play the very same part at the Olivier Theatre on London's South Bank.
How well received in America was the American accent of Jude Law (British) as Dickie Greenleaf in The Talented Mr Ripley?
Of course, the British whinge about just anything (currently it's an exceptional heatwave!) so why should the British accents of American actors be exempt from one of the national sports?
I have never seen any harsh criticism here of the (to my ears) cool RP English English version of the British accent assumed by Gwyneth Paltrow (American). I know she's married to an English guy and lives here in London, but when I heard her speak in her native American accent it seemed really weird. I found myself wishing she'd go back to her great "Sliding Doors speak". She did not look out of place behind a pint in a pub either!
I find most accents put on by actors acceptable, unless it is horrid, as Uriel said. I've seen many a film with British actors speaking with American dialects that sounded quite fine to my ears. Kate Beckinsale's accent in Pearl Harbor was very acceptable to me.
I can't remember what Jude Law's accent was like in The Talented Mr. Ripley, but I've heard people say it was very believable.
I can't remember what Jude Law's accent was like in The Talented Mr. Ripley, but I've heard people say it was very believable.
"Seems like the British just loooove to trash any attempt by an American actor to put on a UK accent, no matter how competent it really is."
It's not as bad as the Americans who sit and watch a British movie in the cinema and then complain when.....the actors speak with a British accent.
It's not as bad as the Americans who sit and watch a British movie in the cinema and then complain when.....the actors speak with a British accent.
"How about in Shaun of the Dead? The fat kid who was always giving Shaun a hard time at the electronics store? The one who was always saying "Hello, maaaate," into his phone? And for that matter, what kind of accent was Nick sporting? "
Shaun of the Dead is a British movie, not an American movie.
Shaun of the Dead is a British movie, not an American movie.
<<Shaun of the Dead is a British movie, not an American movie.>>
If you had read our (and first of all Uriel's) posts carefully, you would certainly have realised that we were talking about British accents first, and American movies with fake British accents came only after that.
National pride is a good thing, but you shouldn't abuse it by grabbing every occasion to disparage Americans and other nations.
If you had read our (and first of all Uriel's) posts carefully, you would certainly have realised that we were talking about British accents first, and American movies with fake British accents came only after that.
National pride is a good thing, but you shouldn't abuse it by grabbing every occasion to disparage Americans and other nations.