Yea, right, like they had a couple hundred illegals from Mongolia trying out for the part..............
Posted on 02/28/2015 11:52:40 AM PST by PJ-Comix
One thing that bugs me about certain films is when a foreign character is played by an obviously "too American" actor. It doesn't mean the film is ruined but often great movies are jarring when that obviously "too American" actor has a scene. One such movie that was otherwise great was "The Blue Max." It had great aerial combat scenes but it bothered me that the lead character, Lt. Bruno Stachel was being portrayed by the way too American George Peppard.
Then there was "Amadeus" in which Mozart was portrayed as if he were a crazy American frat boy by Tom Hulce.
Tom Cruise as Count Stauffenberg? I don't buy that either.
Of, course there is the greatest miscasting example of all time when Genghis Khan was played by the All American Duke Wayne.
Ugh I forgot about that one. I lasted about 10 minutes and found something else to watch...
I am the complete opposite, that’s why I like movies like “The Longest Day”, where the Germans speak German, the French speak French, etc. Can stand British and American actors with their phony German accents, it always seemed silly to me.
Yea, right, like they had a couple hundred illegals from Mongolia trying out for the part..............
The magic comes from engaging the audience in the human condition. If only Hollywood understood the human condition!
Today's movies would be as stunning as those of the past if Hollywood would acknowledge God.
He must have gone to “Black Acting School”
Some Language
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXvTyk9kPsQ
Subtitles can be great — especially if it's kind of a plot-point that there's a language barrier. I'd have to re-watch it, but I recall Iron Man using them really effectively when Tony was captured.
But an American film should have the foreigners, who are often the bad guys, plotting in accented English, rather then expecting the audience to read in subtitles that keep the viewer from enjoying the action. Phew!
Generally, sure.
But I wouldn't call it a hard-and-fast rule; see above.
Eh, Tom Hulce was fine as Amadeus; in fact so was F. Murray Abraham as Saliere, Jeffrey Jones as the Emperor and Elizabeth Berridge as Constanze.
Come to think of it, Milos Forman hired a lot of American actors to play roles in historical films that were not set in England, and it worked fine. Annette Bening’s American accent in “Valmont” did not detract from her superb performance which was superior to Glenn Close’s posh Brit speak in “Dangerous Liaisons” (and I adore Glenn Close as an actress.)
Now Kevin Costner I agree with, but he didn’t even try a British accent. Now Winona Ryder and Keanu Reeves in “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” that were far, far worse!
IMO, if a historical film is not based on a Shakespearean play nor set in England, I see no need to for the requirement of English accents. Latin Romans in togas were not British.
In “Enemy at The Gates” I heard so many people who thought the Russians were actually English because of this. The best way to go is to either use “accented” English, or go the Mel Gibson Route and speak the the proper language of the time and use subtitles.
Alternatively, I think a lot of English and Aussie actors don’t do American accents justice. Ewan Bremner was in “Pearl Harbor” and “Black Hawk Down” and did a terrible job. Freddie Highmore in the “Bates Motel” tv show sounds more Canadian than American.
The walking dead is full of British actors. Not so passable as southern Americans but not too bad as generic Americans.
Hulce played a Russian in “The Inner Circle”, and he had a credible Russian accent in that.
Big deal. 3 of the “Georgians” on the walking dead are British. Oh ... but one got killed off, so I guess it’s 2 now.
how about a Scotsman playing a Spaniard, wielding a samurai sword, teaching a Frenchman playing a Scotman how to fight?
Kevin Costner as Robin Hood. ‘Nuff said.
You have too much time on your hands trying to be a too-American movie critic The Young Lions with Brando, A Time to Love/The Golden Blade with Rock Hudson, Virginia City with Mexican Humphrey Bogart, etc. were a bit more complaint-worthy
Mel Gibson was an American who grew up in Australia.
You win.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.