MovieChat Forums > There Be Dragons (2011) Discussion > Are you kidding me w/these accents?

Are you kidding me w/these accents?


Are any of the actors actually Spaniard? Not that they need be, that's why they're called 'actors,' but those accents are ridiculous.

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It doesn't really sound like they are trying to sound Spanish though. I guess it doesn't really make a difference though as long as they are making it in English... The real question is why this wouldn't be made as a Spanish film in the first place.

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I agree. Spanish with subtitles would have been better. However, if they're going to make it in English, I think the accents absolutely do matter. How would a film about Britons, set in Great Britain, sound if they actors had Australian accents?

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If the film is made in English, then not having Spanish accents makes perfect sense. Comparing different ways of speaking English is not equivalent. Personally all those films made about WWII, for instance, in which the Germans speak perfect English but with a German accent is ridiculous.

CAN WE JUST LET THE SUBJECT OF ACCENTS GO? And talk about the real substance of this, and any film?


"I'd never ask you to trust me. It's the cry of a guilty soul."

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You can feel free to discuss whatever you want. WE are discussing accents. If you don't wish to, then go answer another post or start one of your own.

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Well, certainly, chew on this worthless subject until it has been completely gnashed and digested.


"I'd never ask you to trust me. It's the cry of a guilty soul."

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I'm sorry you're having a bad day, week, life? But thank you for your input.

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I think you are kind to call that input...

Sorry, but it is an obnoxious old cliche to have the characters of a foreign land with their English and American accents. It's something you have to get past to enjoy a good number of worthwhile films, but come on, it's stupid. The most recent flagrant example I can think of was Valkyrie... Some are American, some are British, but none should be and it's distracting how stupid it is.

Anyway, I think speaking English with a Spanish accent could be just as distracting. It's silly either way, so I suppose they decided they wouldn't bother having the actors learn Spanish accents and most likely perform them rather badly. Perhaps a good decision.

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It absolutely is distracting. Either do it correctly, or don't bother. And Valkyrie is the perfect example.

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Exactly, what happened to actors hiring accent/speech coaches ?! Can anyone seriously think that Javier Bardem not crafting on an acceptable accent for "No Country for Old Men" would've worked? People are always surprised by how well foriegn people (outside North America) craft an acceptable accent, but when given the chance for the oppsite... it doesnt happen.

sorry I tuned you out

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I totally agree. A lot of actors don't like to admit it, but they rely very heavily on dialect coaches... Even those who don't pull it off all that well (i.e. Clive Owen).

...But as a side note, Javier Bardem retained some of his accent for No Country for Old Men, I imagine on purpose, considering that character was an enigma and had an uncertain background, so an unidentifiable psuedo-accent was perfect.

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It would have been better to have all the actors speaking unaccented British English, with various native British accents serving to signal social class and regional differences. This can be very effective, as many films set in ancient Rome have demonstrated. As it is, the (absolutely terrible) Spanish accents used by many of the characters were distracting, all the more so since there were also Spanish actors with real Spanish accents who made the others look even worse.

Best idea of all: Make the movie with Spanish or Latin American actors who can speak English. Although European Spanish and LatAm Spanish sound very different, the accents of educated Spaniards and educated Latin Americans in English are similar enough that it would work for English-speaking audiences.

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If you see the cast, there are more than ten "spanish from europe" actors, a spanish talking in english have spanish accent it's a natural thing if they aren't bilinguals.

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I didn't mean the fact that they HAVE accents, I meant the accents do not sound Spanish. And I'm sure there are some Spanish cast members, but the leads are English, Welsh, Ukranian and an American from Arkansas.

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It's a typical thing that the usa americans are thinking that "spanish from europe" talk with the same accent that "south americans" you can see the fact in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-6v4tah88w

There are most "americans from usa" ignorants and must learn a bit to distinguist accents like i can see the diference between a british, irish and Usa american accents for example.

Another example from the North american ignorance is in the last film from Tom Cruise, Cruise put the "San fermines" a San Sebastian party in Sevilla mixed with "falleras" girls with typical dresses from Valencia..please Mr Cruise if you don't know nothing about the spanish from europe folklore take some asesors.

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congratulations that you can tell the difference from irhs, british, and american accents, everyone can.

i'm pretty sure even the rest of europe doesn't know what the hell you are talking about in that last paragraph. you just have a thing against americans judging from your post history

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I spent most of the movie thinking: "Why does everyone speaks like Speedy Gonzalez?"

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Tu comentario es un excelente ejemplo de la ignorancia en general de la gente en USA. El ejemplo que usan es el acento mexicano, porque lo tienen cerca y usan a Speedy Gonzalez que es una caricatura porque es todo para lo que les da el cerebro.
En España las películas se exhiben dobladas al español. No existen los subtítulos. Mientras que en la mayoría de los países latinoamericanos de habla hispana y portuguesa las películas se exhiben con su sonido original y subtítulos en castellano (el idioma español que ustedes hablan NO EXISTE, fue un invento de la dictadura de Franco para anular nacionalidades como la catalana, la vasca y la gallega). Entonces a los latinoamericanos nos parece ridículo que un personaje español se presente en una película hablando en inglés. Sería lo mismo si en la película sobre Lincoln se hablara en francés. En resumen. Hagan películas sobre ustedes mismos y dejen al resto del mundo hacer sus propias películas en paz para no caer en ridículo.
Hay excelentes películas donde cada uno habla su lengua y si lo hace en otra lengua es porque hay una justificación del guión.

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Those accents are nothing short of ridiculous. I couldn´t believe how unreal they are - not Spanish, not anything at all but lame attempts by native English speakers to sound non-native. What´s the point? It ruins the movie.

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this movie might have been ok if they had real actors in it. it was terrible from beginning to end. im mean awful i guess straight to dvd still has meaning

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I agree that the accents could've been better, my friend, however when you have great acting, gorgeous cinematography, and a wonderful story line, the not-so-perfect accents can definitely be overlooked.

FYI: I've been to Spain numerous times and have many Spanish friends. I'm very familiar with the accent.

"Don't like me? Then jog on, my friend."

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cox's accent is laughablely terrible i thought bentlys accent was decenet, he also was the best actor in the movie by far

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