MovieChat Forums > The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! (2012) Discussion > Differences in the American Version

Differences in the American Version

posted 12 years ago by surprisinglycurvaceouspirate
31 replies | jump to latest

I just got back from an advanced screening, and having seen the British version of the film as well, there were a few differences:

-A few voices are dubbed over, most notably with Anton Yelchin voicing Albino Pirate now, rather than Russell Tovey. Al Roker is the American voice for The Pirate Who Likes Kittens and Sunsets (which I believe he's called something differently in the UK version) and one of the scientists is given an American accent.

-Some jokes were changed. The bit about Darwin lamenting that he never reached second base with a lady is changed to 'never even kissed a girl'. The part with the hot air balloon is changed to 'It's great for attracting ladies', as opposed to 'great for looking down ladies' tops'. Those are the two I remember, but there were a few more "naughty" jokes which were made more family-friendly for the American version.

There are other differences, those are just the ones I remember. Just a tad bit disappointing, especially when it comes to voices being changed, but overall it's still a very funny film. If you can see it in its original British dub, though, go for it.

[–] GManGraves 12 years ago

Very disappointed to hear that, particularly about Russell Tovey. His Albino Pirate stole the film in my opinion.
It's irritating that imdb has removed Tovey and Ben Whitehead and replaced them with Anton Yelchin and Al Roker on the cast list too.

[–] surprisinglycurvaceouspirate 12 years ago

Yeah, I wanted to leave my opinion out of the original post, but I really did not care for Anton Yelchin's voice. Russell Tovey's voice was seriously perfect and, like you said, stole the show. Yelchin's voice sounds too deep or something for Albino Pirate...it just doesn't fit him nearly as well as Russell's voice did. And Ben Whitehead being replaced is a huge 'WTF' as well. I wonder what the reasoning was behind this? Just to have more recognizable American actors in it?

[–] GManGraves 12 years ago

Yeah I'd guess that's likely the reason, which is weird considering the film already has Jeremy Piven and Salma Hayek. I think having two American actors is enough for a film that's very British.

Out of curiosity, how did the audience you saw the film with react to Yelchin's Albino Pirate? I've seen the film twice and on both occasions everyone loved the character and Tovey's delivery of the lines.

[–] surprisinglycurvaceouspirate 12 years ago

They still loved Albino Pirate. It's the exact same script when it comes to his lines (with the exception of pronouncing things the American way, i.e. "an-tee" instead of "ahn-tee") so all of his daft little sayings are present. Thank goodness, in that regard!

[–] GoUSN 12 years ago

"an-tee" instead of "ahn-tee"? Which is deemed British and which is deemed American? In the US, it's an-tee on the west coast and ahn-tee on the east coast.

[–] FantasticFearOfMisterBobo 12 years ago

I only thought they redubbed Albino Pirate but all of this has really pissed me off. Those jokes where hilarious and are some of the most quotable in the movie. Well at least they haven't gone the route of The magic roundabout or Doogle which isn't even f^cking spelt right.

[–] GManGraves 12 years ago

I agree, those jokes are brilliant and removing them will just change the whole comedic style of the film.

This is a real shame because Sony gave Aardman full creative control with this film which is how it should be, but now it seems like they've got cold feet for the American release.

[–] miruleyall 12 years ago

Yikes, glad i saw the superior british version here in good old Australia, the American version sounds crap.

Insert @V@T@R

[–] ggponder-1 12 years ago

Well damn! This pisses me off too. I was already annoyed that they changed the name from "Pirates: In an Adventure with Scientists" to the generic "Pirates: Band of Misfits", but to also change members of the cast?!

I love Russell Tovey and I thought he was brilliant in the British trailer for
the film. I saw a recent trailer and I was thinking, "why does the albino pirate have a different voice?" I'm hoping that I'll still enjoy the film admist the changes.
I'm a great fan of Aardman Animation and it is a shame that "the powers that be" can't leave well enough alone!

BTW, how does an American get a copy of the original film?

Why are you such an evil bastard when you know what it does to me?! (TDCS)

[–] eidesg 12 years ago

Unless the DVD version released here is the original UK audio version, or gives a choice of audio, you would need to order a copy from an online UK reseller that ships to North America, such as Amazon UK.

One warning, unless you already have the ability to handle region 2 DVDs (US and Canada are considered region 1), you may not be able to play the disk, as they are in a different video format. One way around it, but not always a sure fire one, is to play it from your computer using VLC Media Player, which overrides some of the region settings, depending on the disk. However, it is not always sure fire, as I've run into a problem with a disk before doing this. (Do not change your drive from its current region setting, because the number of changes is extremely limited and you could risk finding yourself frozen in the wrong region, permanently.)

From the info I've seen on Amazon UK so far for the Blu-ray release, the manufacturer may be being a stinker, setting them into the European region, even though many Blu-rays are made and sold in region-free formatting, and can be easily played worldwide.

[–] hallogallo 12 years ago

Just bought it this afternoon and I can confirm the UK Blu-ray, and presumably by extension all other Western European editions, is REGION FREE.

Amazon UK tends to list all British Blu-rays as REGION B (ditto DVDs as REGION 2) even when a little research will tell you differant.

"I think you're a load of old crap too, Mr Mulligan."

[–] fiji5555 12 years ago

Google "The.Pirates.Band.of.Misfits.2012.x264.DTS.2AUDIO-WAF.mkv" what you do after that is up to you. It's the British version, they changed the leper joke but that's in all versions now, everything else is original though.

[–] gjbird007 12 years ago

Anyone know which version will be screened in Canada?

[–] Italo_Vassalo 12 years ago

It should be the American version since the Albino's voice was American in the trailers here in Canada.

But I would prefer the British version and I find the new voice of the Albino pirate sounds annoying and didn't sound right especially after I saw the British trailer first.

[–] ShiloWallace 12 years ago

Just saw the American version and I thought Yelchin's voice was fine. He speaks quite a bit squeakier than normal to better fit the part.

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[–] mabba18 12 years ago

Just got back from a screening, and it's defiantly the American version.

Loved the film, but very disappointed to hear about the changes. The change of the subtitle is downright dumb.

Looks like I'll have to bring in the blu-ray from the UK. Hope it's region free.

[–] The Hoyk 12 years ago

Also, FWIW, while the trailers we saw in America clearly had the line "This is a leper boat," when I saw it tonight, it had been changed to "This is a plague boat." Don't know if that was worldwide or only for the states.

[–] number1212 12 years ago

I am thinking that was a worldwide change.

[–] JeremyWithNoName 12 years ago

I knew I recognized Yelchin's voice. Don't get why they needed to dub over those two voices, but those other changes don't seem like much of a big deal to me. Sure, they may have been funnier, but it doesn't change the movie so much for me.

[–] richard.fuller1 12 years ago

This isn't surprising, considering America was where Barbara Eden never showed her navel in a two-piece outfit on the '60s show I Dream of Jeannie.

[–] MetFanMac 12 years ago

Seriously? You're dusting off an example from the 1960s? I mean, I agree that America is still more prudish than the UK, but come on, at least use something a bit more contemporary!

Supermodels...spoiled stupid little stick figures mit poofy lips who sink only about zemselves.

[–] richard.fuller1 12 years ago

MetFanMac: "Seriously? You're dusting off an example from the 1960s? I mean, I agree that America is still more prudish than the UK, but come on, at least use something a bit more contemporary!"
---------------------------------------------------------

Yes, seriously. Barbara Eden's navel being censored was one of the most ridiculous things around where censorship is concerned, far greater than anything else that happened in American film or entertainment, mainly because she was an intelligent woman as well, had no problem with it (as opposed to Louise jameson wearing brown contact lenses on Doctor Who) and anything anybody was staring at on Barbara, the absence of her navel wasn't diminishing that.

Many items up for censorship or controversy today, for that matter, in the past quarter century or so, was done deliberately, to 'upset the church people' so it is hardly worth noting.

Donald Duck got in trouble in France for not wearing pants (so America isn't the only one that can be prudish) and Fozzie Bear got in trouble in Frace for a knife fight in the first Muppet movie.

None of these were done deliberately to upset anyone.

Just as I'm sure nothing was done in Pirates to offend or upset anyone either. I sat next to a grandmother with two grandkids who kept having to explain what the pirate's booty was they were after.

Was that word put in the movie to offend? Obviously not.

[–] ladisneyprincesse 12 years ago

I saw it in Puerto Rico(which is supposed to have mostly US versions)and Russell Tovey was credited as the Albino Pirate but they had the "plague boat" line!

[–] zetes 12 years ago

I can see why they cleaned up some of those jokes, but why replace an actor with Anton Yelchin? It's not like Yelchin is a well recognized actor or anything (I don't even recall Roker's character having a line so I was just amused to see he was in the movie). I don't know who Tovey is at all. Yelchin is quite fine in the film, btw. Tovey might be better (guess I'd have to see both versions to notice), but Yelchin hardly ruins the movie.

No one knows who Krang is, it would be a waste of time to talk about Krang on television.

[–] fiji5555 12 years ago

"Cleaning up" an already great script is just silly. Protecting "snow flake" seems an obsession with some people. Let the kids see the real world and enjoy it already.