It had a lot to commend it. The visuals were striking, the plot engaging (adapted by Neil Gaiman who must be nearly as rich as Rowling by now) and there were some excellent creatures. The little ghostly glowing things with twirly heads were really cute. Pity the princess wasn’t that-word-beginning-with-‘s’-that-surrogate-big-sis, Della has forbidden me to use (don’t want to get sent to my room with no supper, do I,) but never mind. Generally, it was very watchable. There was just one problem. Hollywood obviously had a big hand in it, because not only was it dubbed with American accents, but even the linguistic idioms were American (example: girl in market: ‘Hey, wadder ya try’nar pull?) And the elderly Zen monk sounded remarkably like Eddy Murphy, which didn’t really match his persona!
Now, I have no problem with American accents (New England, for example, is rather that-forbidden-word) or American linguistic idioms, if they match the film. But they don’t match a film about gods, demons, a hero prince and a battle for the environment in mediaeval Japan. Do they? Be honest.
It would have saved a lot of time, effort, and the expense of employing actors like Gillian Anderson if they’d just subtitled it. And it would have been a better experience for being able to hear the ‘music’ of a language that matches the situation. No?
2 comments:
American accents and idioms are just unbearable in films like this, I can't imagine what they're thinking. Maybe being American makes it even worse. I don't know, I didn't see the film but have a bone to pick about Neil Gaiman frankly. He's okay. I've read Coraline and The Graveyard Book which were good but not quite great, so I'm a little baffled by his enormous popularity. I think his ideas are what recommend him, but I'm not sold on his ability to execute. So they used Gillian Anderson's voice in the film? The funny thing about her is that she's lived in both The States & the UK, and admits she can't help picking up the accent of whomever she's talking to at the moment. I'm a die hard X-Files fan (here comes my American side), so watch what you say :) Have a nice day in spite of the snow, we'll get some too today hopefully (there's no shoveling for us city folk).
I'm a die hard X-Files fan too, Della. I like Gillian Anderson and I like her voice. I just find it a bit off-putting to hear a trio of Japanese girls in Japaness dress talking like a bunch of high school kids from an American soap. (Having them speak Cockney would have been as bad.) It seems ironic to me that they should spend so much money on top line actors when the film would have been better (in my opinion) heard in Japanes with subtitles.
Never read Neil Gaiman.
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