on that Roman English Accent
I rented Rome from Netflix a while back but returned the first disc before I watched the second episode (something came up.) I just went back to add Rome to my queue and decided to read the user comments for the series. While most of them were positive, I found this comment rather ridiculous:
"This is an OK series and all, but i think it would be more approprietly named "London" instead of Rome. Because for some reason everyone in Rome speaks with a british accent. To me, it really distracts from the authenticity they were trying to create. That and considering the subject matter and history during that period i find it to be droll and boring. Gladiator or Spartacus this ain't."
I'm sorry, but were they supposed to speak with an American accent? If you want authenticity, shouldn't they be speaking Italian? And give us subtitles? Seriously.
Idiots.
Comments
Mary (not verified)
22 February 2008 - 12:10pm
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Latin
I think they used to speak latin, which would be pretty hard to speak these days
I have read it is a "dead language" which basically means it is not spoken anymore by anyone. All we have is written evidence of this language. We know its rules and grammar, etc.
Actually, now that I think about it, the new pope benedict something claimed not long ago that the church should go back to using latin during mass.
david
22 February 2008 - 12:42pm
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Latin or Italian
As I was about to fall asleep last night I thought that it might be latin that they spoke. But whatever they spoke, it wouldn't have been in an American accent! (Because, if I remember my Western Civilization history, America was yet to be discovered!
As for Poop Benedict... errr, Pope Benedict and mass in Latin, wasn't that one of the things Martin Luther was against. Luther said that the religious aspect of Christianity was for everyone, not just the clerics, so ceremonies should be in the people's language.
By having masses, etc, in Latin, the Church held more control over people since most of them wouldn't have a clue as to what was going on in services.
So I guess the Pope wants his church to control the world again.
And that scares me.
LIsa (not verified)
22 February 2008 - 9:28pm
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Saw it
Yeah I've watched that film and enjoyed it. I am taking the day off with one of these babies tmw bestfakedoctornotes.com
bb roma termini (not verified)
17 May 2008 - 1:06pm
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I Agree
राजेंद्र माहेश्वरी (not verified)
20 August 2008 - 7:19am
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आज का सद् चिंतन 9 august
Yeah I've watched that film and enjoyed it.
Frank Gerace (not verified)
23 November 2008 - 9:45pm
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Obviously the accent did
Obviously the accent did it's job because it is easier to emphasize social class with "Britsh" accents, higher and lower. There was interest in showing the patricians, the aristocracy as distinct from the lower classes (even though Rome was a Republic - but wasn't that Brutus's whole point?). Think about it, it's harder to do in "american". Maybe you could use a southern accent as a "rural" accent, or a Brooklyn or black accent as "lower" class but what would be the "upper class" accent? I don't think there is a recognizable aristocratic accent in the US.
Bryan (not verified)
25 March 2009 - 11:05am
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Having grown up Roman
Having grown up Roman Catholic my dad actually learnt a bit of latin in his school. So i'm sure there are a few scolars around that could teach actors a phase or two. Anyway, I agree, it would be better if all historical epics were in their original language, but i do find that British accents just have more of a historical note to them. Rome would be awful if everyone ran around speaking in american accents. Tom cruise stuck out like a sore thumb in Valkyre.
david
15 April 2009 - 10:21am
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the lower classes...
I guess if they did the American accents in Rome, the lower classes would speak with a southern American accent then. (I believe it's the closest we've got the the Northern English accent.)
databank (not verified)
22 October 2009 - 3:59am
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Interesting
I agree as well
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