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What's the main difference between English and American movies?

I have chosen clips from from two actors that, could be considered representatives of their respective countries: Hugh Grant and Arnold  Schwarzenegger.

That's my impression, what's yours?

This is the English clip.



And the American.




Posted - January 4, 2017

Responses


  • 17261
      January 4, 2017 2:26 PM MST
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  • 3934
      January 4, 2017 5:50 PM MST
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  • 17261
    Lolz.
      January 4, 2017 11:36 PM MST
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  • I agree with you on this.   The examples are way too flawed and not true representations of either nations film.
      January 4, 2017 1:25 PM MST
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  • He's yanking (my) chain. It's like a sport. (Laughing) and the thing is whatever one says he won't change his mind. It's shocking )
      January 4, 2017 1:28 PM MST
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  • I thought about this one too, but I though you might have found it too gruesome. This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at January 4, 2017 1:41 PM MST
      January 4, 2017 1:39 PM MST
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  • I know right?
      January 4, 2017 1:30 PM MST
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  • LOL well see that's a trap we are all in danger of falling into... that we start thinking in sterotypes... Hugh Grant was popular.. so was Arnie.. but do they represent their country when it comes to films?? Well logically no.. Arnie played Kindergarten Cop remember!!


    These are two different genres.. Love Actually was a chick flick.. the Arnie film you mentioned and the ones you are referring to are Action.. so it's like comparing apples and pears.. not the same thing...  And there are an awful lot of light fluffy benal films made by American's too :P

    If you want to have a think about Brit films... then I would say that they are rarely big budget box office smashes like the American big budget ones... but when you are thinking about it add to the mix James Bond.. We do do a LOT of fairly gritty and off the wall humour.. Shaun of the Dead is a pretty Brit kinda thing... 

    I will stick my neck out on this and say that American movies are more successful... they bring in more money, they have big budgets and rely more on spectacular special effects and stunts.. Brit films tend to be lower budget, less successful and less well known... but tend to be grittier and rely on stories more than special effects, (probably discounting James Bond on that last one tho!) 
      January 4, 2017 1:20 PM MST
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  • Sterotypes, thank you.
      January 4, 2017 1:23 PM MST
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  • You are welcome  )
      January 4, 2017 1:27 PM MST
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  • )
      January 4, 2017 1:44 PM MST
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  • It's a joke Day, )
    I know im grossly misrepresenting English machismo and overly estimating the American one. but wouldn't you agree that every stereotype has a kernel of truth in the middle?
      January 4, 2017 1:26 PM MST
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  • I agree to nothing :P I am disagreeable :P My lovely American friend felt absolutely sure that we all eat Cucumber sandwiches... what??? noooo that's a total myth.. it was made famous in Oscar Wildes Importance of Being Earnest and sure it was fashionable for a while among upper classes as *part* of *tea* tradition.. 

    And no worries honestly, I assumed it was a joke and my reply was in similar vein :)
      January 4, 2017 1:34 PM MST
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  • I agree to nothing :P I am disagreeable :P My lovely American friend felt absolutely sure that we all eat Cucumber sandwiches... what??? noooo that's a total myth.. it was made famous in Oscar Wildes Importance of Being Earnest and sure it was fashionable for a while among upper classes as *part* of *tea* tradition.. 

    And no worries honestly, I assumed it was a joke and my reply was in similar vein :)
      January 4, 2017 1:34 PM MST
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  • You must really disagree, since you disagreed twice. )
      January 4, 2017 2:13 PM MST
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  • Well said.    

    Pure British films and tele tends to favor a much different lighting and filming style than the American counterpart as too.   I don't know how to explain it without rambling but I think anyone who watches a lot of both would know what I am kinda talking about.  There is a distinctive visual difference much of the time.

      January 4, 2017 1:29 PM MST
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  • I take it you approve of Hugh Grant. 
      January 4, 2017 1:33 PM MST
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  • Meh.   He's not really all that noteworthy of an actor and his movies are pretty forgettable if you ask me.  I can't really name a film of his that was anything special.   Mostly just generic Rom-coms.
      January 4, 2017 1:38 PM MST
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  • Yea true... but... he had nice hair :P
      January 4, 2017 1:46 PM MST
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  • That he does.
      January 4, 2017 1:47 PM MST
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  • And he has this shy, stuttering when nervous, man child thing going for him that British women like. Very English in men lead actors. This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at January 4, 2017 2:27 PM MST
      January 4, 2017 2:16 PM MST
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  • Its this stereotypical Brit thing.. we support the underdog.. this goes through our psyche.. the darkness in the humour.. we like to feel sorry for things.. it makes us like them and identify with them and want to cheer them on.. THIS is perhaps a definite part of our culture.. and why many of our films and comedies are about self deprecation 
      January 4, 2017 2:30 PM MST
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  • Thank you for that answer. My English friend insists that this is an image with no basis in reality, and it is based solely on commercial considerations. An image that the movie industry wants to sell. 
    What do you think about that?
      January 4, 2017 2:40 PM MST
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  • It's a caricature for sure.. and it was mean't to be funny... as well as endearing.. yes,  a fantasy.. But having said that Hugh Grant, as we have already established isn't that great an actor - he pretty much plays himself.. soooo on that basis.. there are people like that.. him for a start... It's a feel good film.. so designed to make you smile, not really reality.. Hugh Grant comes, i believe from a very well off family.. so he's a lot posher than most of us.. but yea there are people like that I think ... just not most of us :P 
      January 4, 2017 3:01 PM MST
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  • What we do tend to do best is comedy... gritty comedy.. and of course there are classics like the Ealing Comedies, Alec Guinnes, Monty Python - don't forget Harry Potter is British..

    For sure our film industry is a lot smaller than yours 

    http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/100britishfilms/
      January 4, 2017 1:30 PM MST
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