fark yeah. That's why there will never be another decent Die Hard. No one can top Hans Gruber. And he was awesome in Galaxy Quest. And a lot of British films. Although I'm not a Harry Potter fan, I'm sure he was great in those too. Number of Academy Awards....zero. Jonah Hill...one.

(Skip to 3:45 for Hans Gruber face initiation)

Is it just me, or are British actors just, pound-for-pound, flat-out better than American actors? I think American TV and film directors and producers are superior, but the English are the best at at indoor cycling, remaking American blues, and acting.

Mugato: fark yeah. That's why there will never be another decent Die Hard. No one can top Hans Gruber. And he was awesome in Galaxy Quest. And a lot of British films. Although I'm not a Harry Potter fan, I'm sure he was great in those too. Number of Academy Awards....zero. Jonah Hill...one.

He was in an awesome indie movie called Snow Cake back in 2006.

Okay that was pretty good. I wonder how many times he had to do that scene before they got what they wanted.

Ambivalence: Okay that was pretty good. I wonder how many times he had to do that scene before they got what they wanted.

I'm gonna go with once.

rikdanger: Is it just me, or are British actors just, pound-for-pound, flat-out better than American actors? I think American TV and film directors and producers are superior, but the English are the best at at indoor cycling, remaking American blues, and acting.

On the technical level, Hollywood rules movie making. But acting? I dunno, that's not my field. Maybe British actors take "the craft" more seriously.

Mugato: fark yeah. That's why there will never be another decent Die Hard. No one can top Hans Gruber. And he was awesome in Galaxy Quest. And a lot of British films. Although I'm not a Harry Potter fan, I'm sure he was great in those too. Number of Academy Awards....zero. Jonah Hill...one.

Alan Rickman should be in every movie. He makes anything he's in better.


Mugato: rikdanger: Is it just me, or are British actors just, pound-for-pound, flat-out better than American actors? I think American TV and film directors and producers are superior, but the English are the best at at indoor cycling, remaking American blues, and acting.

On the technical level, Hollywood rules movie making. But acting? I dunno, that's not my field. Maybe British actors take "the craft" more seriously.

I also seem to notice that English actors are almost always better at doing American accents than American actors do English ones.

fusillade762: I also seem to notice that English actors are almost always better at doing American accents than American actors do English ones.

Perhaps. But then you have guys like Sean Connery (who admittedly isn't English) who gets away with doing English, Scottish, Irish and whatever variety of nationalities he played in The Highlander but he's still bad ass. That's why even as someone who doesn't speak German, I knew the "German" in Die Hard was gibberish but who cares, it was still awesome.

Mugato: fusillade762: I also seem to notice that English actors are almost always better at doing American accents than American actors do English ones.

Perhaps. But then you have guys like Sean Connery (who admittedly isn't English) who gets away with doing English, Scottish, Irish and whatever variety of nationalities he played in The Highlander but he's still bad ass. That's why even as someone who doesn't speak German, I knew the "German" in Die Hard was gibberish but who cares, it was still awesome.

Funny you mention that - I remember watching a documentary on a London dramatic arts high school. One of the classes offered was on American accents (because that's where the best acting jobs are), and by the end of the year, the kids all could do any regional American accent, from Boston to Atlanta to Venice Beach, and be nearly indistinguishable from a native speaker. Incredible.

Where I notice the difference is in British TV. I was a big fan of "The IT Crowd", and it always seemed like even the extras on that show who had one or two lines were really pretty good actors in their own right and could have headlined any other show.

The soundtrack should have been Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast. On second thought, that song stinks.

Yeah, but can he cook a chicken with pears?

rikdanger: Funny you mention that - I remember watching a documentary on a London dramatic arts high school. One of the classes offered was on American accents (because that's where the best acting jobs are), and by the end of the year, the kids all could do any regional American accent, from Boston to Atlanta to Venice Beach, and be nearly indistinguishable from a native speaker. Incredible.


Reminds me of the Harry Potter kids speaking the freedom language.

n301dp: Yeah, but can he cook a chicken with pears?

Ha. Reminds me that Walken is childhood friends with Lidia Bastianich.

Bathia_Mapes: Mugato: fark yeah. That's why there will never be another decent Die Hard. No one can top Hans Gruber. And he was awesome in Galaxy Quest. And a lot of British films. Although I'm not a Harry Potter fan, I'm sure he was great in those too. Number of Academy Awards....zero. Jonah Hill...one.

He was in an awesome indie movie called Snow Cake back in 2006.

That was a great and sad movie. Sigourney was also excellent.

Eleven!

fusillade762: I also seem to notice that English actors are almost always better at doing American accents than American actors do English ones.

There are exceptions

/I loved Spooks/Mi5 but anytime they had to do anything American they failed hard.
//Also love Alan Rickman. Is it just me or was he drunk most of the time in Dogma?

As much as I admire Rickman as an actor,I found this to be rather tedious and anti-climactic. Looks like I'm in the minority here.

He was really rather disappointed in that tea from his reaction.

katerbug72: Sigourney was also excellent.

She was indeed.

rikdanger: Is it just me, or are British actors just, pound-for-pound, flat-out better than American actors?

Depends on the type of acting. You want Shakespeare or any of the pre-20th century classics? Then you go with a UK trained actor. If you're looking for something a little less emotive but more grounded (i.e. method acting), there's an entire generation of American actors that are widely considered masters

Snapper Carr: rikdanger: Is it just me, or are British actors just, pound-for-pound, flat-out better than American actors?

Depends on the type of acting. You want Shakespeare or any of the pre-20th century classics? Then you go with a UK trained actor. If you're looking for something a little less emotive but more grounded (i.e. method acting), there's an entire generation of American actors that are widely considered masters

Daniel Day Lewis is about as method as you can get and he's a Brit.

Mugato: fark yeah. That's why there will never be another decent Die Hard. No one can top Hans Gruber. And he was awesome in Galaxy Quest. And a lot of British films. Although I'm not a Harry Potter fan, I'm sure he was great in those too. Number of Academy Awards....zero. Jonah Hill...one.

"Academy Award nominations"

/just to clarify, before people leave here thinking Jonah Hill won an Academy Award

rynthetyn: Daniel Day Lewis is about as method as you can get and he's a Brit.

True but then again, there's probably not a dramatic role that's been written that DDL wouldn't own. IMO, he's up there with Brando and Olivier in terms of actors that have transformed the art.

Snapper Carr: rynthetyn: Daniel Day Lewis is about as method as you can get and he's a Brit.

True but then again, there's probably not a dramatic role that's been written that DDL wouldn't own. IMO, he's up there with Brando and Olivier in terms of actors that have transformed the art.

HE IS THE THIRD REVELATION!

/and he drank my milkshake.

are British actors just, pound-for-pound, flat-out better than American actors?

they're hella better

When the f*ck did Hans Gruber get so old? That was depressing.

"Alan Rickman should be in every movie. He makes anything he's in better."

Been waiting forever for a Ferris Bueller reboot with Rickman as the principle.

Gawker - It's this years Wampler.

YodaBlues: Gawker - It's this years Wampler.

Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long,long time.

I guess I've been making tea the wrong way all this time.

rikdanger: (Skip to 3:45 for Hans Gruber face initiation)

Is it just me, or are British actors just, pound-for-pound, flat-out better than American actors? I think American TV and film directors and producers are superior, but the English are the best at at indoor cycling, remaking American blues, and acting.

The British actually train their actors while many Americans still make it into major motion pictures without a shred of formal training.

1. Closetland
2. I know that I was alive then and I know I had a full and wonderful life but I don't know what the f*ck I did before the internet.

"Why?" is not answered in TFA subby, leaving me confused. But I will take your word for it, as the onslaught of such things as a googleplex was the ruination of the movie going experience in america. Hollywood lost interest in creating inspired works of art long ago. No need for decent actors or a good script when one has to over-pay for uncomfortable seating in a cinema made for midgets.

British actors are also called "artists" which, to me at least, shows just how much more seriously they take their craft than American actors do.

What you just saw was the recurring nightmare of Alan Rickman's Personal Assistant. It occurs every night at exactly 2:41 AM. There is no escape, because it us a precognitive dream, and the experience is lived twice in a 24 hour period. Once in dream, and once in real time.

/By Grabthar's Hammer
//you shall fetch me another...

DeadMouseTails: British actors are also called "artists" which, to me at least, shows just how much more seriously they take their craft than American actors do.

I'd put it round the other way: the English take actors seriously as artists and Americans don't: Daniel Radcliffe does Equuis in London and the British talk about him showing range and depth. James Franco does literally everything possible (including taking a grad degree)here in the States and all he gets is laughed at.

I don't know about Brits, but Rickman is the only reason the existence of this clip hasn't been erased from existence.

But you tell young people that today...and they won't believe you.

BTW, if you're a fan of his work, be sure to check out "Bottleshock".

rikdanger: (Skip to 3:45 for Hans Gruber face initiation)

Is it just me, or are British actors just, pound-for-pound, flat-out better than American actors? I think American TV and film directors and producers are superior, but the English are the best at at indoor cycling, remaking American blues, and acting.

You probably have a lot more exposure to American actors, and probably only know the British ones who tend to be good enough to have a name here. This is also why people tend to think movies used to be a lot better; they're remembering the 1% worth remembering while they're exposed to most of the 99% of today's movies which fall into the "meh" or "crap" end of the spectrum. Also, since there are fewer films and TV shows produced in Britain, you probably tend to get the better actors since those producers tend to draw from the stage. In the US there is plenty of room for the good, the bad and the ugly.

ThisIsntMe: "Alan Rickman should be in every movie. He makes anything he's in better."

Been waiting forever for a Ferris Bueller reboot with Rickman as the principle.

It would last about 10 minutes because Bueller, along with the rest of the student body, would be scared s***less of Alan Rickman. They'd have to rename it "Sportos, Motorheads, Geeks, Sluts, Bloods, Wastoids, Dweebies and Dickheads On Their Best Behavior".

Loved that episode.

The_Sponge: BTW, if you're a fan of his work, be sure to check out "Bottleshock".

^^^ That was for you. ^^^

BretMavrik: ThisIsntMe: "Alan Rickman should be in every movie. He makes anything he's in better."

Been waiting forever for a Ferris Bueller reboot with Rickman as the principle.

It would last about 10 minutes because Bueller, along with the rest of the student body, would be scared s***less of Alan Rickman.

Is this before or after the cops are called, and they go to jail for truancy, and have to do 50 hours of community service?

Kraftwerk Orange: The_Sponge: BTW, if you're a fan of his work, be sure to check out "Bottleshock".

^^^ That was for you. ^^^

Heh. So where is the pic from?

The_Sponge: Kraftwerk Orange: The_Sponge: BTW, if you're a fan of his work, be sure to check out "Bottleshock".

^^^ That was for you. ^^^

Heh. So where is the pic from?

Black books,if I am not mistaken.

The_Sponge: Kraftwerk Orange: The_Sponge: BTW, if you're a fan of his work, be sure to check out "Bottleshock".

^^^ That was for you. ^^^

Heh. So where is the pic from?

I'm not sure what context he had in mind, but it's from a British show called Black Books.

A bit of an overreaction if you ask me, but I can understand. It must be an embarrassment to Rickman, being British and all and he can't even make a proper cuppa.

I liked it when he made the tea

Bathia_Mapes: Mugato: fark yeah. That's why there will never be another decent Die Hard. No one can top Hans Gruber. And he was awesome in Galaxy Quest. And a lot of British films. Although I'm not a Harry Potter fan, I'm sure he was great in those too. Number of Academy Awards....zero. Jonah Hill...one.

He was in an awesome indie movie called Snow Cake back in 2006.

"Snow Cake" was excellent.
You need to check him out in "Something the Lord Made", along with Mos Def.

Mugato: fark yeah. That's why there will never be another decent Die Hard. No one can top Hans Gruber. And he was awesome in Galaxy Quest. And a lot of British films. Although I'm not a Harry Potter fan, I'm sure he was great in those too. Number of Academy Awards....zero. Jonah Hill...one.

He's seriously my number 2 favorite actor behind Daniel Day Lewis.

ThisIsntMe: "Alan Rickman should be in every movie. He makes anything he's in better."

Been waiting forever for a Ferris Bueller reboot with Rickman as the principle.

I believe you mean 'principal', as in the administrator of the school, instead of 'principle', as in lead actor.

Though come to think of it, Rickman as Ferris Bueller would be somewhat amusing. Though the movie would likely be very dark.