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J.K Rowley, anti-American?

post #1 of 51
Thread Starter 
I was reading through several articles about that Rowley lass who is writing the Harry Potter books, and for some reason several things irked me.

1)Her insistence that all the principal characters in the upcoming Harry Potter movies be British.
2)the lack of any American characters in the books.
3)The obnoxious amount of love and reverence she has for British culture.

None of these things would matter, except they are the reasons that she chased Spielberg and Osment, and kept C.Columbus instead (I guess he was willing to cast those nebbish looking british kids we saw in the preview).

I hate to sound jingoistic...awww hell, that's what I am. Britain sucks, America rules. Spielberg made Jaws, Columbus made Mrs. Doubtfire. Nuff said.
post #2 of 51
Damn it Devin ... you're the voice of reason.
post #3 of 51
Who cares? HARRY POTTER is pants.

Its one saving quality is that, for whatever odd reason, it has encouraged children to read... and that's ALWAYS a good thing.

The problem I have is that her writing style is not much better than that of a child.

[This message has been edited by Carl Cunningham (edited 07-03-2001).]
post #4 of 51
Thread Starter 
Yes, the book is set in Britain, with British characters. That does not mean that the actors need to be British. So long as someone can do a convincing British accent, then the best actor/actress possible should be chosen.

Carry that idea to its logical conclusion and we would have absolutely no australians ever playing American roles (russell crowe, guy pearce, heath ledger). Forget about hugh jackman playing Wolverine, we need a Canadian. Better dig up some Etruscans if we cast a movie set in the golden era of Rome. Hell, actors had better put their specific genetic code in their resumes to make sure we don't have anyone whose Irish or Scottish playing a part like James Bond (Pierce Brosnan).
post #5 of 51
i will now sum up my feelings on the matter in clipped, fragmentary phrases:

Haven't read the books. Wife has. Wife loves them. Trailers look good. Columbus wrote Young Sherlock Holmes, and the trailers remind me of this. This is good. Snippets of William's score in the trailer are FANTASTIC - can't get out of head. Casting a non-issue, it's her creation, I don't mind her trying to make the movie close to her own original vision. If that vision includes a belief that british actors will be more authentic/convincing, so be it. I may have simply cast the best actors, regardless of nationality, but it ain't my film. Will see opening weekend.
post #6 of 51
Spielberg and Osment are above the Harry Potter movie. Technically it's in a lesser lleague than they are, and the only circumstance that either of them would be involved in a movie like this if they were doing sheerly for their own amusement.

Besides the movie doen't look all that bad. Columbus isn't as prestigious as Spielberg, but he's capable enough to pull it off.

And it's Rowling's book, there's nothing wrong if she wants British actors. Maybe she doesn't like Americans imitating brit accents. Maybe it sounds all right to us, but they can tell the difference? Who cares. Besides, they got a cheaper director and lesser known actors, which means more money for John Williams salary, set design, special effects, etcc...
post #7 of 51
Red Dwarf is British. Lizzy Hurley is British. Danny Cannon is British.

So British can equal good you see.

But am I the only one who realizes all Rowley did was cross The Worst Witch with a D&D DM guide and change the sex of the lead character?
post #8 of 51
... and write an involving and imaginative story that encourages an entire generation of children to read.

Not much accomplished there, huh?

I look forward to reading your first book.
post #9 of 51
I'll send you an autographed Gallery edition...
post #10 of 51
Oh yeah, this is obligatory for any Harry Potter thread, and I forget who said it first:

J.K. Rowley IS Sutter Cane. Think about it.
post #11 of 51
Besides, this could bring Columbus back from obscurity, and be an apology for previous films.

As for JKR, maybe she saw the american version of Red Dwarf.

My question is...if they expect a franchise, are we going to have different kids playing the characters every few years, or age them?
post #12 of 51
Thread Starter 
It wouldn't be too difficult to have the same kids, so long as the movies were at roughly a rate of one per year.

The books are divided so that each one takes place exactly one year apart from the others. The kids start at ten or eleven (I think) and when she's done with all seven they'll be eighteen (again, I think) and will graduate from wizard school.

So long as they film them pretty steadily, the advancing ages wouldn't be a problem. The acne, weight/size/facial changes might be a problem depending on how these three british munchkins mature.
post #13 of 51

I am finding it very hard to understand your rationale!

 

You are upset that a British author, of a story which is set in England, filmed in England, and possibly Scotland, has a very English "way" about the story and also has a whole fantasy world incorporated into the story lines; should contain British actors. Why is this such a problem for you? I do not believe even in your country anyone has held a gun to your head to go and watch it. Not that you would understand the story as it is aimed at British children who are far more intellectually advanced.

 

Has it occured to you that the actors chosen are good at the part they are playing?

 

You yourself admit to being "jingoistic"! In fact you are fanatically so. I personally am not jingoistic, however I do believe in freedom of speech. Voltaire once said:

 

"I disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"

 

My point is why is it right for you to be fanatically jingoistic about your country, which not only sucks but tries to force everyone else’s country to suck too, and wrong for Ms. Rowley to be about her country? It is not written in the US constitution that nobody else in the world is allowed an opinion. Even if it was that would be unenforceable, unless you think fascism is a good idea, because we don’t want to be like you, we like being like us!

 

I am English. England, like any country, is full of people of varying degrees of ability, intellect and culture. Some of whom I distance myself from due to their behaviour and some I proudly align myself to. I know the same is true of USA as I have a great many friends from there, and most are not narrow minded, parochial morons like you.

 

I think many people from the US seem to forget that there are actually other countries in the world. The US only actually accounts for about 5%, at most, of the world’s population. The fact that its people only contain about 0.001% of the worlds brain cells, and over 50% of its adipose matter is something you need to be highly ashamed of. Just because your country consumes 40% of the world’s resources does not mean you represent 40% of its significance.

 

I have visited your country and it has many splendours however, YOUR COUNTRY REALLY IS NOT AS FANTASTIC AS THE PROPAGANDA PEOPLE LIKE YOU SO READILY BELIEVE BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED.

This is not a difficult process to achieve when the population are genetically equipped with such feeble brains. I do apologise if I have used any words you do not understand. I have tried to dumb down what I say as much as possible so you will not have too big a headache reading it.

 

You can hold as many simplistic opinions you desire to. However all of them when you scratch the surface will reveal no substance, no thought process that has derived the opinion. All of your opinions have been given to you by similarly narrow minded mentors. Mine are all my own and have facts to back them up. However there is very little point in arguing with someone like you, as you are unable to see anyone else’s point of view because in your opinion like many immature individuals you are the only person that exists in your world.

 

post #14 of 51
Well I'm sure their thoughts on the matter have changed somewhat, since this thread is a decade old.

Anyway, interesting reading this old discussion before any of the films came out (and anything beyond book 4). Amusing to remember how there was so much confidence in Haley Joel Osment in those days and now all the guy does is do voice overs for video games.
post #15 of 51

Rowley?

post #16 of 51

I didn't notice the date. However I don't suppose time will have changed the opinion of the person my RANT was aimed at!!!!!!

post #17 of 51
Quote:
Originally Posted by Overlord View Post

Yes, the book is set in Britain, with British characters. That does not mean that the actors need to be British. So long as someone can do a convincing British accent, then the best actor/actress possible should be chosen.

Carry that idea to its logical conclusion and we would have absolutely no australians ever playing American roles (russell crowe, guy pearce, heath ledger). Forget about hugh jackman playing Wolverine, we need a Canadian. Better dig up some Etruscans if we cast a movie set in the golden era of Rome. Hell, actors had better put their specific genetic code in their resumes to make sure we don't have anyone whose Irish or Scottish playing a part like James Bond (Pierce Brosnan).
 

Not a snarky question but: which American actors really convince with a British accent? Or any accent other than Redneck or New Yoiker?
 

 

post #18 of 51

The fatal flaw in this argument is simple! What is meant by "British" accent. British used to mean any part of the British empire, which could mean anywhere from outer lord knows where to inner london. Now it is limited to the British isles. So that could be a variation of regional dialects. Big regions such as countries, Scotland, N Ireland Wales England and the other Islands Man Jersey Gernsey etc and Virgin isles Bahamas etc etc. In london alone you have very distinct accent and dialect differences in such small locales such as east west north and south london. You can, if you are well travelled enough spot roughly which part of london, the home counties, north east, north west england etc etc a person comes from. A manchester accent is distinct from a birmingham accent to anyone, but within those areas smaller geographical areas have differences that locals would be able to tell what side of town you were from. That is also true of social classes. English people,or British people, would know if you are from aristocratic or upper middle class stock, university or college educated, went to a high priced fee paying school or local comprehensive. There is no such things as A British accent. Similarly there is no one American accent or Mexican accent or Rarotongan accent. There are British accents. The most convincing British accent i have ever heard an american actor portray was Meryl Streep who very accurately used an upper middle class university educated, independent female who reached adult hood in the late 30s accent, and of course the wonderful Gwyneth Paltrow a middle class professional south east english girl maybe slightly surrey or south west london in sliding doors. The worst cockney accent Oscar has to go to one of the most wonderful awesome all round entertainers of all time Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins. Love the guy he is totally awesome but his cockney accent sucked so badly he could put hoover out of business.  

post #19 of 51

Actors often have to adopt an accent. I was required to do a sort of general paton accent for a part which was a comedy role. I could not get it right I kept slipping into an aussie accent, but with practice I got close enough for people to get the point that we were parodying a sort of blood and guts military stereotype. No its not possible for anyone to get an accent right if they do not understand the culture of the language. Yes it is possible for someone to get something that gets the point across to an audience of limited understanding of the region the accent is supposed to be derived from. If a non american actor was in a role and said yeah im a stock broker from new york and the accent was that of a red neck farmer from deepest georgia. I am sure there would be hysterical laughter from the Home crowd. Similarly i once i saw Adam Ant, who is English, in a dreadful movie and he said "im from manchester" in an accent i can best describe as an american actor trying to do a Dick van Dyke style cockney accent. He was awesome, he parodied the whole role, he was "taking the piss" as we say! The movie was awful so he was having a bit of fun with the role.  There is nothing wrong with a Scotish actor playing an englishman (James Bond was not a Scot, but he was very successfully played by one many times, Sean Connery.) Or an Australian playing a Roman hahahahh who would care if his latin accent was a bit off. Why not a black actor playing a traditionally white character or as often happend in racist america caucasion actors playing the roles of orientals. The best or most appropriate actor indeed should play the part. I do not detect any flaws in the acting skills of any of the young actors in the Harry Potter movies which i went to see with my kids. If they were rubbish it is certian they would have been replaced. I don't want to make this a conflict between USA and England, why should we have that. The only time we have been in conflict was in 1812 and what was that all about?? I dont even think it was taken seriously by the people inolved. USA is not a superior country to all others it is a different country. It is desperate to have a "culture", so it has invented one and very successfully. It has little history, but what history it does have is very interesting. Why do you have to try and make out that England is some lesser being. It is not, its just a different country with a different culture. Only someone deeply insecure would try to improve their ego by reducing the self image of another. USA stop being insecure. The reason we English do not get upset by any racist comments or let petty blatering bother us is because we just don't care what peopel think as we have been there and done that. Find the racist comment that promotes anything other than a mocking giggle in an Englishman!  Oh God i wish i had drunk less coffee today.

post #20 of 51

DECADE OLD, PEOPLE!

post #21 of 51

Are you really that beautiful????

post #22 of 51

Wow this might be my favorite thread in the history of this board.

post #23 of 51

 

Punctuaticus!!

 

 

post #24 of 51

Is this happening?

 

Is this happening here and now?

2001? Rowley? Really? Rowley?

 

And...
 

Quote:
Originally Posted by uknojakshit View Post

 

The US only actually accounts for about 5%, at most, of the world’s population. The fact that its people only contain about 0.001% of the worlds brain cells, and over 50% of its adipose matter is something you need to be highly ashamed of. Just because your country consumes 40% of the world’s resources does not mean you represent 40% of its significance.


*strapping meself in*

post #25 of 51

,.)(!???????????????????????:; ' !

post #26 of 51
Quote:
Originally Posted by uknojakshit View Post

,.)(!???????????????????????:; ' !



Good! Now...

 

Paragraphicus!!

 

 

post #27 of 51

Im an english teacher i know these things i just didnt care 

post #28 of 51

Thread_Necromancy_3038.jpg

 

post #29 of 51

This forum is really weird now.

post #30 of 51
Quote:
Originally Posted by uknojakshit View Post

Im an english teacher i know these things i just didnt care 



English Teacher...or Serial Killer?

 

Wall of Text = Psycho. You're like Princess Kate's Attic Twin.

 

 

post #31 of 51

Most bizarre thread in CHUD history? Rowley?

 

 

 

post #32 of 51

I think I love this thread.

post #33 of 51

I think I love JKR!!!!

post #34 of 51

Oh God what have I done????? jajajaja

post #35 of 51

Interesting fact.I found out recently that all the Harry Potter video games are made in the UK as JKR demands it to be so.

post #36 of 51

I still fail to understand why it is a problem for a British company to operate however they wish. The UK has a film industry which has made some very successful movies. The UK is a post industrial world economy, was part of the original group of so called first world countries, with many high tech industries as well as specialist traditional industries that remain viable. Formerly it had the world lead in manufacturing, which many of us were trained to work in and sadly lament.

 

There are many home grown multi nationals as well as foreign companies which are based there. It is part of the EU which is a collection of European states which are joined economically with a collective GDP similar to the US and Japan. Why shouldn't a British  innovation be developed in the home country for the home market then spread to the rest of the world if there is a demand? 

 

The whole thread here is a question, a single question. The question is not about J K Rowley it is about the assertion by some USA citizens that there is something sinister about the UK having any sort of industry. The British did actually begin the Industrial Revolution. What do y'all suggest UK should do? The country is very small and has to be very creative in how it makes money, in the past had an Empire to fund it. Now it manages to be in the top 6 world economies. Considering its size, which is somewhat smaller than some individual states of USA, that is something to be proud of as an Englishman

 

Many of the technological advances of the modern world were British inventions: such as TV, digital computers and the Jet engine, to name a few. Unfortunately in the past the country was not very good at encouraging development of inventions or financing promotion. The USA has always been very good at this. Now however the British have extensive and comprehensive facilities for bringing on inventors and getting their ideas into production. 

 

Will someone tell me what is wrong with UK or indeed any other old world country having industries, and those industries favouring home grown talent?

 

 

post #37 of 51

Warner Bros is a British company?

post #38 of 51

This thread is an embarrassment; then and now.

post #39 of 51

Yeah, its just gotten weird now. I'm tempted to kill it dead if it gets worse.

post #40 of 51

Wow, this was good for a laugh, wasn't it?

post #41 of 51

 

Well, the paragraphs didn't help. Still crazy.

 

 

 

 

post #42 of 51

i really never ever felt that way!! when ever i go to watch a movie I go with a mind set of enjoying the movie not scrutinize the movie!! i have a great respect for J K Rowling. i loved all her novels!!

 

and i really don't think that she is biased to British!!!

post #43 of 51

*sung to the tune of Mr. Crowley

 

MISSUS ROW-LEY!

 

Tell us what's in your head

Oh Missus Rowley

Have You Read Through This Thread?

 

You Wrote All These Books About Magic

Following 3 kids through it all

The way Harry's parents die is Tragic

Now he's following Voldemort's call

 

Missus Charming

We know Hermoine is pure

Ron's red hair is alarming

But the kids have great rapport

 

Uncovering things Voldemort considered sacred, then destroying them all

You were like a mini Scooby gang

I guess Dobby was sort of the doooog!  Yeah!

 

*lute solo*

 

Missus Rowley, you're rich now, of course

Oh, Missus Rowley, Harry Potter is now a force

Approaching a time that is classic

I hear the last movie's call

Approaching a time that is drastic

Potter fans pound their heads on the wall

 

 

 

post #44 of 51

I honestly do not know how this gets any better after the Ozzy tribute with the still wrong name. I will never be able to hear that song without laughing.

post #45 of 51

I love everything about this thread.

 

Everything.

 

Every. Thing.

post #46 of 51

I heard JKR demanded that the royal Honeymoon be Potter-themed.

post #47 of 51
Quote:
Originally Posted by DARKMITE8 View Post

I heard JKR demanded that the royal Honeymoon be Potter-themed.

 

That's simply absurd, there's no way such a down-to-earth lady would be so egomaniacal.  I hear she attended the wedding in a simple but elegant floral number, clapped politely at the vows, invoked her right of Prima Nocta, and then retired for a quiet tea.
 

 

post #48 of 51

*lute solo*

 

 

This slayed me. In an appropriately wizardly fashion.

post #49 of 51

Oh, this is awesome!  It's a Princess Kate clone from a country that really has princesses!

post #50 of 51

Quote:

Originally Posted by DARKMITE8 View Post

I heard JKR demanded that the royal Honeymoon be Potter-themed.


I heard her wedding present to them was a 3-night/4-day stay at the Wizarding Worlds of Harry Potter in sunny Orlando, Florida.

 

Airfare not included.

 

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