Greek and Roman movies annoy me

Why do they always have British accents? they're not British dammit, i can't watch them because of that.

Would you prefer american accents? cause otherwise, hollywood translates royalty/imperial enterprise into Roman.

I would prefer that they speak their actual language and speak with subtitles, or go the Medieval II route and have them speak with region appropriate accents.

Originally Posted by hippacrocafish

I would prefer that they speak their actual language and speak with subtitles, or go the Medieval II route and have them speak with region appropriate accents.

That'd just turn into 'Allo 'Allo.

Watch it in Italian! it's badass

Originally Posted by davide.cool

Watch it in Italian! it's badass

Pretty cool

They only have to memorize their lines, they don't have to learn the entire language. They could also have a language coach on set to help them put emphasis on the right words, speak with a proper accent.

That sounds resaonsable, isn't that what most of the actors did for The Passion of the Christ? I think the lead actor in Apocolypto did the same

Originally Posted by hippacrocafish

I would prefer that they speak their actual language and speak with subtitles, or go the Medieval II route and have them speak with region appropriate accents.

Euhm, no.

Either correct English pronunciation or the actual language. Not some silly accent. People don't speak their own language in a silly accent, that's only when speaking a foreign language. If a movie is set in a non-anglophone country; English simply replaces what would be the local language.

I reckon it would be hard seeing as latin and ancient greek are dead languages and modern comparables are far from it, but i guess i could settle for Rome in Italian, it sounded rather well in the italian dubs for ROME (hbo series).

Originally Posted by saxdude

I reckon it would be hard seeing as latin and ancient greek are dead languages and modern comparables are far from it, but i guess i could settle for Rome in Italian, it sounded rather well in the italian dubs for ROME (hbo series).

I'm pretty sure they still teach latin in colleges, I know my grandmother took it when she went. Even if they don't have the proper grammar for their language they could still use what they know to come up with a good approximation

Originally Posted by irontaino

Why do they always have British accents? they're not British dammit, i can't watch them because of that.

Because in hollywood:

Common Ancient Person from Europe=British accent.

Latin and Ancient Greek are still teached and all grammar rules of these languages are still known. We even know how to pronounce them, but I doubt those actors can. Especially Greek is very difficult.

Originally Posted by Glorfindel The Tukker

Latin and Ancient Greek are still teached and all grammar rules of these languages are still known. We even know how to pronounce them, but I doubt those actors can. Especially Greek is very difficult.

They only have to memorize their lines, they don't have to learn the entire language. They could also have a language coach on set to help them put emphasis on the right words, speak with a proper accent, etc. Then again it's easier to go with the "Everyone was a Brit" solution and throw authenticity out the window.

Originally Posted by Glorfindel The Tukker

Latin and Ancient Greek are still teached and all grammar rules of these languages are still known. We even know how to pronounce them, but I doubt those actors can. Especially Greek is very difficult.

I'm wondering, how exactly does one know how to pronounciate ancient languages like for example Ancient Greek? I mean how did the linguistics come to this conclusion if those languages aren't spoken and you have only the writings to work with? I have been wondering about this for quite a while....

Originally Posted by Charontas

I'm wondering, how exactly does one know how to pronounciate ancient languages like for example Ancient Greek? I mean how did the linguistics come to this conclusion if those languages aren't spoken and you have only the writings to work with? I have been wondering about this for quite a while....

I'm learning Latin and Ancient Greek atm, about Latin we know as good as pronouncing rules, as well as most exceptions.
The pronouncing of Ancient Greek is quite well known, though there are some discussion about dialects and other stuff.

Originally Posted by Glorfindel The Tukker

Latin and Ancient Greek are still teached and all grammar rules of these languages are still known. We even know how to pronounce them, but I doubt those actors can. Especially Greek is very difficult.

Wasnt Mel Gibson's "the passion of the Christ" in latin? I mean the roman dialogues.

What about asteric and obelix? That's Roman and it's in French.

Originally Posted by irontaino

Why do they always have British accents? they're not British dammit, i can't watch them because of that.

Hear them in Italian and Spanish, I recognise it is pretty annoying to hear them in yankee accent.
Honestly, Italian is the language most proxime to latin in vocabulary, and Spanish is the most proxime to latin in pronunciation.

Originally Posted by brennas

Hear them in Italian and Spanish, I recognise it is pretty annoying to hear them in yankee accent.
Honestly, Italian is the language most proxime to latin in vocabulary, and Spanish is the most proxime to latin in pronunciation.

Spanish closer to latin pronounciation than italian?


good god no

Originally Posted by Taxandrius

Spanish closer to latin pronounciation than italian?


good god no

I agree with this. Catalan may be, though...

Remember how expensive it can be to get all of this done, and too be honest, when I watch a hollywood roman/greek film, I go in expecting entertainment not historical accuracy considering it is hollywood...