how do you see your nation - others through film and television.

[mr d]

hello

 

since i'm from the u.s. and know a lot of you are from else where, was wondering this. a lot of people on the forum say how they don't understand the people of an other nation, or ask 'why do they act that way.'.

so before i've got to stop dropping by so often and get back to work (funding good), thought i'd pick up a few suggestions on the matter of some films or tv shows along the following theme.

if someone wished to understand the people of your country better what films or tv shows do you suggest they watch.

i imagine fairly commercial films that stand a better chance of being available in other countries.

also films and tv shows that reveal how your country thinks about people of another.

 

example: what are americans like. i'd suggest 2 westerns tombstone with kurt russel. story of the shoot out at the o.k. corral. and open range with kevin costner. free grazers verse the cattle baron. and an older war-black comedy kelly's heroes with clint eastwood. americans stealing nazi gold for personal gain (feels more american to me then the later three king's with george clunny, along the same theme).

 

so how do americans picture brits: two tv shows come to mind. brideshead revisited, and keeping up appearances.

though i personally prefer bob hoskins in the long good friday.

 

the french: the pink panther films by blake edwards starring the great british actor peter sellers (not the bore fest recently done by steve martin). the french are the inspector imbodied by a nation. through many also like reno as leon the professional.

 

any suggestions for watching?

 

mr d

 

and happy july 5th birthday to one of the greatest americans to ever live Mr P. T. Barnum!!!

[GutZ]

I moved from Canada and they think I am kinda slow eh?

 

Canadian Bacon pretty much sums it up for Canada.

[scicop]

for american Life:

DVDs of the TV series: COPS

[mr d]

hello

 

but cops has helped the undergarmet industry.

in the 40's the movie 'it happened one night' had clark gable changing shirts, and when he took his off and wasn't wearing an undershirt sales of such garmets for men plunged.

now with cops we get to see how sheik a 'wifebeater' can be, though you must remember to accessorize with beer can and lip dangling cigarette. and sales for them are on the increase around the world.

 

so any folks out there from the continent wish to comment. how do you french, germans, russians see your self and others? What about our south asia friends or blokes from down under percieve their neighbors.

please give a little on where your point is coming from if you would though (ie: nation-people).

 

saw the french animated film 'triplets of belleville' where even they had every one eating frogs. and oddly they had to rescue an imprisoned cyclist taken to a unnamed far away country run by the mafia where every one was quite obese.

 

mr d

[scicop]

hello

 

but cops has helped the undergarmet industry.

in the 40's the movie 'it happened one night' had clark gable changing shirts' date=' and when he took his off and wasn't wearing an undershirt sales of such garmets for men plunged.

now with cops we get to see how sheik a 'wifebeater' can be, though you must remember to accessorize with beer can and lip dangling cigarette. and sales for them are on the increase around the world.

[/quote']

um..ok, I thought the cop fashion statement was the hawain shirt with either the big bulge hang off the waist or the left back in the 80's fanny pack; followed by a dark grey POV thats either a buffed out CVPI or Impala.

 

Guess now you'll be able to play: Spot the off-duty cop!

[mr d]

hello

 

no not the cops as persons (let's say for sake of ease they are), but most of our illustrious guest stars on 'cops' the show.

plus not only can you see how the best dress trailer devotee' attire themselves, but young ladies can pick up wonderous makeup tips from the numerous transvestites and transsexuals that grace the 'cops' stage.

 

mr d

 

'cops' for america but any for the rest of the world?

[blike]

DVDs of the TV series: COPS

Oh no.

[Royston]

so how do americans picture brits: two tv shows come to mind. brideshead revisited, and keeping up appearances.

 

Are we really that stereotyped in the states ?

[why?]

Another show for the brits is Benny hill. Man its hilarious.

 

I dont think shows can really tell something about a country because it just doesnt show the personality. India through film would be poverty, religious, farmers, etc but its not only that. There are rich people, there are atheist and there are other jobs. IT just doesnt cover the whole thing.

[mr d]

hello

 

well i must say to a certain extent yes. think it has a lot to do with how people are portrayed in tv and film.

in the u.s. what shows come over the pond are comedys like monty python, keeping up appearences, are you being served, mr bean, and red dwarf. or the masterpiece theater productions of numerous jane austin novels.

so the british you see are twits, tough cockney's and the rather effininate british upper class males. sort of like in the british war movies where the main bulk of soldiers are lower class fellows, the officer upperclass and rather ineffectual. with a tough sarget-major who holds it all together.

with most shows having a feeling of class distinction definitely present.

just as when you see british shows with americans portrayed there usually loud, unkept, and unshaven. often puffing on a cigarette or stoggie.

 

mr d

[ajb]

With the USA I keep thinking about CSI, Law and Order, NCIS, things like that. So america is full of pedophiles, murderers, gangsters and gun carrying nuts! It can't be true?

 

AJB

[mr d]

hello

 

well yes it is, but we like it that way! keeps things from getting boring.

but since your location lists uk as location, how do you view the british.

 

mr d

[YT2095]

if you can sum a country up accurately and completely in a few Movies or shows, I`m not altogether sure I`de want to live there

[ecoli]

I think the show 'Blue collar comedy' pretty acurately sums up life in the american south.

[Phi for All]

if you can sum a country up accurately and completely in a few Movies or shows, I`m not altogether sure I`de want to live there

Right on.

 

 

 

In the US, I think movies are a big part of the problem, exaggerating and glamorizing a tiny part of the culture as a whole. Thus we end up with a country where people buy cars and homes to gain respect, guns for security and clothes so we can be thought attractive.

 

Take away our stuff and you'd think we'd fall apart. We don't though. We adapt and realize the stuff is not really us. We pull together in times of crisis (unless there's a Walmart to loot) and show our character when it's most appropriate. The US has some strange values on the surface, but dig a little deeper and the bedrock is there.

[Royston]

uk as location, how do you view the british.

 

Well I live in the UK, and I see the Brits as a load of Bentley driving toffee nosed cads, who stuff their face with strawberries and cream, and shout incoherent nonsense like 'toodle pip' and 'bounder' and are all good at playing cricket.

 

If you're British then (providing you're not a bigot) you'll see everyone as individuals...it's where I live, modern society (especially in the west) has incredible diversity and mixture of cultures. As YT2095 said, forming an opinion from a programme...on an entire country, is frankly ridiculous.

[mr d]

hello

 

i think some may miss the point. that being that films and shows produced by countries often can show how they think of themselves or others.

example: many americans would pick john wayne and a number of his films as depicting the american spirit of rugged individualism. how americans view themselves as a people.

so the question is what film or tv show do you feel would give a person in another country the essence of how your country views itself. what theme or character respresents to you the truely how you feel about your country, or more accurately your nation's character as a people.

conversely what film or tv show produced by your nation depicts how you view the people (character traits) of another nation.

 

i have noticed a number of british respondants, but most site american produced shows as to how americans are. but what shows does your country produce that displays those concepts? if and american was to show up in a british production, how would you indentify them as american.

 

mr d

[herme3]

example: what are americans like. i'd suggest 2 westerns tombstone with kurt russel. story of the shoot out at the o.k. corral. and open range with kevin costner. free grazers verse the cattle baron. and an older war-black comedy kelly's heroes with clint eastwood...

 

You make me feel embarrassed to be an American...

 

I can't believe anyone can use a few dumb rednecks as a symbol of America. Some of the world leaders in technology live in America, and you're going to summarize it using the western lifestyle of the 1800's?

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

I would hardly characterize Westerns as only having "a few dumb rednecks."

[herme3]

I would hardly characterize Westerns as only having "a few dumb rednecks."

 

Westerns just aren't my type of movie. I like Sci-Fi movies.

 

Anyway, I just don't see how Westerns could be used to describe America. Westerns symbolized a simple life over 100 years ago. They did not have technology or very much science. I think that is the complete opposite of modern America. Americans have led the development of computers, the Internet, and other modern advancements.

[why?]

Maybe the problem of depicting a country through film etc is that they show stuff that is entertaining. The whole purpose in the end is to sell the movie. And the best way to sell it is to make it appealing to the crowd. You can't really make a boring movie appealing because the crowd likes excitement and entertainment. So they might only show those faces of the country which are entertaining or amusing and not the other half which might be boring, but none the less true.

[mr d]

hello herme

 

the point is a film or show that reflects how americans percieve themselves or others.

so why chose the westerns. i believe most americans still consider the national character of americans is we still have a certain feeling of self reliance, and americans tend to believe you take care of things yourself. and if you believe what you are doing is right, you stand up for yourself, does not matter who is standing against you.

in the past another western star, plus numerous war movies, was thought to embody the american spirit. that being john wayne. how in such movies he showed you stood up for what was right, no grey areas here, right and wrong is very black and white. no sitting around going let's try seeing it from the other persons point of view. if it was wrong to you it's wrong and you did something about it. even if it ment giving up your life to do so.

now you say your a science fiction fan, i still would think you believe there are characteristics that you consider to represent the character of americans. can you think of a scifi character that you consider shows the traits you consider display how you percieve the american spirit to be?

 

mr d

[mr d]

hello

 

thought about it and decided perhaps i did not explain properly.

try it this way. i live in congo, shall never make it over to the u.s. and i ask you 'what are americans like.' what film - tv show do you pick to get across a general impression of the national character of americans.

for many people all they will ever know of another nation and its people are what they see on their tv's or at their local theater.

and no easy out of ' well they could fly here, a huge portion of the world is populated by people who could never afford such a trip. or they could chat we me over the internet, far fewer people had access to the internet than many would imagine, plus large numbers that do live in countries where their net traffic is heavily censored and monitored. you may one a free exchange of ideas with these people but their goverments do not.

and for many the depiction of your nation they recieve is totally squed by their media sources.

also simply many people would but forth no more effort to know you than watch a movie or show.

 

hope that explains better

 

mr d