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.

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.

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?

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

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.

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.

Gawker - It's this years Wampler.

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.

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.

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".

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?

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.

rikdanger: Mugato:

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.

Actually, yeah:

Richmond: The Mighty Boosh

Douglas Rynholm: Snuff Box

This is how I find new stuff.... find out about something good, go onto the actor or writer's IMDB page and see what else they've done. Found some cool stuff that way.

He did it wrong. All good Englishmen know that you should pour the hot water over the teabag - if you use a teabag at all, which some consider heresy.

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

Eddy Izard and Hugh Laurie excepted. They seem to be constantly straining at it.
Aussie actors seem to nail it perfectly. (The Mentalist guy, the True Blood guy especially)

Well, it's fun to watch, and I do like Alan Rickman, but it sort of speaks to how easily we as moviegoers are manipulated by symbols and imagery. Combine slow-motion with that piece of music and a short film of a guy flossing would come out feeling like Star Wars.

Kraftwerk Orange: [i.ytimg.com image 480x360]

Loved that episode.

Bilbo Bagshot: I was like you once. Blonde hair. Scraggly little beard. Childlike ears. Full of beans, and spunk. I let my principles get in the way of things. I punched a bloke in the face once for saying Hawk the Slayer was rubbish.

Tim: Good for you.

Bilbo Bagshot: Yeah, thanks. But that's not the point, Tim. The point is I was defending the fantasy genre with terminal intensity, when what I should have said was "Dad, you're right - but let's give Krull a try, and we'll discuss it later."

KrispyKritter: "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.

Thank you! I saw this video a while back, and I hoped we were going to get a academic breakdown of why the video is effective at eliciting an emotional response.

But no, we just get to see Alan Rickman be awesome again. Oh well...

ok... its a man making tea.. and its so farking awesome.. whoever scored it is a genius...

That was hot!

He seemed a trifle perturbed.

Link
This guy has a pretty good video about making tea...

PYROY: He seemed a trifle perturbed.

I get the impression he was all "Bloody hell, they gave me a bag of Orange Pekoe shiate, time to go full Rickman",

Good, but I think I would have preferred to see MY favourite British actor, Gary Oldman, do it. With a loose darjeeling or lapsang souchong.

jakomo002: PYROY: He seemed a trifle perturbed.

I get the impression he was all "Bloody hell, they gave me a bag of Orange Pekoe shiate, time to go full Rickman",

Good, but I think I would have preferred to see MY favourite British actor, Gary Oldman, do it. With a loose darjeeling or lapsang souchong.

Gary Oldman is too busy telling us what's the real problem with american movies is: casting athletes. 

/genius
//Oldman and Rickman farking own the screen

Dwight_Yeast: 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.

If you want a perfect illustration of the difference watch "My Week With Marilyn" Branagh playing Olivier talked about his training and how much of a good actor he was but he just did not light up the screen like Marilyn did.

ThaGravy: Link
This guy has a pretty good video about making tea...

Thank you.

propasaurus: They also make the best Nazis.

Would like a word with you:

fusillade762: 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.

Well, I think for a very long time there was this tradition of actors who went through the very traditional and very taxing demands of the English stage and hardened themselves up to the notoriously horrible audiences in most of the country and various regions in the Kingdom before deciding to make that leap over the pond. I think the actors who survived all that were bound to be great at a lot of things. Now a days any kid who can read lines well enough and land an agent can make it over here.

As for accents it depends. Even having recently watched Torchwood: Miracle Day they would do these cut aways to man-on-the-street interviews with various extras and you could definitely tell they were Brits trying to take on American accents. My younger sister studied dialects for various shows in college and her ability to pick it up and understand the unique sounds and tones of the dialects actually landed her as the unofficial dialect coach for anything involving British accents of any kind. Our BiL, who was born and raised in Manchester, came to one of her shows and said something to the affect that had he not known her personally he would have thought she really was from London's East End with that atrocious Cockney of hers. Atrocious as in it sounded too accurate.

Did someone say tea?

pinchpoint: propasaurus: They also make the best Nazis.

Would like a word with you:

[4.bp.blogspot.com image 379x250]

Well he's Austrian but he'd like a word with you too..

If you're a fan of Alan Rickman, never ever watch Nobel Son. I know, I know, the cast looks great but the movie is really really really bad.

Really bad.

peasandcarrots: Well, it's fun to watch, and I do like Alan Rickman, but it sort of speaks to how easily we as moviegoers are manipulated by symbols and imagery. Combine slow-motion with that piece of music and a short film of a guy flossing would come out feeling like Star Wars.

And that is the best explanation I can find for why people thought Inception was such a good movie.

nmemkha: The whole tired "run and gun" action seemed out of place in place where literally anything is possible.

Anything wasn't possible. That was the problem. They had to work in a really messed up construct where they were at the mercy of the subconscious of the dreamer. Sure, they had some basic control, but in the long run, they still had to contend with reality (as it was in the dream).

But music does make the movie in some senses. But why is that a knock? Sound is as important as sight when it comes to experiencing a movie. Hell, just those little montages at the Oscars when they show the raw film of a scene, then the one after the sound editing hit.

Jaws... an all-time film.... would have lost a ton of gravitas if not for Williams' chilling score. Two notes...

Hello, Alan Rickman... it's Alan Rickman, reminding you to move the pork chops from the freezer to the refrigerator so they defrost properly. Do not disappoint me...

mat catastrophe: Eleven!

I remembered that and I'm still crying.

I think the term is "googolplex", subby.

Alan Rickman and Jeremy Irons have some pretty awesome voices.

Oh yeah, I went there.

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

If you look at the median, they're pretty much the same, but if you go by the mean, they've got a few outliers that just make us look like a bunch of retarded hillbillies.

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.

I don't believe they're objectively better, but only seem that way to us. I think there's a distinctive British approach and execution that Americans happen to find very appealing, that's all. I bet there are others in the world in other countries, who can't stand it, for reasons of their own, and their views are just as valid from their perspective.

fusillade762: Alan Rickman should be in every movie. He makes anything he's in better.

I think we've seen the definitive test of this theory, and I think it won't work. John Cleese makes 'Ratrace' "better" in the sense that not every single frame of the film makes me want to hurt someone, but it's still unwatchable.

Apos: 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.

I just want to know where he learned to make tea. Who knew that a fine British actor would make it the Denny's way? I am disappoint, Rick. He was right to hurl it away, though, and to tip the table. More Denny's customers should do that.

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.

Ironic, perhaps, that you would misspell the title of the person who runs a school where spelling is taught. Or perhaps not.

BretMavrik: 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".

Good points. I hadn't considered those. And I should. I remember my mother saying that Americans who think British TV is great have only seen what's selected for PBS, not 'Coronation Street.'

Miss Stein: MassD: Jaws... an all-time film.... would have lost a ton of gravitas if not for Williams' chilling score. Two notes...

The ostinato (repeated motif) of the two notes E and F has always (for me) evoked an image of a line of triangles, like sharks' teeth. Up-down, up-down, up-down.

I imagine the effect might work for any two notes that are only a half step off. But then again, I understand that it's different for everyone, because everyone responds personally to the tones that match or are harmonic with their own head resonance. This is supposedly why people like songs they normally wouldn't, or don't like ones they would.

MurphyMurphy: [images1.wikia.nocookie.net image 185x225]

*sigh*
"It figures they'd waste a perfectly good cup of tea."

That was not a perfectly good cup of tea.

Christ, that video's old (but awesome). Maybe someone should direct them to the remixes that slow it down even more and include different music. There's tons of 'em.

peasandcarrots: Well, it's fun to watch, and I do like Alan Rickman, but it sort of speaks to how easily we as moviegoers are manipulated by symbols and imagery. Combine slow-motion with that piece of music and a short film of a guy flossing would come out feeling like Star Wars.

To be fair, that's not the original video. The original has no music at all on Vimeo. With that being said, I took more enjoyment from seeing the characters he had played make an appearance. You see Hans, Snape, The Sherrif of Nottingham, etc., all at different times in that vid. Adding music to it was just a cheap trick and kinda makes it worse. The real time vid linked earlier was more eye opening, imo, in that it just makes it look like he's throwing a tantrum and sitting back down with a plop. I thought it was funnier than the original.

Shoot the glass!