Changing accents?

[Morquesse]

I never really noticed that Viggo had various accents, I'll have to pay attention next time.

Sam always sounded like he spoke with an American accent and rural British frases: "there's nothin' for it" and "if you understand me", to name a few. I'm not sure if he spoke in a British accent ever.

Elijah did a pretty convincing job, exept in one spot: where he and Sam camped outsidd after seeing the Elves. After Sam complained about a root sticking in his back, Frodo tells him to think of his bed at home. Elijah's line right there sounded SO American, it distracts me.

~M

[Encaitare]

Sam always sounded like he spoke with an American accent and rural British frases: "there's nothin' for it" and "if you understand me", to name a few. I'm not sure if he spoke in a British accent ever.

Having very little first-hand experience with British accents, I can't really pass judgment on whether he spoke with one or not -- but it certainly was not an American accent. Perhaps somewhere in between... any Brit Downers wish to comment on it?

[The Saucepan Man]

Originally Posted by Eomer of the Rohirrim

I am just arguing that there's no real excuse for not getting an accent right. Please argue with me.

OK then.

I do think that it is very difficult for someone to nail an accent such that it sounds faultless to a native speaker. Some people have the knack for mimicry, but it is not something that necessarily goes hand-in-hand with acting ability.

Personally, I'm hopeless at accents. Then again, I'm no actor. Not since my Uni days, at least.

Originally Posted by Morquesse

Sam always sounded like he spoke with an American accent and rural British frases: "there's nothin' for it" and "if you understand me", to name a few. I'm not sure if he spoke in a British accent ever.

As I said, I thought he did pretty well given that he was going for a regional English accent. Not perfect, but he was certainly no Dick Van Dyke.

[Mithalwen]

Gor Blimey Mary Poppins.....

I thinkI read somewhere that at first the Elves were meant to speak with an "accent" to show that Westron wasn't their language and then they decided against it.

I have to say though that although I liked the way he played Boromir, Sean Bean's Yorkshire accent jarred because Faramir and Denethor spoke standard English. It seemed a shame when they had picked actors who looked plausible as a family group, that they hadn't synchronised accents.