Things I learned from watching American films

[Orcs]

Chaps,
Moderator hat on. 
I know a lot of Hollywood films were awfully stereotyped back on the day, but mind how we get too deeply into the racist side of things. Things have improved, but let's be careful here.
Most Indians were played by Mexicans too...

Sorry, I was certainly not trying to suggest that Mexicans etc were actually like that, only that was how they were normally portrayed.  portrayed.

[Elliesdad]

Why is it, especially in World War 2, that when the Americans have an important mission they more often than not send a "rag-tag bunch of misfits" and/or criminals? Surely it would make more sense to deploy trained, disciplined & reliable troops.

Conversely, if the rag-tag misfits and/or criminals are - as Hollywood seems to suggest - able to complete their missions successfully, then why on earth would any country bother to have a trained army?

Geoff

[FierceKitty]

Things I have learned from watching French films:

*   Every second man is Gerard Depardieu.
*   French cameras are like Schmeissers; when you have activated them, they just keep going until they run out of bullets or film. NEVER have a take of less than 90 seconds.
*   Frenchmen do seem to get more attractive as they age.
*   Their proverbial obscenity notwithstanding, French people swear less than Americans.
*   The Frogs appear proud of their execrable coffee.

[Ithoriel]

Things I have learned from watching French films:

The French can convey more with two minutes of silence than Americans can convey in two hours of dialogue and action.

[fsn]

Most Indians were played by Mexicans too...

Were they? That's interesting.

I'm going to have to look out for that.

[FierceKitty]

Chapattis and tortillas are pretty similar.

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Chapattis and tortillas are pretty similar.

I suspect that Native Americans was ment - rather than people from the sub-continent

[FierceKitty]

Eye sea. Ore dew eye?

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Dat a attempt at a mreicn accent ?

[FierceKitty]

Nope. Essaying the strange dialogue of forumites.

[Heedless Horseman]

They ALWAYS win! 
Except for 'The Alamo'...but, you know they will  get 'teary eyed' watching the Lady and kid walking oot with the music...and 'kick some ass' shortly! 

As Brits, we can understand this. WE always LOSE...but muddle through...and, (sort of), win in the end  It's a strange sort of propaganda, but it seem to work! 

[ronan]

Things I have learned from watching French films:

*   Every second man is Gerard Depardieu.
*   French cameras are like Schmeissers; when you have activated them, they just keep going until they run out of bullets or film. NEVER have a take of less than 90 seconds.
*   Frenchmen do seem to get more attractive as they age.
*   Their proverbial obscenity notwithstanding, French people swear less than Americans.
*   The Frogs appear proud of their execrable coffee.

OMG !

May be you should watch GOOD french movies   

*   Every second man is Gerard Depardieu.      I'd like examples...
*   French cameras are like Schmeissers; when you have activated them, they just keep going until they run out of bullets or film. NEVER have a take of less than 90 seconds.  see my first sentence above 
*   Frenchmen do seem to get more attractive as they age.  If only this could be true ....        ( And look at G Clooney, he's not french)
*   Their proverbial obscenity notwithstanding, French people swear less than Americans. Oh no ! We have many bad  words that may have not been translated.. And we have many rude film makers too. 
*   The Frogs appear proud of their execrable coffee. Of course, it's REAL coffee !    ( When I used to go to the USA, that's the thing I missed the more !)

It was fun, tell us more about the french !

[FierceKitty]

The most distinctive thing about French mise en scene is that it avoids rapid cuts and goes for a long, more theatrical take. For M. Dep, just Google him. As for the coffee, I've even heard French people confess that the habit of mixing in chicory and then allowing too much water in the mix makes it trail hopelessly behind Italian (I wasn't aware I was praising American coffee) - and it takes a LOT to get the French to admit the Italians do anything better!

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

it takes a LOT to get the French to admit that anyone does anything better than they do

[FierceKitty]

Actually - I don't know how Ian will distort this - I think the French got as undeniably important as they are by doing nothing best, but everything well.