We don’t go to the flicks all that often, which is a shame because I do enjoy going out to see a film but there’s hardly ever anything on which I want to see. There was a lovely wee film called La Luna on just before Brave and it was worth dragging myself out just for that one alone.
I wasn’t at all sure about going to see Brave because I thought it might just be a 21st century version of Brigadoon but I must admit that I did enjoy it, and it was such a relief that the Scottish accents were authentic, not the usual phoney ones which grate on the ears of anyone who really knows what a proper Scottish accent should sound like, mind you there are so many different accents within Scotland.
Basically Brave has all the elements of a classic fairy tale or mythology. The king and queen are looking for a suitable husband for their beautiful daughter so the lords of all the various far-flung parts of the kingdom travel to the palace in an attempt to get their eldest sons married to the princess. So far so like the beginning of Song of Achilles in cartoon form. Throw in an old witch with a cauldron and spells for added humour, especially her call menu of potions.
Princess Medira has developed a mind of her own though and she isn’t going to conform just because her parents expect her to marry. She wants ‘freedom’ – is there a rule now that that word has to be used in films set in Scotland, since Braveheart? Brave is about all sorts of things like times changing, things not being as they seem and is all for independent women, particularly princesses with long red hair. What a shame I neglected to be born a princess.
We were told that this film was for children but the film theatre was full of adults, just a few kids, who all behaved themselves after the one who was sitting next to me and wailing all the time was taken out. I don’t think it was anything to do with me! She was just too tired and too young.
Alex Salmond, the First Minister – or in other words ‘the high heid yin’ went out to the US to see the premier of Brave as it is hoped that it will encourage people to visit Scotland. I can’t quite see that myself, it’s not as if there was any real Scottish scenery in it, it is a cartoon after all. It sounds like clutching at straws to me. Surely everyone knows by now that Scotland is a great place to visit, if it doesn’t rain.
Katrina,
Do I ever understand your relief at hearing genuine Scottish accents!
Ken and I go into coniption fits (probably a slang expression) when we watch a movie or television program that has Bostonians or other New Englanders, using FAKE accents. It’s like fingernails scraping across a chalkboard! Ouch, ouch, ouch!
I love it when the casting director seeks out actors with genuine accents. I heave a sigh of relief, and Ken and I try to pinpoint what town the actor hails from, and we relax and enjoy the show.
Judith (Reader in the Wilderness)
Judith,
That’s fascinating, I had no idea that you would be able to identify various towns in American accents. We can do that even when the towns are only 5 miles apart! When we lived in Essex a railway ticket inspector once pin-pointed Jack’s accent to the nearest railway station to where he grew up, and there are three stations in Dumbarton!
I think American accents on TV here are probably always like New York ones, as if that’s all that exists, apart from southern ones like Blanche DuBois.
It is an enjoyable film! I loved the mom-daughter relationship and as a redhead now turned gray, I envy Merida her hair! Isa went right out after the movie and bought a play bow and arrow:)
Peggy Ann,
You’re always a redhead internally no matter what the outside colour is! I’m jealous, I want a shot of Isa’s bow and arrow. You should train her up for the Olympics in 8 year’s time, the real ones look like great fun, although she would probably have to start eating porridge for strength!
I usually don’t like animated stuff, but I have heard nothing but good things about Brave, mostly from people who don’t have young children but enjoyed the film despite that. I will give it a try, probably when it comes out on DVD.
Anbolyn,
Years ago I went to see Snow White at the flicks because I had only ever seen clips of it. I really enjoyed it but I felt embarrassed going without a child, we didn’t have any then. The cinema had only one child in it, but loads of adults! Won’t you get Brave on TV after a year or so?
Will have to wait to catch it on a flight as my DH refuses to go to ‘cartoons’. I can’t convince him that many these days are food stories that just happen to be animated. Times like these I wish we lived closer to the grands.
I totally get the concern re: accents. I absolutely hate it when people affect a southern accent and what they come up with sounds like Gomer Pyle. The History Channel did a magnificent mini-series on the Hatfield/McCoy feud, with a great cast EXCEPT they all sounded like Gomer. C’mon people! There is a wide variance of accents in the South – from the genteel Virginian, with a wee hint of a brogue (like my Dad) to the lush drawl of the deep south.
GOOD stories – not food stories. argh.
Pearl,
I call them cartoons too but I suppose I should say animations, I like the classic old ones.
Now you are educating me, I had to look up Gomer Pyle on you tube as he never made it here. I see what you mean about the accent though!