Ok, something is historically wrong?

Question

WHY is it that in EVERY movie/T.V. show that takes place in ancient/old times like.....Rome/Italy, Greece, basically ANYWHERE in Europe why do people have English accents? Last time I checked thats not how people talked (besides the fact they didnt speak English). WTF is with Hollywood? Why can't they get it right? Or ARE they right and I'm wrong?

Answer 1

that's why we should read books and not rely on hollywood for historical facts. they also would have you believe that captian john smith married pocahontas when it was really john rolfe.

as far as i know they did speak english which is why we speaka da english. check out the history on the colonization of america. they spoke old english and forced it on the native americans and africans which is why we all have a different english dialect from the north to the south.

the truth is not always in books either. you just have to read more than one source and never stop searching for the truth.

but to answer you question whatever sells is what they put in a movie.

Answer 2

American movies set in ancient or classical times have usually been cast with by actors affecting "Classical" accents because if they were speaking colloquial American, they'd sound kind of weird, given the dialog they're given---Think of trying to say a line like this: "Ho, Lucius! What word from the Senate? Does Augustus still stand firm on the invasion? Would that Antony were still alive to quell this madness!" in your normal speaking voice, and you'll begin to understand. And yes, in ancient Greece and Rome, in Medieval Europe, the Renaissance & etc., people of influence and education deliberately spoke in very formal language most of the time.
Rather than try and accurately depict ancient languages, film-makers opt for Classical English accents, because it's distinctive, easily understood, yet formal enough for the sake of historical "feel".

Answer 3

Because Hollywood, packages things up for the masses. Lazy people do not wanna read subtitles, nor could alot of people be able to keep up with reading, and the pic on the screen at the same time. So.. there for they have people speak english/ or english actors. So that they lazy may enjoy their movie about history, that usually never really tells the truth about the history of what the are portraying.

Answer 4

your are not wrong nor is Hollywood right. if you have ever seen a movie in a foreign language, whether you like it or not, you end up concentrating on the subtitles and miss the subtleties of the film. as an example, the movies of Pedro Almodovar, which are in castillan Spanish and subtitled in English here: i cannot watch with the subtitles-first of all the translation is not always the same and the jokes all come out not funny in English. the timing is different, and quite frankly, it just is a pain in the butt. then again, when they dub the movies it is just hilarious sincee the sound and movements of the mouths are out of sinc.