american people, who are they ? :-p

Status
Not open for further replies.
D

dre83

Veteran
I'm belgian, so I only know americans by movies.

And it's funny sometimes...specially the "action" movies, but also some others.

- even if the enemy is dead, the US army always has to "fall in" with about 200 soldiers to get 1 stupid nerd guy...

- every arab looking guy is suspected to have a bomb under his shirt

- they all have a "goal", a "purpose"

So what are "european people" cliches ?
 
Movies are not real life, especially "Hollywood" movies - and action movies least of all.

Spend some time with independent cinema if you insist on basing your opinion of an entire culture on films, there are more realistic characters there.
 
Your title is a little off. I'd rephrase your opening statement. Americans can be sensitive to how they are seen internationally and your examples are not good ones.

Additionally your real question is about what cliches they see in european films and that isn't clear when you begin with an unintentionally confrontational opening. 'European' films are characterised by comparatively low budgets, hence they tend to talk more, focus more on imagery and tend towards arthouse conventions. Essentially the same things american indie films do due to....lack of budget. Additionally if funded in part or whole by state grants (like australia) may be subject to the restriction of cultural requirements.

This site might be one of the few places you might find some americans that have actually seen european cinema. Unlike europe, america (and my own australia) is generally not multilingual (maybe some spanish) and don't read subtitles. Those of us that do tend to be more worldly and above sweeping statements based off a limited dataset. A good example is the bomb-carrying arab example. Sure it might seem a good example on the face of it. But then you go out thursday night and watch a film featuring that cliche and get home to see a law and order episode subverting the cliche and presenting a case for the opposite ideology.

Finally, 'european' cinema? I've seen french films, danish, german, russian, czech, croat, serbian, bosnian, italian, swiss, norwegian, spanish, belgian, swedish, austrian etc etc. Never seen a european film. I think those few english speakers who have actually seen european cinema lump them together only geographically, not by convention of style. In fact the variety is the appeal of foreign film. A refreshing break from the ideologies and conventions we english speakers are limited to in our own cinema (predominantly american, british and canadian).

It must be a wonderful thing to be multilingual and able to watch the cinema of your neighbours without trusting the subtitles. I don't speak french or japanese but understand enough of both to know that subtitles lie all the time. The translators almost never trust the audience to appreciate cultural-lingual nuances. I wish they would actually use the technolgy of dvd format to provide a literal as well as cultural translation subtitle track. I've seen a couple of japanese films with literal translations. It gives a fascinating insight into how another culture thinks. I've tried and failed to learn four languages, I could never cross the hurdle of thinking in another language so these few films are treasures to me.

Sorry, I think I've derailed your thread a little and I know it was meant to be lighthearted but I think it will get a better response if you articulate it better.
 
I guess, as in, isn't he the archetype of your definition of "Americans"? I have to admit, I've never seen his movies, but I imagine he fits the description.

Hmmm... European people cliches... there are many, and I think more often country-specific. I don't think that, outside of Van Damme, there's much of a popular image of Belgium (outside of french fries with mayonnaise). French stereotypes are often rude, intolerant of non-French speakers, romantic, artistic, riding bicycles with baguettes; British stereotypes are often overly polite, formal, overbearing, and/or Monty-Pythonesque; Italian stereotypes are often flirtatious, reckless, fashionable... it can go on forever! Don't Europeans have stereotypes of each other?
 
Ah yes... in relation to movies... one thing that is often said of European movies is that all the actors have "bad teeth"! As highlighted by the episode of "The Young Ones" that mocked "Dallas" by editing in "tooth gleams" for all the "Americans"...
 
Hey, F both you guys. What happened to Canada eh? What, we don't exist?

This is the best country in the world and ...continues on in an incoherent rant...


I've seen french films, danish, german, russian, czech, croat, serbian, bosnian, italian, swiss, norwegian, spanish, belgian, swedish, austrian
Click to expand...
No goddamn Canadian films. What are we? s*%tburgers up here. (jk)

If you can't get through this...Well, go eat a s*%t burger. I'll pay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sT2cPUbUX4

You Americans and you...other guys. I hope your Euro goes to s*%t. Happy Canada Day. -Beers.
 
I said "europe" because I was to lazy to say every country... And I always thought Amercian and Canadian and Australian and Azien people saw "Europe" as one piece and not as "every single country".

I also see "America" as "one piece" and not Texas, Californie, .... But I do know that an Texas guy is not a New York guy...

I think we're all born with some "cliches" from other countries... but of course that's only to tell jokes... Not every american has a gun, not every french is rude....and not every Belgian drinks beer..

This tread is not ment to be "rude"...
 
I heard an interesting comparison between American and European cinema once. Don't remember where I heard the quote, where it came from, or how it went exactly, but here was the basic idea of it:

When Europeans make movies, they're about what they're about. When Americans make movies, they're about a metaphore for what they're about.

In other words, in European cinema, what you see is what you get.

I'm not sure I totally agree with it, and it's a gross oversimplifying generalisation of course, but there's still a point to be made about how adding a layer of metaphore to your plot makes it more interesting.
That goes for all cinema, I think.
 
Belgium is also known for chocolate, the smalll boy doing weewee statue (manneken pis), Tintin, the Smurfs, being able to speak more then one language (or want to try to),
having all kinds of raisons to drink (even if we loose in sport or other competition, we drink becauce we're lost...., and if we're out, we go with another country...)
 
Gord.T said:
Hey, F both you guys. What happened to Canada eh? What, we don't exist?

This is the best country in the world and ...continues on in an incoherent rant...



No goddamn Canadian films. What are we? s*%tburgers up here. (jk)

If you can't get through this...Well, go eat a s*%t burger. I'll pay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sT2cPUbUX4

You Americans and you...other guys. I hope your Euro goes to s*%t. Happy Canada Day. -Beers.
Click to expand...


Hey, I saw "Strange Brew" and South Park... is there more we need to know about Canadians?
 
The most interesting belgian film I saw was a while ago (late 90s i think), called "the wall" in english. I think it was about a cultural divide between the french-speaking and non-french speaking population. Can't find it on imdb but it left an impression. Do you know it (and it's belgian title)? I've got it on vhs but no video player.
 
dre83 said:
Belgium is also known for chocolate, the smalll boy doing weewee statue (manneken pis), Tintin, the Smurfs, being able to speak more then one language (or want to try to),
having all kinds of raisons to drink (even if we loose in sport or other competition, we drink becauce we're lost...., and if we're out, we go with another country...)
Click to expand...


Wait - the Smurfs are Belgian? You learn something every day! Now, does that make me feel better or worse towards Belgium...

And, oh yeah, I forgot about the chocolate - thumbs up for that! Though of course we should really be thinking of Mexico for that... thanks Mexico!

But... maybe it's just me, but I don't think Americans think a lot about "Europeans" - just the individual countries. Of course, I guess the teapartiers seem to think of Europe as some kind of monolithic evil...


BTW, I've actually been to Belgium! It was cute.
 
@whoever I was talking to previously. Sheeesh. Edit:// . Re edit: Dre38. Sheesh.

Well, your wrong there. Every American has a gun, every frog is rude and all Belgians drink. So do we (Canadians) as well as Russians and the Brits. We can agree on that then eh?
Btw, I was kidding with you if it wasn't apparent. It's all in humor.

In a humouristic/sarcastic tone also...can I post this?


These are pretty realistic.
http://fasttopten.com/topic.aspx?t=39a5a86ba69a4fb69102a3a60acacd85

Or for a sense of what America is really like...

http://www.dogthebountyhunter.com/
http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/american-chopper/
http://www.history.com/shows/swamp-people
http://www.history.com/shows/pawn-stars
http://www.aetv.com/duck-dynasty/
http://www.aetv.com/storage-wars/
http://ca.eonline.com/shows/kardashians
http://www.aetv.com/the_first_48/

...the list goes on and on.

-Tongue in cheek here. ;)
 
Last edited:
I have a sense of humor and all, and I know all cliche stereotypes are in fun, but I get frustrated every time a foreigner (usually american) thinks our stereotypes are funny to us, and upon first impressions feels a need to push it in our faces, "all in good fun."

So, you like Canadian Bacon, eh? How do you have internet if you live in an igloo? Is it aboot, or about? You got a pet moose? Ever seen the movie Canadian Bacon? or they sing, "Blame Canada!" from south park. *sigh*

As for European, well again Europe is very broad with many countries, and America is just one. There are italian stereotypes, french, etc... Thought it seems to be more western european, the very tourist countries.
 
Belgium for me is two things: Trappist Bier and Audrey ****ing Hepburn (yeah, yeah so she's ethnically Bridutch...but it's my list, so piss off.)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top