MovieChat Forums > Babe (1995) Discussion > australia?

australia?

posted 18 years ago by rhalford88
23 replies | jump to latest

i havent watched this for a very long time, but i cant remeber was this set in australia?

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] say_y 17 years ago

They did that so Americans would enjoy it more. American's seem not to understand any accent except their own.

so not true...perhaps that's what you see us as, but that's not how we are.

stop stereotyping that other people stereotype. When I walk into a store, I hear 10 different accents going (both foreign and not, eg. boston accents, southern ones, etc) and maybe 5 or 6 conversations spoken in another language...america is a diverse place.

[–] lambrettaguy200 17 years ago

I have always wondered where the film was supposed to be set (not only shot).

I thought it was set in typical rural England. I can't say I recall much in the way of Aussie accents. The farmer's accent (James Cornwall) sounded like a sort of mild West-Country. However, the rest of it made me think it was set in a fantasy country, somewhere between England/USA. Pig in the City is even more confusing !

You wanna f * * k with me? Okay. Say hello to my little friend! (Tony Montana)

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] pickledsocks 17 years ago

I remember being really confused at that part. I love how the producers thought that americans would be too stupid to understand the accents. All it did was confuse me more. I last saw it when I was little and thought it was England, but just watched it again, and the christmas thing and all, it must be Australia. They should have kept the accents, in my opinion.

[–] spyanotherway 16 years ago

i always assumed it was in 'nowhereland', used in many fictional stories, meaning it's just meant to be a random place wherever, having it not matter what particular country it is. And the accents were mixed, james cromwell had a hint of his american accent, magda kept her aussie accent, the couple that played their kids had american accents, so like the sequel in which the city is just meant to be anywhere, this is very much the same, understand?

Last movie seen at cinemas: 'defiance'
Last dvd bought: 'urban legend'

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Light_Soda 15 years ago

It does seeing as the guy had a Briotish farmer's accent.

God I hate Americans who can't distinguish between Australian and English accents. (There is no such thing as "British accents" you stupid American.)

This is the reason the movie was dubbed, because you're all dumb as *beep*

10% of life, is what happens to you.

90% is how you respond to it.

[–] SeisCinemaSeis 15 years ago

Yeah, The Christmas celebration was held during what appears to be a warm summer night. Then it couldn't be England, Scotland, Ireland or any other country located in the northern hemisphere.
It had to be Australia (Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales) or New Zealand. Which makes sense since 'Babe' is an australian production. Besides both, Chris Noonan (director) and George Miller (writer/producer), are aussies.

[–] topbananas 15 years ago

Jesus light soda, chill out.... sure many americans don't have much understanding of other countries - but of course there is a 'British' accent (- even though I think the poster meant 'English')as definable by us as a nation.

People would say "American" accent, while I would say x had a 'New York accent' or southern, texan, midwestern....

There is so little of britain being seen on american screens, the only UK accents to make it into hollywood films other than the standard Jeremy Irons plummy middle english will a broad mockney courtesy of Jason Statham, or, god forbid, the horrendous vinnie jones (please drown on sight) who it appears gave lessons to Don Cheadle for Oceans 13...

Or scottish, which has to be subtitled.... I would love to see a geordie or scouser making it in hollywood...

[–] topbananas 15 years ago

[–] garnsr 14 years ago

I just watched it and couldn't make any sense of where it was supposed to be, with some people with Commonwealth accents and some American, no snow on Christmas, and such. Australia makes the most sense, but the accents make it really weird, just give us one type of accent.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] spookyrat1 12 years ago

"They did that so Americans would enjoy it more. American's seem not to understand any accent except their own.

so not true...perhaps that's what you see us as, but that's not how we are."

And so - so - wrong! It's not how necessarily Australians see Americans, it's how Americans see themselves. Back in the 80's and 90's I understand the dubbing of Australian accents and the use of American accents in Australian productions was a common practice. EG When Mad Max was distributed in America, the American distributors insisted on a full re-dub of characters' lines into "American English", as opposed to the Australian accents present, because they didn't think American audiences would understand them.

Hopefully all parties have moved on from there.

[–] vaporize 15 years ago

I'm pretty sure the mix between Australian and American is meant to solidify the fact that this film does not necessarily take place in any one country. It's supposed to be entirely fictional. If you allude to Babe: Pig in the City, you will see that the "city" is in fact a blend of all the major cities of the world put into one. I think the point is to make the film experience universal and, at the same time, mystical.

-------------
Let's go to the beach tonight
with a bottle of wine

[–] peter-hoare-668-172834 14 years ago

All shot in OZ. I thought the dubs were OK. Apart from Roy of Roy and HG. The main characters (cromwell and magda) kept their real voices. Shame the supports were dubbed. I didn't find it too much of an issue though.

[–] puirt-a-beul 14 years ago

"Universal" is relative and subjective, though. For US audiences, an American accent might seem "universal"; to anyone else it's specifically an American accent. This movie was such a strange mish-mash, with a mix of sort-of regional English accents, and English-looking houses in Australian countryside with fields spray-painted a kind of green you'd never see in Australia, cars with the driver on the left side, some characters sounding sort-of American and some sounding sort-of Australian and others sounding sort-of rural English, and seasons being clearly southern-hemisphere.

When it was first released here in Australia, there was a lot of disappointment that the production couldn't just be Australian (especially as it had relied heavily on Film Australia funding) and had to pretend to be northern-hemisphere, as if trying to curry favour. A lot of Australian audiences and critics felt it was an example of how we didn't have the guts to stand up and just be Australian - something that George Miller has made a career of.

And yeah, I do understand it was an English book to start with.

You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

[–] jdown-1 14 years ago

<< .. "had to pretend to be northern-hemisphere, as if trying to curry favour. A lot of Australian audiences and critics felt it was an example of how we didn't have the guts to stand up and just be Australian " >>

Babe cost $USD30M to make. Worldwide boxoffice was $USD240M. How much of that came from Australian audiences?

[–] puirt-a-beul 14 years ago

Babe cost $USD30M to make. Worldwide boxoffice was $USD240M. How much of that came from Australian audiences?

And your point is what, exactly?

Perhaps the majority of US-made films earn the majority of their box office from outside the US, and often wouldn't even break even without foreign ticket sales. Does that mean that US films should pretend to be European?

You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Ariane1998 12 years ago

I swear I read somewhere that the film is not set in any particular country -- that it was almost like a fairy tale. The house looks like a fairy tale Hansel-and-Gretel type of house.

Happy Holidays!

[–] lolstar6 12 years ago

I was baffled as to where this was set. It looks very much like rural England to me judging by the scenery but then Christmas came which seemed green and sunny (the UK does not have full green trees in December lol) making me think it was set in southern USA. James Cromwell had a strange Irish kind of accent and I couldnt for the life of me work out where the wife was supposed to be from. (I know she is Australian in real life) Everyone else had standard American accents. I still have no idea lol.

"What, you don't like rice? Tell me Michael, how could a billion Chinese people be wrong?"

[–] spookyrat1 12 years ago

It was a very big hit in Australia, was filmed entirely in Australia, but the producers were also clearly targeting an international audience.