Scottish accent in movies

Damian,

As a true Scotsman, what are your impressions of Mike Myers' accent as Shrek and Mel Gibson's in "Braveheart"? I think they're both supposed to sound more or less Scottish.

My wife who's scottish told me Mel Gibson was quite good in his role.

I'm English, but obviously I've heard a lot of Scottish people. I don't think you could mistake Mike Meyers accent for real, but you could tell what he was trying to do. After a while.

Ages since I watched Braveheart, so I don't know about Mel Gibson.

Tom:

When I saw Shrek for the first time I couldn't understand why Shrek the monster had a Scottish accent...well, a "sort of" sort of Scottish accent if you know what I mean. More than a few Scots felt just a wee bit indignant that the huge ugly blob of an ogre that was Shrek should speak the way he did. There was no way at all I could pinpoint it to any particular region of Scotland.....it certainly wasn't Edinburgh or the Lallans (Lowlands). I like to think I am pretty good at locating the area of Scotland most Scots come from as soon as I hear the accent. They really do vary a lot.

I'd like to see the film again so I may rent out the dvd and make a point of listening to "the accent" again...I won't buy it, although I enjoyed the film. Why the heck they give Shrek that accent anyway? I think he sounded more Irish at times, too, but to answer you properly, it certainly wasn't convincing most of the time. I'd still like to know WHY he was given a "Scottish" accent. Anyway, isn't Mike Myers an American?

Mel Gibson is an Aussie and he should find the Scottish accent easier to emulate. I have Braveheart on dvd and I love the film to bits, even though it contains just a few historical inaccuracies but that's beside the point here. Mel Gibson's accent again would not fool a true Scot, and not identifiable at all to any particular region of Scotland. Again, it seemed to sound more Irish at times, which is strange as they are quite distinctly different....the only area I think of where the accent has an Irish tinge may be down in Galloway, or even in Glasgow. Glesca is quite unlike anything else in Scotland, believe me!

Top and bottom of this though...if I met Mel Gibson in a pub and he spoke in his Braveheart accent I would be able to tell right away that it was a bit phoney, and I would wonder where he came from. I wouldn't tell him that though until after he'd bought me a pint
;-) That's being a wee bit canny.

Cheers!

Damian,

was told that ogres were mythical creatures created by the Scottish. This may or may not be true, but if it isI hope it cleared up on why Shrek has a Scottish accent.

Damian,

Thank you for the detailed analysis. By the way, Mike Myers is Canadian.

Well you're kind Damian. Other Scots I know are not :)

I would have thought it'd be like those American actors getting Australian parts but employing these cheesy "Aussie" accents that you could almost cut with an American cheese stick. "A dingoh gawht myh byebee"!

<<ogres were mythical creatures created by the Scottish>>
Tom:
You're welcome. He's Canadian? Then I guess he would find Brit accents just a we bit easier to mimic than would an American? Not too sure on that one, but Canadians do have more links with the UK than does the US.

Daniel:
Is that so? I really never knew that, but I'm not too surprised....I see a few real life ogres round and about the place here.....maybe not quite as "pretty" as Shrek but with similar temperaments. Which reminds me, it's my stepdad's birthday in two week's time.....I wonder if they do Shrek type cards?

Mick:
I didn't want to be too harsh on Mel.....the Aussie connection and all that, you know....didn't want to offend my pals in here from Down Underland. Seriously, his accent really was just a wee bit minging.....there, now I've said it. Diplomatic relations severed...

:-(

ooops....my pasting was mispasted...soz!
In a rush to go to work.....I hate Saturdays at work....fussy dozy old ladies and stuff and families with hundreds of kids each........Sundays are cool...all the mad crazy ones come into the store.....like student types and weirdos.....LOL

It's OK, he's not really an Aussie anyway. He was vaguely at one stage in his youth admittedly but seems to almost deny it when asked to put on a legit Aussie accent. Maybe it's shame. I don't know.