There Should Be Blood
Posted on Friday, March 7, 2008About fourteen hours into There Will Be Blood, it finally dawned on me whose accent Daniel Day-Lewis was copying.
You see, initially I thought it might be Sean Connery, at least while the first six hours dragged by, but that was obviously wrong. Sean Connery sometimes has a sense of humour.
Another five hours passed as the film dragged on with no discernible story while I puzzled why Day-Lewis won an Oscar for this incredibly self-conscious camping-up of a character that should be strong enough in itself. But always, there in the back of my head was the question: what’s the deal with the ludicrous accent?
Was that how Americans spoke a hundred years ago? Maybe it was Dan’s version of Jean-Luc Picard, if Jean-Luc Picard had been an American oil-man?
Nah!
I was stumped. What the hell kind of an accent was it? What the hell were we doing at this execrable, appalling drudge of a movie? Why were we bothering to remain alive?
I looked at Gonad. Gonad looked at Parkenstein. Parkenstein looked back at me. We all looked back at the screen and shook our heads in bafflement.
After a further three hours passed, and various unconnected random things happened on the screen I was about to shoot myself when it finally came to me:
Dave Allen!! That’s the accent. Dave Allen, the late comedian whose accent was a very odd mix of Irish and English.
Well, by Jesus, I said to myself. Dan’s accent is a metaphor for himself. What an artist!
No wonder he won the Oscar.
(Shame about the movie).
Stumble it!
March 7th, 2008
I thought he was trying to sound like Anthony Hopkins trying to sound American
March 7th, 2008
Thought it was a great John Huston impression meself!!!
March 7th, 2008
I saw it at weekend. It does leave one speechless though, doesn’t it! Not to mention a sore ass :)
I thought it was a good movie, typical Anderson, but I was kinda stumped at the ending. He really was finished, and there really was blood. I loved the music score! Have to say I loved Paul Dano’s character Ely “get out of here ghost”!
It was in general, all it was cracked up to be, Plainview’s obsession, madness, greed.. I love Daniel Day Lewis, he is a fantastic actor. I didn’t pay too much heed to his accent, thought it was apt for that time period and location, but hec, did you notice the size of his gawd damn feet?
(I can’t help but notice these things *cough*) :)
March 7th, 2008
Diary of the Dead is out tonight… just sayin’..
March 7th, 2008
Haven’t seen it yet, so keep it down. From seeing the clips and trailers his accent is patently John Huston, especially as Noah Cross in Chinatown.
March 7th, 2008
ps Huston directed The Misfits, written by Arthur Miller, Day-Lewis’s father-in-law. That’s apropos of nothing, for the trivia fiends, like.
March 7th, 2008
haven’t seen the movie yet, but OH.MY.GAWD, i think i’m in love with conan! his accent is patently John Huston, especially as Noah Cross in Chinatown. pure genius, sugar! that’s exactly who he sounds like!
March 7th, 2008
You’re all wrong! The accent he is parodying is this guy right here.
March 7th, 2008
I think American accents back then were all kind of weird and regional. Look at FDR - he sounded English half the time. The accents were all mish-mashed in Gangs of New York too. And in Deadwood. I will not hear a word against Dan the Man. I won’t, tells ya!
March 7th, 2008
Yeah. Accents in a country full of immigrants are always in transition, but if you listen to Dan again, I’m sure you’ll agree with me: he’s definitely doing Dave Allen. He gives the game away in the final scene.
March 7th, 2008
Dave Allen RIP - a class act from an age when celebrities had class and telly was great
March 7th, 2008
Dave Allen was my favourite comedian. But Daniel Day makes me laugh too, in his own way. Then again wouldn’t it be really funny if he made you laugh in somebody else’s way.
March 7th, 2008
Or if he forced you to laugh, in his own way?
March 11th, 2008
Look at all the Americans taking on British accents such as Madge and Ms. Paltrow.
Sad.
I loved TWBB, though.