Pesky blinders

[Davros]

What a weird programme. What a great cast. What a range of accents. It's The Untouchables UK style! I don't know what I think of it but I keep thinking its called Tinchy Stryders

[Davros]

Peaky phone, making stupid corrections!

[FunnysInLaJardin]

I watched part of it last night and had to turn off as the accents were all over the place plus I was annoying DH by going on about it They hardly ever get Birmingham accents right

[Davros]

I reckon it's the first time actooors have had to put ON a brummie accent instead of losing it! Oh other than Crossroads

[NanettaStocker]

I'd say it was a pretty accurate Small Heath accent. Someone once guessed I was from there because my brummie accent had a funny twang.

[thefarmerhasawife]

Im a brummie and happened to turn over not knowing where it was supposed to be set. Sat there for ages trying to work it out! Appalling accents in my opinion!!

[Rollergirl1]

I liked it. It was very well shot. But i agree the accents were all over the place and it was the first thing i commented on. Cillian Murphey's brother's (was it, not too sure?) accent was bordering on south african a lot of the time. Also his (Cillian/Tommy) adversary, was it Freddie? He sounded scouse. DH is a scouser and he said straight away that guys a scouser but when i googled him he's actually israeli. So who fuckin' knows!

Anyway, i really liked it despite the dodgy accents. I thought it had an air of the film "From Hell" about it.

[theluckiest]

Dear lord, have just watched this....so disappointed. It all looks gorgeous, clearly a lot of money spent on it.so why oh why did they not cast genuine Brummies?!!! And yes, there are plenty of Brummie actors who would've been bloody great in this and not sounded like they were struggling with the accent. The bloke playing the Communist factory feller was utterly appalling. Cillian Murphy wasn't too bad tho.

Bit of a wasted opportunity. More Crossroads than Gangs of New York.

[Rollergirl1]

theluckiest: what genuine brummy actors did you have in mind?

I think we have to get past the accents. I think this series has a lot to offer.

[theluckiest]

The ones you dont see on the telly because they work in Birmingham and not London. There is a wealth of professional acting talent in Brum believe it or not. Most castings tend to be in London even if the job is not....thats how London centric it is so actors in 'the provinces' just don't get cast. Not talking about 'names' so much but all the supporting actors in this also seemed to struggle with the accent which seems a bit silly.

It does seem promising though. Looks lovely. As does Cillian.

[MurielTheActor]

Stylish!!
Looks fantastic and that opening sequence with the black horse and the red powder - gorgeous - as is Cillian Murphy
Commie guy was scouse but that's ok surely because he's an outsider infiltrating the workers so that didn't bother me. Thought he was very menacing though - in a good way.
I'm going to enjoy this

[iloveweetos]

Ice recorded it and will watch later tonight. Glad everyone's enjoying it. Is it 6 episodes?

[valonqar]

I thought that about the accents but then I read that they're apparently historically accurate for the time because the brummie accent hadn't quite evolved iyswim? I liked it although I wasn't sure about the music at times and the singing barmaid spy was a bit odd.

[Davros]

Yes, the music was a but Plunkett and MacLaine. Barmaid who doesn't get gang banged because of her singing (which I didn't think was that good anyway)! Actors obviously don't need to be from somewhere to do the accent but some are better at it than others and this was a real mixture

[squoosh]

People need to get over the accents, unless you're very familiar with the accents in question it doesn't really matter. It's a bit ridiculous to expect only actors from the geographical location being depicted to be cast.

I thought it was a promising first episode, Cillian Murphy is such a good actor.

[NanettaStocker]

I'm very familiar, having lived 20 years in small heath. People need to understand that Lenny Henry, Julie Walters and most "brummie" accents you hear on tv are actually black country.

Small Heath has always been full of immigrants from everywhere. You grew up with brummie mixed with your parents, neighbours and friends. Someone really did spot I was from there by my wandering accent.

[NanettaStocker]

And actually, I'm chuffed to bits that a-list actors have spent time researching and practising to get our accent spot on for the time and done the best they can. Growing up in an area with such a horrible reputation wasn't pleasant and this has made me damn proud to see it getting some positive attention.

[GemmaTeller]

Watched it on iplayer yesterday and thought it very promising.

Loved the music!

[Gingerdodger]

Thought this showed lots of promise. And not just because of Cillian Murphy. It was pretty brutal though.

That's really interesting about the accents and the development of the brummy accent over time.

I actually thought the worst accent was Sam Neill's.

[Davros]

I think it's very far fetched that the accents are so varied for historical authenticity, it sounds like an excuse for the inconsistency. Of course you can have characters from elsewhere with different accents but a close family who do everything together with lots of different accents? I don't think it matters if the programme is good but you can't help noticing. Russell Crowe still gets ribbed for his Robin Hood!

[alemci]

I think it was meant to be the authentic accent of 80 yrs ago and they had researched it. also wouldnt it have other influences such as irish. don't accents change?

.this was ok but quite depressing

[Davros]

Cillian Murphy is interviewed in the new Radio Times and the challenge of the accent is mentioned. He says he went to the pub with the writer in Birmingham and listened to him and his mates and recorded them on his phone to learn the accent. No mention of any historical aspect, just a load of Brummie blokes in the local boozer.

[squoosh]

Oh well, makes a nice change to have an Irish actor mangling an English accent

[Gingerdodger]

Maybe Cillian and co are speaking pissed Brummy if they all learnt it in the pub?

[alemci]

Davros on another site the implication was that the researchers spoke to some Octogenarian Brummies to get a flavour of the accent. Perhaps they were in the pub?

[Davros]

I've always thought its a shame that the midlands accent is so vilified. My dad was from Wolverhampton, that us a good one! I like any distinctive accent wherever it's from