Following its successful debut at SXSW in March, writer/director Joe Cornish's 'Attack the Block' had the film community buzzing about its crossover potential. The clever sci-fi horror/comedy about a teenage street gang fending off an alien invasion in their South London housing project was the unquestioned hit of the Austin festival. But possible distributors were worried how the characters' heavy accents and unfamiliar slang would play in North America. When the possibility of adding subtitles was raised, many loudly (and wisely) questioned the logic behind treating an English movie like a foreign language film.
'Attack the Block' hits select theaters on July 29th (without subtitles), but it wouldn't have been the first time an English-language movie was modified for sensitive American ears. When 'Mad Max' was originally released stateside in 1980, the Mel Gibson classic was re-dubbed over similar concerns that the Australian accents would be too tough to decipher. Nowadays, of course, people have no trouble understanding Gibson -- though his publicist might wish they could redub some of the things that have come out of his mouth in recent years.
Still, all the fuss over 'Attack the Block' got us thinking about some other characters and movies that could've used subtitles. Whether they're mumblers, motor-mouths or just downright incomprehensible, here are five characters that make the South London teens in 'Attack the Block' sound like Henry Higgins. Continue Reading
Jennifer Holland Adrianne Curry Stuart Whitman Lisa Ann Walter Daniela Ruah Carl Anthony Payne II Tommy Lee Jones
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