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October 1996, Week 4

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Subject:
From:
Molly Olsen <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 23 Oct 1996 10:51:37 ES
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cyoby @ tcf.ua.edu (Clint Yoby) wrote:
 
>I just recently saw 'Fargo' by the Coen Bros., and although
>I loved the film, I was wondering if any of you webheads
>out there thought the 'Minnesota' accents were used a). as a spoof,
>since they are HIGHLY exaggerated, or b). the Coens casted
>some miserable actors (with the exception of Steve Buscemi) who
>merely THOUGHT they were accurately portraying that sort of accent.
 
Yeah, my whole family is from Minnesota and I agree the accents were way over
the top. The Coens are from Minnesota themselves so I think they meant it as an
affectionate spoof. But the speech patterns were right on, esp. the guy
shoveling snow off his driveway -- he was perfect, kindly but sort of abrupt.
If you ever listen to Prairie Home Companion on NPR, they do a comedy bit
called "How to Speak Minnesotan" -- I think the actors took that and ran with
it. Once PHC did a "Minnesotan....or Canadian?" quiz to try to expose closet
Canadians by getting them to say things like "about" and "milk".
 
You thought the acting was bad, or just the accents? I thought Bill Macy did a
great job.
 
Molly Olsen
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