The Full Monty

[pensnest]

Beast recently offered his dad 'The Full Monty' to watch (FIL approved, mostly I think because it was set in Sheffield, where he was born). The box was lying around, so we watched it yesterday, and today looked at the Extras.

Apparently, many words needed to be translated for the American audience. Which is sad, frankly. We don't get translations from American English, we're expected to manage, and seriously, is it that hard to figure out what 'lassies' means? Or the 'works' band? Or 'top himself'? In context, I don't think any of these words is unclear. The one thing I thought was probably acceptable was 'pounds' for 'stones'. (They didn't like the title either, and it's more understandable that the phrase would be new to the USA, but there is a perfect little scene in the movie where it is explained exactly what it means. Apparently the title only stuck because they ran out of time without figuring out a better title, and had to take the film to Sundance.)

Out of context, it could be harder to get what's being said, but… are these examples really impenetrable? If they are, I'd love to know.

Comments

[gwenhwyfar1984]

They're not impenetrable for the most part to me because I watch shows like Call the Midwife. However, I read them to a family member and yeah, she didn't know. So if she watched (it is not her kind of movie) she would be grateful for the translations. I know a lot of people who would not think it is sad and would be.

[pensnest]

Seeing the words without context makes it a lot harder, I'm sure, but the only one where I would expect the word to be actually confusing if you were watching the movie is 'stones' (and really, I'd have thought they could have put 'pounds' in for us Brits too).

The accent, now... that would probably require subtitles! We used subtitles when watching The Wire, and it really helped.

[dine]

it's been ages since I watched the movie, but I don't remember being especially confused by the dialogue or accents. I don't remember tons about it, just the general plot.

however, without context the 'works' band is throwing me; I can think of several meanings of 'works' but the phrase itself has no meaning for me. unless it's an actual band for a workplace?

[pensnest]

It is, in fact, an actual band (you see them marching past playing their instruments) associated with a 'works' (in this case, a steel mill).

[sporky_rat]

I got everything else sans context but the 'works band' threw me too. Thanks for clearing it up!

(Doing the conversion for stones and pounds always makes me pause, but I'm still used to finding things like an arpent used to measure land here.)

[pensnest]

It's quite interesting that the 'works band' is something that really is confusing. It's not part of my own normal vocabulary (I'm a southerner!) but obviously more culture-based than I'd recognised.

I'm getting used to weighing myself in pounds these days, as that's what our bathroom scale is set up for, but I then have to count back and figure out how many stone I am!

[dine]

yay! I had vague images of that scene, but couldn't be sure I'd not made it up. thanks for clarifying, and reassuring me I'm not completely crazy (yet)

[pensnest]

I'm interested to see how confusing 'works band' actually is! But I think it is pretty clear when you see it in the movie, indeed.

[topaz119]

I remember reviews leading with an explanation of the title when the movie was released here, but I don't think there were any other 'translations' offered and people seemed to like it/understand it just fine...?

[pensnest]

I like the idea that reviewers would explain the title, because it does make sense that the phrase would be unfamiliar - presumably the word substitutions had been made in the film that was shown (eg girls, the factory band, kill himself).

The accent - northern, working class - would have posed more of a problem, I'd have thought, since a 'British accent' is usually presented as Received Pronunciation or "Cockney". I wouldn't blame anybody for watching it with subtitles!

[topaz119]

One of the au pairs we hosted when the boys were small and D was doing the being-a-lawyer grind was from Sheffield and whenever one of her (numerous) boyfriends annoyed her, she'd be storming through the house ranting and raving about him and I swear I'd get maybe 1 in 5 words. I had a better chance understanding my German or French girls than Emma on a tirade. :D

[pensnest]

I went to Glasgow for a weekend a few years ago, and had the *friendliest* taxi driver to take me from the airport to my place of lodging (a student residence, I think). He chattered on happily, and I got maybe one word in three, so I just made appreciative noises. Quite impenetrable!

[brandywine28]

I will concede that a lot of us are somewhat dimwitted over here, but -- no. Not impenetrable, no.

God, now I'm wondering what they would've renamed it. "Male Stripper Comedy #4"? I can't think of a single possibility that doesn't leave me feeling insulted!

[pensnest]

at least 'The Full Monty' is memorable even if you don't know what it means!

[watervole]

I never knew what 'the full Monty' meant until I saw the movie. and I'm a Northener.

But I have no objection to it as a film title. I think the obscurity actually helps as it sounds less crude, and it isn't a crude film.

[pensnest]

I'm not sure I was familiar with it either, though it's hard to remember. THese days I think it can refer to a cholesterol special breakfast!