The Power of Accents in Film. British vs. Foreign Accents in Villain Portrayals

Seminar paper from the year 2024 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 2,3, University of Kaiserslautern (Anglistik), course: Voice Training, language: English, abstract: This paper explores the role of accents in shaping the iconic figure of the villain in films, with a focus on the British accent, particularly 'Standard English' and 'Received Pronunciation.' By analyzing the portrayal of villains like Hans Gruber in 'Die Hard' (1988), the paper investigates how accents such as British, American, German, and Asian influence audience perception. It delves into the cultural and social implications behind these accent choices, examining how they contribute to a villain's aura of sophistication or menace. Additionally, the research highlights the risks of perpetuating negative stereotypes through accent usage in film, while discussing the media's role in shaping global perceptions of foreign accents.