As a very loyal fan of all things Aardman, I was disappointed today to read the following quote from Mr. Park on the BBC website:

"...I don't feel like I'm making a film for a kid in some suburb of America - and being told they're not going to understand a joke, or a northern saying".

I would like to offer that millions of us American viewers are ALSO adults who, thanks to mainly to the internet and internationally-broadcasted television, are familiar with many regional UK expressions. We love your culture!

Like myself, many of my middle-aged friends have owned Aardman videos for several years, and despite the unfortunate generalisation above, are eagerly awaiting this latest outing.

Please do not write ALL of us off as ignorant children!

calm down Nicks not really bothered about how people abroad would feel. hes doing what english people will understand. they were born here so hes most likely going to do wat english people would understand to make them more british

Suzanne - If I were American, I too would feel a little affronted by those "kid in some suburb of America" comments that Nick P made. But let's look at it this way - No doubt many Americans have grown accustomed to "Britishisms" from programmes exported from the BBC, ITV etc. as we, in Britain, have become accustomed to "Americanisms" thanks to US imported TV programmes for all these years - a learning curve for viewers both sides of the Atlantic! If Americans can fall in love with such programmes as "Are You Being Served?", "Coronation Street", "The Office" and "Life On Mars" - I'm talking about the original UK versions of the latter two in their vernacular - then why were US executives (allegedly- emphasis - ALLEGEDLY) breathing down Nick P's neck over how & would translate Stateside when they were already Oscar winning smash hits?????? IF this allegation is true, then the US executives who are to blame for underestimating the intelligence of their Stateside audiences, not Nick P. By the 'eck! What a to-do, eh, Gromit? Proper cheesed off, aren't we?

hes saying he is over the phase of having wallace & Gromit in hollywood hes gone bac 2 basic 30 min films

Amen to that, anti-pesto!

Suzanne - I'm German and I can read between the lines of what Nick Park meant. His intention was not to offent the kids in the suburbs of America. It took longer to make the films with Dreamworks, because they don't wanted typical british humor.

From my opinion the Films in coorperation from Dreamworks with Aardman or the other way round was good. But Aardman can do it also alone as we can see it by the recent short films.

I understand the british humor including the black.
With my godfather from Britain I'm making some sort of competition - who is bringing the best jokes.
He is starting with "I'm your 'godfather'" spoken like an Italian (Film: The godfather)...

And I like Mr. Bean with his sort of humour.
A bit in this direction I also like "Monk".
Imagine what happens when Mr. Bean would meet "Monk" in Amerika...

I place my statement also at an other discussion about the interview with Nick Park.

Greetings to Amerika - Make Peace not War...

Thanks to everyone for your comments - wow!

Even though I have made my home in Canada (remaining a U.S. citizen) for over a decade, I still have a somewhat thin skin when it comes to hearing assumptions about Americans...

I would like to think that I am in a growing percentage of Americans who cannot -or will not- identify with the so-called "culture" that we export to the rest of the world. When I spent six months backpacking around Australia, I was mortified to see old re-runs of Baywatch, Melrose Place, NFL Football etc., and realised that this is a large part of what others see of us. (And don't get me started on U.S. politics-- I didn't vote for him)...

Anyway, I'll try to be more empathetic of the demands our U.S. movie executives must be imposing on Mr. Park and others... I imagine that it is likely pretty tough to agree to those sorts of creative restrictions when he could more freely appeal to his loyal fans at home.

I too am sure that Nick's comment was a subtle dig at Dreamworks and their alleged attempts to 'Americanise' Curse of the Were Rabbit.

Nick P must have felt pretty poodled-off to have made a comment like that in the first place. Hopefully, Nick is feeling encouraged by the strong, positive and encouraging reaction to &'s new adventures. All the best, Nick P

This is quite old and how did it suddenly get to the top of the forum?

You're right, Mark! This seems to happen every so often for no discernable reason.

Yeah.