I'm guessing you felt things were getting boring around here....................eh, Pericles? 

To be honest, yes. I appreciate the input from my British friends, as in our recent discussion of English/American terms  I am seriously interested in the English tendency to turn classical music into national hymns.

In America we have, of course, the Star Spangled Banner, but we also hear "My Country 'Tis of Thee" sung to the tune of "God Save The King",  "America the Beautiful" and "Battle Hymn of  the  Repubic" (..mine eyes have seen the glory)

So, just curious, not trolling.

I think it was just an accepted way of doing things. "Jerusalem" is actually based on William Blake's poem, itself based on the 23rd Psalm. The melody was composed & added afterwards.

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I really never understood this one as I never liked it. Although it's the official British national anthem it's not popular in England or the UK.

LOL Ranger. Say what you like about British movies. They might not be internationally popular & rarely make a profit but they're invariably better in every way than anything that comes off the Hollywood production line.

Now that we're in to it, the best British movie of all time is Clockwork Orange. 1984+.  The soundtrack had Pomp and Circumstance #1 and #4 (there are 6 of them) and Beethoven #9.

I think you've hit the nail on the head Jim.  Whilst I don't agree that Clockwork Orange is the best British movie of all time it does illustrate the point that you can make a damn good movie here and fail to make much from it.

Will

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I would have to disagree strongly with this. Clockwork Orange is seen as acceptable now & even regarded as a classic in some quarters. Gratuitous violence is not & should not be classed as entertainment. Has it ever occurred to anyone that the acceptance & glorification of this sort of crap coincides with the general decline in morals & decency in our society?

Ranger have you ever seen Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, or Snatch. They're both Guy Ritchie movies and British. IMO some of the best  material put out in a while. American movies IMO (and I'm American mind you) are like listening to a broken record, it's the same thing over and over. Good guy vs Bad Guy--Bad Guy beats up good guy--Good Guy makes miraculous comeback---followed by cheesy 1/2 hour long fight scene--with a few sex scenes sprinkled on for good measure.

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I seen those movies at the rental store. I think I saw Snatch, its about the million dollar diamond?

I also agree how Hollywood movies are repetitive. (I'm sick of Segal movies, something bad happens then he kicks butt) Action movies follow the same plot over and over, like what you said. Pretty much love stories are always the same. There is a loving couple, the girl falls in love with some other guy, then she goes for the person she loved in the beginning.

I like how some movies poke at the repetitiveness, like Austin Powers.

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Sorry, my mistake. Please accept my apology.   I'm a bit single minded when it comes to movies, 98% of the time its from Hollywood. Then its either good or bad.

I never knew, Spielberg does stuff in England.

Something I did notice was British accents in Star Wars, from George Lucas.

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Don't apologise Ranger. It's not just you. Most Americans that haven't visited my country seem to have some strange ideas about it - & us. LOL

As for Star Wars. I believe all the effects for the original films were done in the British studios that pioneered the techniques used for many similar films. These studios are still in the forefront of effects today & much in demand. The cast includes famous British actors like Peter Cushing (Grand Moff Tarkin) & the late Sir Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi. Carrie Fisher's "English" accent might be fine in the US but has been much criticised.

I can go back much further than most of you & fondly remember the great black & white classics. Films like The Dam Busters & countless Ealing comedies like "The Lavender Hill Mob" (also starring Alec Guinness) still hold their own today. One of the better war films would have to be "A Bridge Too Far". I doubt it was on general release in the US.

All the Bond films were made here & you must have seen the classic "Italian Job". Coming up to date, the Harry Potter films are made here with a British cast & scripted by a British author. I'm sure there are many more but I rarely watch films now & my memory is fading. I'm not keen on Austin Powers myself as it's typically too in-your-face for my taste in comedy. From what I saw of the first one it's a pale imitation of a British send-up like Peter Sellers & his Inspector Clouseau. I dread to think what the proposed Hollywood version of "The Italian Job" will be like. How can you possibly improve on a masterpiece?

If you haven't seen them you must have heard of Gandhi & Lawrence of Arabia, two examples of the British film industry at its best. Unfortunately, films cost vast amounts of money these days & producers are reluctant to invest in anything featuring actors unknown outside the UK or Europe. This is the main reason for the decline of the industry & the popular trend in low-budget films from our studios.

The best war film ever made must be the original "Das Boot". IMHO
I imagine the subtitles would put many people off watching it but they don't detract from the fine acting & taut drama. This all-German film is an all-time classic.

Oh yeah, and talking about British movies. What about Monty Python and the Holy Grail? Or the Life of Brian? Or the Meaning of Life?

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I'm not saying that Silent. You're missing the point I was trying to make. I was referring to the different film industries. German films are different to French films which are different to British ones. Lumping them all together as "Euro" films is a mistake. There's no such thing as a typical ""European" film.

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I'm sorry but that was the precise point I was trying to make. I always try very hard to explain things as clearly as possible without confusing anyone. This isn't always so easy on an international forum. I must be slipping in my old age. ???

Hagar, you amaze me!!
How in the world can you post info on music and then say you don't know much about it?  Do you sit at the computer with a encyclopida? incredible!!
Didn't I see you on Jepordy once?

Your knowledge is appreciated!!
I love learning something new everyday!!!!

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erm....this is the first part of the "song of the germans" and it's forbidden since the end of WW2,along with the second part.
however ,the third part became the official national anthem in 1991,after the reunion.

i've got the lyrics of the current hymn here,but i don't have an idea how to translate them...

"Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
Für das deutsche Vaterland!
Danach lasst uns alle streben,
Brüderlich mit Herz und Hand!
Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit
Sind des Glückes Unterpfand:
Blüh im Glanze dieses Glückes,
Blühe, deutsches Vaterland!"

i'll try it nevertheless:

"Unity and law and freedom
For the german father land!
Let us strive for this,
Brotherly with heart and hand!
Unity and law and freedom,
Are luck's pledge(??):
Bloom in the glime of this luck,
Bloom ,german fatherland!"

well,at least i tried,eh? 

Well alot of Britain wouldn't like to be considered europe you know. I'm sure Germany wouldn't like to be confused with a country close like France.

The only country in Britain I have seen really embrace Euro policy is Ireland and thats mainly Southern Island (not part of Britain.)

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it was just because of the lyrics - not the music.