From: k206027@smog.DKRZ-Hamburg.DE (Bakayaroo Banzai)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.movies
Subject: Speed Racer (Was Re: ZARDOZ)
Date: 4 Jan 93 14:11:06 GMT
Organization: Deutsches Klimarechenzentrum GmbH, Hamburg

In article <6269@vexpert.dbai.tuwien.ac.at> mst@vexpert.dbai.tuwien.ac.at (Markus Stumptner) writes:
>From article <1993Jan4.074733.1053@news.DKRZ-Hamburg.DE>, by k206027@smog.DKRZ-Hamburg.DE (Bakayaroo Banzai):
>> In article <6258@vexpert.dbai.tuwien.ac.at> mst@vexpert.dbai.tuwien.ac.at (Markus Stumptner) writes:

[......] 

> 
>>>> His films all seem to have the sound quality of a
>>>> dubbed Japanese monster movie. Check out Arthur (Speed Racer) King of
>>>> the Britons in Excalibur if you don't believe me.
>
>>>Why should I?  I don't really care, and I don't see what this has to
>>>do with plot line or logic of Zardoz.
>
>> Lighten up Markus. I was making some general comments about Boorman's
>> body of film work, not specific comments about Zardoz.
>
>Don't worry, I'm not shouting at you. :-) I just wanted to make the
>distinction between Zardoz-plot-specific and Boorman-general topics
>clear.  Now, what's that "Speed Racer" comment about?  It's been years
>since I've watched Excalibur.
> 
Always glad to extend the boundaries of the "Known Speed-Racer Universe"!

Speed Racer was a pretty nifty Japanese cartoon from the late 60's which
was shown all over the US for several years and consequently generated 
a large cult following. It was the tender story of a boy (Speed) and
his gadget-laden racing car (The Mach 5). Other incidental characters
included Speed's girlfriend Trixie, his father Pops, and his little
brother Spritle who was forever stowing away in the trunk of the Mach 5 
along with his pet chimpanzee, Chim-chim. 

In typical Japanese Anime style the dubbing was usually atrocious with
the character's mouths continuing to move long after they were finished
speaking. In order to cover this up the dubbers would often add a 
gratuitous scream or yell at the end of the sentence to fill up the
character's flapping lips. For example, Speed might say something like,
"Spritle! Chim-chim! What are you doing in the trunk? Aaaaaahhhhh!!!!!"

As for the relevance of this to Excalibur i've pointed out in past 
discussions that the rather obvious looping of Arthur's dialogue in the
film produces an effect rather similar to that of watching Speed Racer
cartoons and the sound of Nigel Terry's voice in the role is very similar
to some of the characters dubbed in SR. Throughout the film I kept expecting
Arthur to add an "Aaaaaaahhhh!!!" at the end of his sentences or at 
least to open up a treasure chest in Camelot and exclaim, "Lancelot!
Geneviere!(sp?) What are you doing in the trunk?!"

Smileys for everyone
 
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