Ask a Dane.

[NovaKart]

What is the difference between backwardness and being behind? Also, what I meant with ""You take religion serious": It has an important role in your public arena. In Europe it tends to be more private. Like a hobby.
@Nova Cart
Yes, yes you do. I witnessed it personally. Creepy!

But lord what am I doing. This is the Danish thread.

Is there a lot of donair in Denmark? How does it feel to live in such a tiny country? Is there (projected) trouble due to rising sea levels? What do you like the most and what the least about your country?

The Pledge of Allegiance isn't a hymn, it's not sung. In every school I attended we did it the first week and after that very rarely.

Anyway to justify responding to this off-topic discussion I have to ask another question about Denmark.

What do you consider the most important film in Danish cinema history. I've only seen Haxan, which is really really old and half-Swedish kind of, and Idioterne, actually I stopped watching that one cause I just couldn't get into it and the scene where they're having an orgy I was like, what is this? Well I have seen several of Lars Von Triers' English movies but I don't think I'd really count them if they don't even take place in Denmark or have Danish actors. I've though about starting a thread of most important movie from members' countries but I was worried it would start to get too into much discussion about American movies but maybe I'll do that later anyway.

Also, I saw the American version of the Killing, Forbrydelsen and then I started watching the Danish version but the first episode is so much like the American version that I felt, why am I watching the same show. The American version made so many ridiculous plot twists that I got fed up with it so I was wondering if anyone is familiar with the original version and if it also did that or if it was pretty good.

 

[Angst]

Haven't seen Forbrydelsen.

Festen is an excellent movie. There's also Bænken. And Anklaget. And the Riget series. And Pelle Erobreren. There is plenty of good stuff to dig for if you know where to look. You have to like drama movies though.

EDIT: THere's also Kunsten at græde i kor, Arven and Drabet.

 

[NovaKart]

Thanks I'll check those out on IMDB when I have time. Haxan had the most unintentionally funny ending of a movie I've ever seen. At the end when women are burned for witchraft the end title comes up and it says Slut (end in Swedish, the titles were in Swedish).

 

[IdiotsOpposite]

The Pledge of Allegiance isn't a hymn, it's not sung. In every school I attended we did it the first week and after that very rarely.

Really? In every school I attended it was mandatory every day all the way through 12th grade. I was sent to the principal's office for not reciting it in elementary school. By high school, I'd learned to just stand up and chant the meaningless words along with everyone else.

I feel like someone's going to rip me for calling it "meaningless words", but you say anything enough times and it DOES become meaningless. Try it sometime, it even works with your own name.

 

[Andvare]

The Pledge of Allegiance isn't a hymn, it's not sung. In every school I attended we did it the first week and after that very rarely.

Anyway to justify responding to this off-topic discussion I have to ask another question about Denmark.

What do you consider the most important film in Danish cinema history. I've only seen Haxan, which is really really old and half-Swedish kind of, and Idioterne, actually I stopped watching that one cause I just couldn't get into it and the scene where they're having an orgy I was like, what is this? Well I have seen several of Lars Von Triers' English movies but I don't think I'd really count them if they don't even take place in Denmark or have Danish actors. I've though about starting a thread of most important movie from members' countries but I was worried it would start to get too into much discussion about American movies but maybe I'll do that later anyway.

Also, I saw the American version of the Killing, Forbrydelsen and then I started watching the Danish version but the first episode is so much like the American version that I felt, why am I watching the same show. The American version made so many ridiculous plot twists that I got fed up with it so I was wondering if anyone is familiar with the original version and if it also did that or if it was pretty good.

The most important film would either be "Idioterne" and "Festen" or "Pelle Eroberen". The former because it started the boom in good quality Danish film production, introduced Dogme 95 to the world and in general changed the face of both Danish, but also international film industry. The latter because it showed that Denmark could actually produce quality flicks, even to the degree of having success outside of Denmark. Lars von Trier, whether you like him or not, have had a huge impact of the film industry.

If you like "Blinkende Lygter", try "I Kina Spiser De Hunde". That is a very funny movie, though not being a Dane, you will probably not get all the jokes. The sequel isn't nearly as good, but does have some excellent scenes. Here is one where, due to some very poor English skills, the protagonists orders a room "where you can hold meat, with a towel":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgdceI098dQ&feature=related

Quite possibly only funny if you understand Danish.

 

[Save_Ferris]

Really? In every school I attended it was mandatory every day all the way through 12th grade. I was sent to the principal's office for not reciting it in elementary school. By high school, I'd learned to just stand up and chant the meaningless words along with everyone else.

I feel like someone's going to rip me for calling it "meaningless words", but you say anything enough times and it DOES become meaningless. Try it sometime, it even works with your own name.

If they're meaningless, what harm's in reciting them?

 

[IdiotsOpposite]

If they're meaningless, what harm's in reciting them?

The only harm is in getting punished for not doing it, of course.

 

[Terxpahseyton]

I think the greater harm is the mindless patriotism this aims for.