OT: Norway (ping David B)

Hi,

I watched _Troll Hunter_ last evening (hint: don't enable English audio... just English subtitles!). Obviously, a "found footage" film. But, how much of it was intended to be tongue-in-cheek vs. addressing a (Norwegian/Scandinavian) cultural issue -- "trolls"? Sunlight? "The blood of a Christian"? etc.

[I am at a loss to suggest a possible parallel for US culture]

Also, the markings on the roads:

It *seemed* like cars "drive on the right" (though many of the roads may have been single lane?). What's a dashed white line on the *right* edge of the roadway intended to mean? I.e., between the traffic lane and the *shoulder*!

Similarly, a dashed yellow double line between lanes (here, yellow would signify a division between traffic moving in different directions; dashed signifying passing is allowed)... *BUT*, the dashes on one side were longer than the other! Is this just "normal variation" in the painting process (perhaps the lines were laid down at different times)? Or, is there some other significance (hard to imagine as making a U-turn on that roadway would confer some different set of privileges/restrictions based on the fact that the dashes on *your* side were now longer/shorter than previously).

Of course, these are just things that tickle my "curiosity"... :>

Thx,

--don

Reply to
Don Y
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It is a fantastic film - very well made, and very entertaining.

It is /very/ tongue-in-cheek - the star actor is a comedian, even though he is deadly serious in the film. And while trolls have a strong background in Norwegian mythology and culture ("trolls", or "giants", are hugely important to the Noron mythology and religion from Scandinavia and Northern Europe), plenty of inspiration is taken from modern fairy tales - "blood of a Christian", or catching trolls by tying a goat to a bridge.

US culture is too young to have any equivalent myths, legends and cultural background. Trolls have been in Norway for thousands of years

- it is only a few hundred years ago that they faded from common believe (as that other belief system, Christianity, finally pushed it out).

Tooth trolls are alive and well in modern Norway:

Yes, we drive on the right. But many roads are not wide enough to have stripes down the middle even though there is enough room for two cars or lorries to pass each other. In general, there are a lot less road markings on Norwegian roads than in the UK, for comparison.

That's the same here.

The solid/dashed/dotted line system is the same in Norway as in the UK, although many roads here have little or no markings. Basically, you may not cross a solid line (except to pass a stationary object, etc.), while a dotted line indicates a good place to cross. A dashed line says you /may/ cross, but it's a bad idea. And if there are two lines in the road, the one nearest you applies to /you/, while the other applies to traffic in the other direction.

Yellow lines are used as dividers between traffic directions on major roads, while white ones are used between lanes going in the same direction.

Reply to
David Brown

One Norwegian curiosity is that the airfield markings are yellow instead of white, as they are better seen in snowy conditions.

--

-TV
Reply to
Tauno Voipio

IMO, there were too many places where it's "believability" was needlessly compromised (e.g., filming the "payoff" to the polish bear delivery guys)

But many single lane roads appeared to have *dashed* white lines on the shoulders. For example, see:

Here, a line that is solid can't be crossed (there are places where this is actually *enforced*! :-/ ) but a dashed line can. The line marking the shoulder is always (?) solid. Note, for example, the shoulders in:

Does this, perhaps, acknowledge that on these narrow ("less than two lanes") roads, there will be occasions where drivers (in each direction!) will *have* to pull onto the shoulder to accommodate oncoming traffic?

There appears to be a refinement of the dash system that doesn't exist here (nor can I recall encountering it in Britain) as it applies to yellow (direction dividing) lines:

continuous: Crossing illegal long dash, short gap (warning line): Crossing (overtaking) legal, but risky short dash, long gap: Crossing legal (good visibility)

I.e., three different cases (and, even more when you consider double line scenarios: neither lane can pass; this direction can pass but not the opposing direction; opposing can pass but not this; anyone can pass).

The scene that I noticed had one side of the "double line" as "long with short" while the other side was "short with long". Given the above, this would indicate it is "ok to pass (overtake)" in both cases; but, riskier for one direction than the other.

Here, we would have: double yellow no passing, either direction solid with dashed no passing for the lane carrying the solid yellow dashed passing for each direction

(In some places, a single yellow line would suffice for double -- solid or dashed indicating the first or third of these criteria)

Thanx!

Reply to
Don Y

It was never meant to be "believable" - despite the format, it is not like the Blair Witch Project. You are supposed to laugh at much of the film, such as the scenes with Piotr's Maleservice (painting service), which are parodies of Polish workers in Norway.

Those are just marking the edge of the road. The dashing here probably means you are allowed to stop at the edge (typically parked half-way off the road).

That could be a possibility. To be honest, I don't know all the details here - my driving license is from the UK before I moved to Norway.

This is normal in the UK (though the lines are white), at least on the roads I drive on holiday (mostly in Scotland).

That sounds right - you would get such a situation near a bend or hill, where traffic in one direction can see far ahead, but the other direction is much more restricted.

Reply to
David Brown

I have not seen the film, so I cannot comment on that.

If you're really interested, here's the official handbook on road markings:

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Yes, we drive on the right.

It means that the road is not wide enough for a center line. Back when I did my license, the number was 5.5 meters, but I cannot find any reference to that number now.

Same here. Yellow between traffic in opposite directions. White for everything else.

Double dashed yellow lines where the lines are of equal length indicates reversible lanes. Traffic can go either way, depending on traffic lights.

There are basically two types of dashed lines. Warning lines have long lines with short spaces, while "lane lines" have short lines with long spaces.

Additionally, if the speed limit is 50 km/h or less, the lines (and spaces) are shorter.

In other words, there are four different dashed lines.

If the line is double, but with different length lines, the line towards your side applies to you. This can also be used with a contiguous line next to a dashed line.

--
RoRo
Reply to
Robert Roland

Ah. Too dependant on "cultural knowledge", then. Much of the humor lost on audiences that aren't aware of the subtleties in the references (even if they aren't so subtle). Like much of the humor in, e.g., _The Blues Brothers_ on a non-US audience.

I much prefer a film to be *totally* "over the top" (not credible) or sufficiently self-consistent to be somewhat believable. E.g., like a pseudo-documentary of our Area 51. I.e., believers would cite it as Truth while others would be skeptical -- yet not have anything *in* the film to which to reference as evidence that the film *was* a joke (like an obviously amateurish special effect, an actor "winking" at the camera, etc.)

Here, the one lane would typically NOT allow "passing". And, typically, the double stripe would alternate between one direction and the other (usually with *both* allowed in the transition region). E.g.,

-------------------- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ----

---- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --------------------

Reply to
Don Y

It's probably worth a watch. The first time I watched it (years ago), I just turned on English subtitles, leaving the audio in Norsk. This distracts a bit from the visuals so you (I) miss some of the quicker transient scenes (which are so common in found footage films). More time *reading* what's going on than *watching* it!

This second viewing I was already familiar with the plot line and many of the details so opted for English spoken audio -- to free my eyes to examine the film more critically (esp images of the "creatures", etc.). Unfortunately, the English audio track was

*really* bad... reminiscent of the sterotypical english over-dubs of Japanese "Kung Fu" movies. So, this made the film much more "hokey".

And, as David has suggested (elsewhere this thread), you'd probably understand more of the cultural references and hidden "jokes".

[My all-time favorite is the Jet Car "dieseling" as it comes to a stop in Buckaroo Banzai... at such a low volume level as to almost make it unhearable!]

Having English text might be more helpful! :> Though I can see there are many more marking combinations (e.g., "dotted" vs. "dashed") than I observed in the film.

One noticeable difference is your intersection markings: here, there are typically markings that denote the formal extents of the "intersection". E.g., as you approach an intersection (and proceed through it), the markings that you *cross* are:

- stop line (marks where you must stop when directed by traffic controls)

- (optional) crosswalk (marks where foot traffic crosses the roadway)

- (optional) extent of intersection (marks where the "intersection" legally begins

The latter is important as it is a "nit" used to enforce certain traffic laws. E.g., if you have past the "stop line" (legally), you are not YET entitled to proceed through the intersection if the traffic control ("stop light") changes BEFORE YOU HAVE COMPLETELY ENTERED THE INTERSECTION.

So, you can be *beyond* the stop line (which marks where you *must* stop) yet still be cited for "running a red light" -- if your vehicle hasn't progressed far enough *into* the intersection (where it can not remain!) before the light changes to "red".

[There are places where enforcement is done via automation -- cameras, etc. If portions of your vehicle have not entered the *formal* intersection when the light changes, you'll be making an involuntary $480 (here) "contribution". :-/ ]
Reply to
Don Y

was it even more unbelievable, or did you mean beer?

tim

Reply to
tim.....

No, he really meant "bear". You just have to watch the film to understand!

Reply to
David Brown

The typo in my above sentence is the 'p' in "Polish", not the 'a' in "bear".

The story's premise is that:

- trolls really *do* exist (not just fairy tales)

- a secret govt organization protects the populace from them

- goal of this organization is to *hide* the existence of trolls (let folks think they are things of myth and legend)

To that end, any time a troll attacks (people/tourists, livestock, etc.) the gummit brings in a bear (in this care from the Polish bear delivery guys -- and the "payoff" for this delivery) and uses the (now dead!) bear's presence to explain the carnage. Including adding fake bear tracks (incompetently!) in the surrounding soil.

A "US" parallel would be staging a "downed" weather balloon at the Roswell site to "explain" the alleged UFO siting... (having purchased that balloon from a Polish balloon delivery service! :> )

Reply to
Don Y

I never thought otherwise

but I couldn't understand the significance of a bear (unlike beer) being Polish.

Are they different from other bears?

tim

Reply to
tim.....

Actually, they claim it was a *Russian* bear! :>

(Polish bear-delivery-guys)

Reply to
Don Y

If you have not watched W1A go for it, it is hilarious - and I generally cannot watch comedies. After it I discovered and watched also "twenty twelve", to which W1A is a sequel, also as good. I don't think entertainment can be of much higher quality that that...

Dimiter

Reply to
Dimiter_Popoff

You are parsing the sentence incorrectly (not surprisingly - this whole thread is incomprehensible if you haven't seen the film). It was a Polish group that delivered bears, rather than a group that delivered Polish bears. It was a joke on how Polish workers are stereotyped here

- enthusiastic, ready to help, happy to take on impossible tasks with a good will, delivering on time - and yet getting a small but crucial detail totally wrong. (They delivered the wrong kind of bear.)

Reply to
David Brown

Hi Dimiter,

[Expect> If you have not watched W1A go for it, it is hilarious - and I generally
[Note there is also a film called "2012"]

I recall seeing just a couple of episodes. Here, we only get "britcoms" on our public television station(s). And, what they choose to carry seems to vary with the time of day, etc.

I found _Coupling_ to be the most enjoyable of those. The first season of _Shameless_ was fun -- but never saw anything beyond that (and the "US" version of it is undoubtedly not worth watching!)

Reply to
Don Y

We have summer here last few days, too (above 25C, tomorrow they say it will be above 30C, great weather basically). Last year we had virtually none so perhaps we deserve some now :-).

I could not watch "Coupling", it was at the high end of the comedies I cannot watch but still unwatchable to me. I guess I am pretty hard to please... :-). W1A (and twenty twelve,

formatting link
) is the exception, I am sure you can download it one way or the other :-). If you do please let me know how it felt, I did like it a lot (laughing rarely but this is how good humour works I guess).

Dimiter

Reply to
Dimiter_Popoff

We'll spend a few days ~43C. Hopefully this isn't the start of a prolonged *pattern*! :-/ Significantly impacts the irrigation needs of the citrus trees -- looks like this next "crop" will be considerably larger than last year's!

We enjoy the "silliness" of it all. The characters seemed to be well formed sterotypes... I'm not keen on sitting in front of something that wants to *preach* to me or have me thinking "deep thoughts" (I've got

*work* for that! :> )

I'll look around. As I said, most of the britcoms aren't seen, here. Those that are tend to be very old/"stale". Even _Coupling_ is gone, _Dr Who_, etc.

I can't offer any other recommendations -- we watch very little "broadcast TV" (no time for it). Instead, we try to spend our "viewing time" with movies, cartoons, etc. -- things that we are reasonably sure will be worth the time invested! I've been hoping to find a comprehensive _Road Runner_ collection... sheer delight! (as were many of the original _Pinky & The Brain_ episodes -- before they got their own show! :< )

[Even then, I tend to "watch" with just one eye -- typically using the TV as "background noise" while I work on something else]

Time to make some ice cream!

Reply to
Don Y

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