Why does the US media love to portray villans with British accents?

[OC Investor2]

Originally Posted by SeanAaron

By British I specifically mean English.

Some well known examples; Jaffar(Aladdin), Stewie Griffin(Family Guy), Van Pelt(Jumanji), Miss Trunchball(Matilda), Scar (The Lion King), Maleficent(Sleeping Beauty), Wicked Stepmother(Cinderella), David Bowie(Labyrinth) and Anthony Hopkins(The Silence of the Lambs).

This seems to be a favourite tactic of Disney What's the history behind this are Americans secretly subconsciously terrified of us Brits

Not Brits, Aristocrats.

There is a certain association with the upper class english accents with blue bloods or upper class, old money wealth, even in america. The old WASP's are often potrayed as talking with an effected english accent. Old style WASPs are also favorite movie villians as well. Ergo, many villans have the accent.

The other factor is many of the actors you mentioned above are brits, so I guess the writers/directors saw no reason for them to alter there speech as part of there charachter.

[GloryB]

Originally Posted by SeanAaron

By British I specifically mean English.

Some well known examples; Jaffar(Aladdin), Stewie Griffin(Family Guy), Van Pelt(Jumanji), Miss Trunchball(Matilda), Scar (The Lion King), Maleficent(Sleeping Beauty), Wicked Stepmother(Cinderella), David Bowie(Labyrinth) and Anthony Hopkins(The Silence of the Lambs).

This seems to be a favourite tactic of Disney What's the history behind this are Americans secretly subconsciously terrified of us Brits

Maybe because they sound more mysterious???
They use the same accent when doing most Biblical based movies as well.

[Visit a Library]

Originally Posted by SeanAaron

By British I specifically mean English.

Some well known examples; Jaffar(Aladdin), Stewie Griffin(Family Guy), Van Pelt(Jumanji), Miss Trunchball(Matilda), Scar (The Lion King), Maleficent(Sleeping Beauty), Wicked Stepmother(Cinderella), David Bowie(Labyrinth) and Anthony Hopkins(The Silence of the Lambs).

This seems to be a favourite tactic of Disney What's the history behind this are Americans secretly subconsciously terrified of us Brits

Because it's not un-PC to pick on White people. BTW, look at who controls Hollywood and you'll better understand matters.

[1AfricanKing]

Originally Posted by SeanAaron

By British I specifically mean English.

Some well known examples; Jaffar(Aladdin), Stewie Griffin(Family Guy), Van Pelt(Jumanji), Miss Trunchball(Matilda), Scar (The Lion King), Maleficent(Sleeping Beauty), Wicked Stepmother(Cinderella), David Bowie(Labyrinth) and Anthony Hopkins(The Silence of the Lambs).

This seems to be a favourite tactic of Disney What's the history behind this are Americans secretly subconsciously terrified of us Brits

You got that right. We're still upset about the war of 1812!

[mongoslade223]

I think it goes back to the idea of the "British Empire"

Great Britain historically has owned vast numbers of land around the world. They are (or were) seen by many as an imperialistic society whose tentacles reach to many lands and conquer the people within them (Asia, Africa, America, etc.)

British Empire - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Notice in the Star Wars movies the Imperial forces all speak with English accents. (So does Obi Wan, by the way).

I think, as a previous poster stated, it also has to do with the vocal tonality and inflection the English posess.

[tehori]

Well it seems a lot of Americans are very easily confused, when I was in the states my New Zealand accent was taken as being English by most.
Of course one or two Philistines made the error of believing I was an Australian.

[Neuling]

I am German and even I find the sound of British English rather cold and ugly, the regional dialects are even worse
But there is a long tradition of British (and to a certain extent even German) actors in Hollywood. Those who have been in the States for a long time probably tend to speak more like Americans (people like Nicolas Coster). Plus, there are Americans who try to speak like Brits for certain roles such as butlers.