American DVDs will not play in most English DVD players due to regional encoding differences. DVDs are divided into six regions worldwide, and Region 1 (North America) is incompatible with Region 2 (Europe, including the UK). When you insert a Region 1 DVD into a Region 2 player, it will simply not play.
However, there are several workarounds. Many computer DVD drives can play DVDs from multiple regions, though typically after changing the region setting a limited number of times. Some DVD players sold internationally, particularly older models or budget options, are region-free and will play DVDs from any region. Additionally, streaming services and digital purchases have largely made physical region restrictions less relevant for accessing content.
If you need to watch American DVDs in England regularly, your best options are purchasing a region-free DVD player, using your computer if it supports multi-region playback, or exploring digital alternatives. When buying DVDs, check the packaging for the region number (usually displayed as a globe with a number) to ensure compatibility with your player.