Movies in foreign languages

[The Burgomaster]

I have a few comments/questions about movies in foreign languages.

1.  If you have a choice between watching a dubbed version or a subtitled version, which do you prefer?

2.  Have you ever watched a dubbed DVD, but also had the subtitles on?  Sometimes, it is very interesting because the spoken dialogue may be translated in such a way that the actors lips move almost in synch with the dubbed voices, but the subtitles are more "accurate" translations of the dialogue.  As a result, the conversation that you hear may be quite different from the subtitles that you read.  (The basic content of the conversation is usually about the same, but many of the specifics may be quite different).  A good example is DAS BOOT.  If you listen to the dubbed version and read the subtitles at the same time, you will be surprised at how different some of the conversations are.  Some scenes actually have a fairly different tone depending on whether you listen to the dubbing or read the subtitles.

3.  Do you get aggravated when they flash lengthy subtitles across the screen too fast for you to read them?

4.  What is the most pleasant foreign language to listen to?  The most irritating?

5.  Do you simply REFUSE to watch dubbed or subtitled movies?

[Susan]

If it's a b-movie, dubbed all the way..heh. If it's just a regular foriegn film - always subtitled. There is nothing more wretched then being distracted by really bad dubbing on a really good film. Plus whether or not you can understand the character is irrelevant, often an actor can convey much emotion and humor in the tone of their voice that is entirely lost in dubbing.

>>Do you get aggravated when they flash lengthy subtitles across the screen too fast for you to read them?
<<

I'm a fast reader. ;-) Actually some languages are quick-speaking so there is almost no choice..particularly when there is heavy dialogue, i've never had a problem with it tho. I've found overall men seem to really dislike reading during a film than women (from those I know)

[AndyC]

I don't mind subtitles and I've enjoyed many subtitled movies, but I'll take good dubbing if I can get it, or as Susan said, bad dubbing if it's a b-movie.

I can appreciate that the written translation might be slightly more accurate, but I don't see what is so superior about reading the dialogue off the bottom of the screen. Seems like snobbery to me, but that's just my opinion.

I have seen some pretty frustrating examples of subtitling. A few years ago, I rented a tape of Solaris, in Russian with subtitles. The video was actually taken from a subtitled print of the film, with the type sized for a theatre screen. On my TV, I had to squint to make it out. There was also a problem with the subtitles appearing several seconds after a character started speaking, then disappearing immediately after he stopped. Add to that the slow pace and general dullness of the movie, and I finally just gave up.

I can also recall renting an anime once that often had characters talking over each other, fast moving dialogue, occasionally intercoms in the background, and subtitles desperately trying to show it all. I could keep up, but it was distracting and took the fun out of the movie.

As for the best sounding languages in foreign films, I like the sound of Japanese, and German sounds pretty cool too.

[Ash]

My all time favorite foreign film is "Stalingrad".
I prefer to hear German soldiers speak in German.

I watched the dubbed version of it on DVD and it was horrendous!

[JohnL]

I'll watch subtitled movies, but I usually prefer them dubbed (assuming the dubbing is well done). I'm not the fastest reader in the world and sometimes I don't have time enough to read all the dialog. I've also seen films where the subtitles blend into the background making them hard to read. Not to mention that spending the entire movie looking at the bottom of the screen tends to make me miss parts of the action.

[dean]

i love foriegn films, especially hong kong cinema and dodgy jap horror films.

my general rule of thumb is if the film is anime, it is good to be dubbed, but if it is live action its better to have subtitles.  i just get really annoyed when the voices don't match the movie; its hidden better in anime.

i remember watching an old jackie chan movie which had gangsters in it, but it was completely ruined by the gangster accents the voice actors put on [actually on second thought it was pretty funny, but i just wanted the action, and it was a bit distracting.]

i actually really like listening to movies in other languages, so i don't really have a favourite.

i know the dubbed version of crouching tiger is a bit different to the subtitles; some things were changed but i can't think of any off the top of my head.  personally i think alot of meaning is lost when translating, but subtitles seem a bit better.  though a chinese friend of mine was telling me that both were fairly inaccurate when watching a hong kong action flick called time and tide.

I really get annoyed when the subtitles are white, and then there is a scene in the desert or something, and you can't read a damn thing.  very annoying.

[Scott]

I liked dubbed films, but with the DVD it is nice to have both versions.

Example: DJANGO is a poorly dubbed film, but the DVD provides both versions. Both dubbed, subtitled, and of course the nice extras.

[mr. henry]

since the art of acting includes voice inflection and emotion, i'll take subtitles over dubbed any day.

[Neon Noodle]

The Burgomaster wrote:

> I have a few comments/questions about movies in foreign
> languages.
>
> 1.  If you have a choice between watching a dubbed version or a
> subtitled version, which do you prefer?

I will always take the subtitled version, without question. Dubbing can ruin the flow of a movie.
Though this is not the best example; take the original Resident Evil video game. The translation was SO horrendous, it was laughable...The whole "MASTER OF UNLOCKING" speech was the cheeziest thing I've ever heard.
>
> 2.  Have you ever watched a dubbed DVD, but also had the
> subtitles on?  Sometimes, it is very interesting because the
> spoken dialogue may be translated in such a way that the actors
> lips move almost in synch with the dubbed voices, but the
> subtitles are more "accurate" translations of the dialogue.  As
> a result, the conversation that you hear may be quite different
> from the subtitles that you read.  

>  If you listen to the dubbed version and read the subtitles at
> the same time, you will be surprised at how different some of
> the conversations are.  Some scenes actually have a fairly
> different tone depending on whether you listen to the dubbing
> or read the subtitles.

I always watch DVDs with the subtitles on. I have a family member that is over 70% deaf, so I watch all television and movies with captioning. I can visualize subtitles whenever I watch a movie in the theater now. The only time I turn them off is while watching a horror movie; since it ruins the suspense.

I agree that the subtitling can give out completely different dialogue.
Best example? Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Watch the scene where Jade Fox fights the girl, her father, the bodyguard and Li Mu Bai. If you watch it in English with English subtitles, the dialogue doesn't even come close to matching.

Example: The subtitles say, "Another one!"
The actor says: "How many Jade Foxes are there?"

>
> 3.  Do you get aggravated when they flash lengthy subtitles
> across the screen too fast for you to read them?
>

Nope - I am a fast reader and with years of watching captioned programs it doesn't even phase me anymore.

> 4.  What is the most pleasant foreign language to listen to?
> The most irritating?

The most pleasant is Japanese. I'm convinced it cures insomnia.
The most irritating, Vietnamese. It sounds very rushed to me, with loud intonations throughout.

>
> 5.  Do you simply REFUSE to watch dubbed or subtitled movies?

I prefer hearing a movie in its original language. Sometimes if I am tired I will change the language to English, but I usually will prefer subtitling over dubbing.

It's great to watch movies on TBS or some other channel like that, and sometimes the curses aren't removed from the captioning. One of my favorite goofs on a DVD is in Wargames. One of the characters says "Yes, put it up!" while the subtitling says "Yes, put it put!"



Post Edited (11-27-03 21:53)

[jmc]

I prefer original language, but sometimes it is annoying because subtitles force you to give the film your undivided attention, so I can't use them as background material if I'm working or doing something else with the TV on.

Agree totally about subtitles needing to be the right color....

[FearlessFreep]

Most of the foreging movies I watch are anime, and I'll take dubbing or subtitled.  Either way, I don't care.

Lately I've noticed that one of the local Spansih channels has been playing a lot of movies that I'm familiar enuogh with in English that I'll watch them in Spanish, anyway.  This week had "Running Man" and "Beast Master"

[Vermin Boy]

I agree with Susan; ordinarily I'll take subtitles, but dubbing can make a cheesy movie even more fun! (Plus, being named Oscar, I love watching Story of Ricky and hearing people awkwardly shout, "When Oscar shows his tattoo, he must KILL!") Also, with Godzilla movies, it's worth tracking down both the subbed and dubbed versions, to compare and contrast; the differences in the original and 1985 are really quite profound.

[FearlessFreep]

5. Do you simply REFUSE to watch dubbed or subtitled movies?

My right to complain about what I'm watching pretty much ended when I started putting stuff like "Omega Doom" and "Nemisis II" in my VCR :)

[daveblackeye15]

1) Subtitled. Especialy with Anime.

2) You bet, I sometimes do this with my Fist of the North Star t.v. show dvds. There was even once a movie ,"New Legend of Shaolin" I think, where it was dubbed and subtitled. the subtitles were often a bit different from the dubbing. There was even a scene were nobody was talking and there was still subtitles!!LOL.

3)Yeah. "HEY I WASN'T FINSIHED!! $%^#!!!"

4) I really love listening to the Japanese language, I also find several of the India's dialects very fasinating, Spanish and Chinese as also joys to listen to, and I can't forget U.K, English and Austrailian English (I know both are mostly my language but I like the accents and the slang.) I really don't find any languages irritaing I love listening to a language that is different from english.

5.Look at answeres 1-4.

[wickednick]

I prefer dubbed over subtitles.It usually easyer to follow the movie if you can hear whats going on in your language.I have watched some movies subtitled though, the first 10 min is usually a bit annoying but then your brain seems to speed up and your able to read the subtitles faster.