Dubbing VS Subtitles

[Raffine]

Dubbing on old imported horror and muscleman movies are most of the charm for me. I've actually saw one in original language with subtitles and it just wasn't fun.

I'll second that, and add kung fu flicks.  I don't think I could watch a Shaw Bros. movie with subtitles.

As a general rule, I'd say bad movies should be dubbed, good movies subtitled.

I'll third that. If it's THE BICYCLE THIEF give me subtitles - if it's HERCULES AGAINST THE MOON MEN give me dubbing.

[asimpson2006]

Subtitles all the way, unless it's anime, in which case it's either or [sometimes its just easier, since there's alot of anime that is quite fast paced and you miss a bit with subtitles.]

It depends for me.  I'm pretty good with subs and I like watching sub stuff.  With live action watching another language come through someone lips never sounds organic.  With animated movies or shows I can go either or since even if something is dubbed into another language it seems organic.

[Rev. Powell]

Dubbing on old imported horror and muscleman movies are most of the charm for me. I've actually saw one in original language with subtitles and it just wasn't fun.

I'll second that, and add kung fu flicks.  I don't think I could watch a Shaw Bros. movie with subtitles.

As a general rule, I'd say bad movies should be dubbed, good movies subtitled.

I think your general rule is good, but I'd like to add SOME of the Shaw Bros. films actually qualify as good.  Come Drink With Me, for instance, or One-Armed Swordsman.  Both have some legitimately good acting and stories to tell, ones good enough to stand on their own without the martial arts bloodshed.  Of course, once you get to the mid 70s and on, Shaw Bros. didn't put out too many films like that anymore.

Point taken.  I am thinking of the late 70s/80s chopsocky-mill era.  I've never seen any of the "good" Shaw Bros. entries, though I'd like to someday.

[schmendrik]

I think I agree with the good=subtitle, bad=dubbed.

Even though I think I'd like to hear Bruce Lee's voice speaking Chinese, I grew up with dubbed Bruce Lee & ripoff movies and got used to bad cheesy dubs. And some of the choices for dubbing voices (for black Americans or evil Japanese for instance) are absolutely hilarious. It's definitely part of the experience.

On the other hand, I watch a fair amount of new release art-house stuff, and I want subtitles on those. I want to hear the actors voices.

[GilbyFromMagoombo]

Dubbing: good for anime, and any foriegn horror or kung-fu film made before the 1980's.

Subtitles: good for everything else, I don't mind reading

[Xenorama]

glad i don't have to choose between either much- you usually get the option these days.
Bruce spoke English lines in his movies.  all of them.  naturally, since HK shot silent he was dubbed over in Mandarin, Cantonese (which he spoke) and English.  so the "sub-elitist" argument of "hearing the original actors voices" doesn't always hold water with HK movies well into the mid-90s.  sometimes they got the actors to dub their own voices, sometimes they didn't.

i'm glad that a lot of the Toho movies have their original US dubs retained.

David

[Monster Jungle X-Ray]

I am on both sides here as well, for arty Kurosawa, Bergman type films I prefer the subs. With old kung-fu, and sword and sandal films that is part of the charm for me. The '80s-90s Jackie Chan films I enjoy either way.

One film that I saw in the theater way back when was Akira, and I have the Streamline vhs with the same dubbing. Now I was completely excited when the special edition DVD came out, but lo it was a new dub that while it may be closer to the story completely sucked!!! Until the Streamline version comes out, its subs all the way on that one.

Another that I was always curious about was Mad Max, I had grown up with the dubbed version and had always heard the Australian soundtrack was superior. I finally saw it about a year ago, and it was a mixed bag for me. Of course Mel Gibson sounded much better with his own voice, but characters like the Night Rider just didn't sound right which is crazy. I know its probably just nostalgia on my part.