Plan B Forum

Last weekend a few of us were in NYC and stopped in at a small art house theater to see an older film (Love and Anarchy, a film I love by the Italian director Lina Wertmuller--it had been years since I saw it and I do not have it on DVD, laser disc, or even tape). Much to my chagrin, it was a dubbed version instead of subtitled; I personally hate most dubbed films because I feel that it robs you of seeing the interpretation of the original cast and director, not to mention that dubbing is usually badly done. At dinner we discussed my disappointment and I was surprised to find that a few of my friends, some of whom enjoy non-English films as much as I do, prefer dibbing to subtitles; I even heard the old "I don't pay money to sit and read the dialog", as well as comments that it detracts from experiencing the film, especially when the dialog is extensive.

I figured I'd ask the people here what you prefer, dubbing or subtitling, and if there are times when that might change.

Generally BigRR I prefer subtitles when those are shown clearly in white letters against a black background below the (correctly sized) film. I find that often when the subs are superimposed over the film they (a) detract from what the director and camera are doing and (b) cannot be read against many coloured or even b/w/grey background images.

While subtitles are always (for me) difficult in the first few minutes of a movie, they seem to become less significant as time goes on. If one is a rapid reader there is not much distraction away from the images and voices, the acting and lighting that we're supposed to be watching. However, many people (while proficient readers) are not quick - they don't take in an entire sentence at a glance but really do "read" words individually from left to right (or right to left depending on the language of course).

Dubs often are more distracting to me as I'm usually sidetracked into mentally complaining about the obvious lack of synch between sound and visuals.

These days I'm afraid that if Margaretta and I rent a DVD we tend to turn on the English subtitles - not because of advancing deafness but because many modern movies seem to be made in echo chambers or amidst a cacaphony of ambient sounds whilst the actors are in fact being dubbed in a studio by voiceovers from folks wearing pillows over their mouths and mumbling as swiftly as possible.

Meade

Depends what I'm watching.

Live action I prefer subtitles. Anime I need dubbed. (or dubbed with subtitles the difference between the two is often amazing) for some reason I can't focus on reading while watching anime.

for some reason I can't focus on reading while watching anime

CP, it's to do with the brain being put on hold.....

not at all (you need to watch more if that's your view) I think it has more to do with a greater interpretation required for the more abstract drawing than photo realism.

Meade---while I do prefer subtitles over black, using a different color, such as yellow, often makes them easier to read over the picture.

Crackpot--I don't watch all that much anime, so I can't say, but dubbing something animated would probably be easier for me to take as the lips and voice rarely match up in animated films, especially Japanese ones.

I much prefer subtitles to dubbing; I find the dubbing way more distracting, and I like the sound of the actors' actual language even if I don't understand it.

I once saw a version of The Harder They Come with English subtitles, which I thought was a hilarious concept.

I'm a slow reader, but I would rather read subtitles. Saw Das Boot that way.

ETA

Italian director Lina Wertmuller

An Italian with that name?

Subtitled.

Is it true that some English films like "Trainspotting" are subtitled for US audiences due to the strong accents?

I've never seen one like that in the theaters, but I know many people will turn on the DVD subtitles, when available, if the accents are heavy. I've done it myself.

Done well, I don't find subtitles distracting. As noted above, if they are there from the beginning, it just becomes part of the film experience. If I'm not expecting the subtitles (such as they suddenly jump from English to German and they provide subtitles for the Americans/mono-linguals) it's more distracting because now my brain has to wake up and process the words when it "wasn't ready".

But of course, if I'm watching vintage "Kung Fu" movies, you must have the bad dubbing. That's part of the charm of the genre.

Point taken re Kung Fu films eddieq, Godzilla movies as well.

eddieq wrote: But of course, if I'm watching vintage "Kung Fu" movies, you must have the bad dubbing. That's part of the charm of the genre.

Which funny movie had a wonderful parody of that in it? Was it one of the airplane ones?

Police academy?

Yep, that was it!!

Gob--there was a movie a number of years back, Kentucky Fried Movie, that had a segment that was just like a badly dubbed King Fu film. Woody Allen also did a movie in the 60s called What's Up Tiger Lilly where he dubbed funny lines into a Japanese spy thriller. Dubbing was pretty bad there as well.

Kentucky Fried Movie,

Now there's a movie I have not thought of in years.

For good reason.

Sue U wrote:...

I once saw a version of The Harder They Come with English subtitles, which I thought was a hilarious concept.

The harder They Come was released with subtitles for the first part of the movie. Probably a good decision given the density of the Jamaican patois to ears not attuned to it. Still, one of my favorite musicals!

yrs,
rubato