subtitles or english language dub

pwd · 23-07-2005 9:49pm #1

Watched a fair few films in foreign languages within the last year or so. I was surprised to find that I prefered subtitles to the english language dub where the option was available. What do others prefer?

TerrorFirmer · 23-07-2005 9:57pm

English language dub

Without a doubt subtitles.

Dubbings tend to be uber cheesy, americanized in such a typical way....ugh

subtitles all around

LundiMardi · 24-07-2005 7:38am

i don't mind either really, although i like dubbed jacki chan films, some are just funny!!

Was watching police story the other day and decided to watch it dubbed, but for some reason the english subtitles were still there. At some places there was a huge difference in what was dubbed and what was ACTUALLY said.

For instance, during a shoot out with the 'bad guys'

Dubbed Line - ''Holy crap these guys mean business!''

Subtitle - ''Hey, these guys are mean''

Those damn orientals and their quircky ways

jcoote · 24-07-2005 7:50am

subtitles are fine but are sometimes too loosely translated and as well as that u have to read

...i do prefere em tho cos dubbing can take the drama and conviction away from the actors tone of voice

supersheep · 24-07-2005 12:09pm

English language dub

Dubbing just makes a film into a joke. All the spare lip movements and the like...

pwd · 24-07-2005 2:00pm

English language dub

I think the licentious translation for the dubbing is an attempt to synchronise the audio track with the lip movements.
I've seen movies dubbed so that there are no spare lip movements, although it is still obviously a dubbed movie. What put me off was the cheesiness and removal of conviction that mobileinfantry and jcoote referred to.

Blisterman · 24-07-2005 3:00pm

English language dub

I feel bad for people in non english speaking countries where most of their movies are dubbed.

Capt'n Midnight · 24-07-2005 3:58pm

English language dub

jcoote wrote:

subtitles are fine but are sometimes too loosely translated and as well as that u have to read ...i do prefere em tho cos dubbing can take the drama and conviction away from the actors tone of voice

If the subtitles are bad, what makes anyone think the dubbing isn't worse ? - Though the subtitles by Anthony Burgess for Cyrano were great.

I really detest when a child is dubbed by an american woman with a nasal voice - totally ruins any film it's done in. A lot of younger characters in serious foreign films end up with a spoilt brat voice when the character is going through life changing experiances/adventures.

I can read faster than people speak, so can fast forward past the dull bits and not loose the plot

There is no comparison between seeing Das Boot in the original mini-series format and the "film" version dubbed in American.

And you loose a lot of the background sounds if not done properly.

Pity Poles, if you have Satellite TV it sounds like most of the old dubbing was done by the same man, in a monotone. And Worf and Columbo are soooo wrong in Italian..

As for dubbed Jackie Chan films tbh, for most Hong Kong films the original actors could re-dub themselves.

Kevin_rc_ie · 24-07-2005 4:04pm

English language dub

Subtitles in general, yes, most definitely. But in some asian martial arts flicks, dubbing adds, rather than takes awaya from, the movie going experience. But anything in a European language I'm definitely against Dubbing. But i am aware of some people that under no circumstances would watch a subtitled film, crazy cats.

simu · 24-07-2005 4:07pm

English language dub

Subtitles - I like to hear new languages and it's better to hear people's real voices even if you don't understand the language. More expressive.

arbeitsscheuer · 24-07-2005 4:18pm

English language dub

Subtitles. I bought Das Boot, one of my favourite films, a few years ago and was seriously p*ssed to discover is was the English Dubbed version. And yes, it detracts from the films. Call me a fuddyduddy, but I like German films having German language in them, French with French language, Italian with Italian etc.
And like simu said, I like to hear the original actor's voices as they're more expressive. I noticed that the only really good dubbing in my copy of Das Boot is by Jurgen Prochnow and the second officer - and they both did their own dubbing!! I.E. they knew the precise inflection and emphasis they'd made the first time around etc

Necronomicon · 24-07-2005 5:18pm

Subtitles all the way.

is_that_so · 24-07-2005 5:29pm

English language dub

Many countries built industries around dubbing and used the same actors all the time.
Most famous Hollywood actors had their own special dubber.
Weird hearing John Wayne in Spanish, German( he shouts a lot) or Polish .

Wacker · 24-07-2005 7:36pm

English language dub

I used to work in a shop right beside a cinema, and I'd hear people dicussing what films they were going to watch all the time. I'd often make suggestions. When City of God came out another really big film must have come out at the same time, all though I don't remember what one. I overheard countless people discussing how the big movie was sold out, and I used to suggest City Of God to them. They'd ask me about it, and their interest vanished EVERY TIME that I mentioned the sutitles. I found that bizarre; can't they read? So whats the problem? It was the same with the Motorcycle Diaries.

Subtitles all the way for me. Although I have seen an alarming trend; I have fallen asleep during House Of Flying Daggers, Ong Bak and Kung Fu Hustle! Its easier not to get distracted by the words when you can't understand them. Also, in all three of the above, you could get a few minuted kip and not miss a huge amount.

ixoy · 24-07-2005 7:44pm

English language dub

Subtitles, without a shadow of a doubt. It's too distracting watching people talk, stop, and see their lips still moving nevermind the fact that there's an instinctive wrongness when their lip movements aren't producing the right word.

The subtittles also seem to be done by a small crowd of inexperienced actors. Not being on the film set, not in the same conditions, they can't possibly replicate the original actor's deliveries...

I honestly don't get people who are put off by subtitles to the point they won't see a movie. What's with that? Assuming they're basically literate, can they not read and watch at the same time? Is it that difficult?

Karl Hungus · 24-07-2005 8:33pm

English language dub

I'll never forget The Passion Of Saint Tibulus. The look on the old woman's face as she storms off when she's told it's subtitled, hilarious!

Seriously though, it's not difficult at all to read subtitles, and anyone who says otherwise has never actually tried, or is just a Grade A moron. Successful films like Hero, Crouching Tiger, The Passion Of Sai... The Christ were all subtitled films, and that little fact never got in the way of their success.

Although there is something worse than Dubbing. The ever dreaded "Dubtitles" are one sure fire way to ruin a movie. This is basically when subtitles are created for a DVD release by simply transcribing the dubs, and it can be horrendous! One film in question was the R2 release of Castle In The Sky, where the dub was jazzed up with a lot of additional material that wasn't in the original, so if you tried to watch the film in Japanese with subtitles, you got treated to subtitles popping up when nobody is actually saying anything! This wouldn't be so bad, because the dubs for Miyazaki films are usually top notch, but I'd personally like to shoot James Van Der Beek for his nightmarish voicework!

is_that_so · 24-07-2005 9:21pm

English language dub

Karl Hungus wrote:

Seriously though, it's not difficult at all to read subtitles, and anyone who says otherwise has never actually tried, or is just a Grade A moron.

That is a bit harsh I would say. I know one person who is dyslexic who really struggles with subtitled films and therefore hates them.

Karl Hungus · 24-07-2005 10:18pm

English language dub

is_that_so wrote:

That is a bit harsh I would say. I know one person who is dyslexic who really struggles with subtitled films and therefore hates them.

My apologies, I didn't factor in anyone with genuine learning disorders into my little rant.

is_that_so · 25-07-2005 6:09pm

English language dub

Karl Hungus wrote:

My apologies, I didn't factor in anyone with genuine learning disorders into my little rant.

That aside I agree with you.

Goodshape · 25-07-2005 6:17pm

English language dub

I actually thought the dubbing in Das Boot was excellent -- although I've only ever seen the 'film' version.

Still, subtitles all the way. After about five minutes you just read them on auto.. doesn't detract from the film half as much as dodgy dubing.

is_that_so · 25-07-2005 6:28pm

English language dub

Goodshape wrote:

I actually thought the dubbing in Das Boot was excellent -- although I've only ever seen the 'film' version.

Was it "dubbed" ? The impression I got is that it was partially dubbed , ie for the minor parts, as at least two of the main actors. (Juergen Prochnow and Herbert Groenemeyer) speak English very well. But I am open to correction on this.

arbeitsscheuer · 25-07-2005 10:22pm

English language dub

Eh, no, the whole original version was German. Why would a few "minor" parts speak German while Prochnow etc speak English???

:rolleyes:
Twas all Deutsch, as it should be, mate. Then they dubbed it for American cinemagoers etc etc make it mainstream blah blah blah.

is_that_so · 25-07-2005 10:42pm

English language dub

SebtheBum wrote:

Eh, no, the whole original version was German. Why would a few "minor" parts speak German while Prochnow etc speak English??? :rolleyes:
Twas all Deutsch, as it should be, mate. Then they dubbed it for American cinemagoers etc etc make it mainstream blah blah blah.

Maybe they were used to dub it so

Gave up after five minutes.

Mossy Monk · 26-07-2005 12:53am

English language dub

Karl Hungus wrote:

I'll never forget The Passion Of Saint Tibulus. The look on the old woman's face as she storms off when she's told it's subtitled, hilarious!

lmao, Father Ted had its genius moments
subtitles all the way

PWEI · 26-07-2005 9:19am

English language dub

I picked up the German film Stalingrad for a tenner a couple
of weeks ago.I put it on last Friday and to my dismay it
was dubbed and there was no option to watch it in its
original language.Now I have to admit the dubbing was really
good but I still found it very tacky in parts and switched
if off after an hour.People should be given the choice,on my
special edition Das Boat dvd you can watch it either dubbed
or in its original language.The dubbed version is quite funny,
German soldiers speaking with Cockney accents.

subtitles or english language dub

Which do you prefer? 47 votes

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