When you watch a foreign film, do you prefer reading the subtitles or listening to the dubbed soundtrack?

Dubbed. For me watching a movie with subtitles is a chore because I have two things to do: watch the film and read the subtitles and I think that undermines the enjoyment of a film. Films shouldn't be a chore to watch.

Definitly dubbed. It's difficult tryin to read and enjoy the movie at the same time.

The handfull of foreign films I've seen, I watched with subtitles, so I'm used to that.

I've watched very few foreign films- but I'm not sure what way watching them is better. I hate dubbing because when I see the actors lips move and it's entirely different it annoys me so much, I had a dvd player once that kept putting the sound out of sync- and it made me really mad! I guess I'd say subtitles. I can't wait to see people's reaction to 'The Passion'- I think Mel Gibson should release a dubbed version for a dvd release.

Originally posted by Brian
Dubbed. For me watching a movie with subtitles is a chore because I have two things to do: watch the film and read the subtitles and I think that undermines the enjoyment of a film. Films shouldn't be a chore to watch.
:yeahthat I voted dubbed for the reasons stated above. I hate subtitles. I'm not the fastest reader either, and some subtitles go too fast.

Originally posted by webuster
I can't wait to see people's reaction to 'The Passion'- I think Mel Gibson should release a dubbed version for a dvd release.
The Passion is going to have subtitles? :confused:

I chose subtitles. Dubbed films usually sound silly, and I think it gives the film an unreal feeling to it.

Subtitles! These are the films as they were meant to be - with the actors speaking their lines as the director told them to. Dubbing is awful. It destroys so much of the film - not only does it look fake, it's very seldom done well, and it's not what the film is supposed to be. Want to know why I'm against dubbing? Watch an American film dubbed in any other language. It's a totally different movie. Living in Germany I used to watch "The Nanny" in German - which was dubbed with a normal woman's voice speaking German - that show just isn't funny without Fran's voice!

Originally posted by Brian
Dubbed. For me watching a movie with subtitles is a chore because I have two things to do: watch the film and read the subtitles and I think that undermines the enjoyment of a film. Films shouldn't be a chore to watch.

You'd be surprised how quickly you forget you're reading them. It's my experience that I get much more involved in subtitled movies because I don't have the option of turning away. It's great.

Living in Germany I used to watch "The Nanny" in German - which was dubbed with a normal woman's voice speaking German - that show just isn't funny without Fran's voice!

I feel so sorry for you having to sit through the nanny like that! I love The Nanny- most of the jokes are with Fran's laugh and accent. That's the worst kind of dubbing- the monotonous kind. However, I watched dubbing of the muppets tonight, in Irish- and it was surprisingly good. It was almost like it'd been re-recorded, as it looks with some good dubbings- because alot of the words seemed to match the muppet's mouths. In cartoons I think they change the mouths animation, for anime anyway. I used to love pokemon, but last year I watched the first ep in a long time and noticed how little movement is on screen- just fleeting movement every few minutes, then mouths moving!

Originally posted by Janice
The Passion is going to have subtitles? :confused:


It won't have subtitles. Some preview versions will have subtitles but those will be removed when it is released in theaters.

Originally posted by Liza
You'd be surprised how quickly you forget you're reading them. It's my experience that I get much more involved in subtitled movies because I don't have the option of turning away. It's great.


The reason I said it was a chore for me is because I am Autistic. People who are Autistic can be distracted by things really easily.

One movie I thought was pretty well dubbed was "Like Water for Chocolate." It could have probably been better but I enjoyed it. I saw a little bit of it in their language with English subtitles but I didn't watch it for long. I don't know if it was that particular scene but it seemed dry. No verbal action in the speech. The people in the dubbed voices seemed more expressive.

Originally posted by Liza
Living in Germany I used to watch "The Nanny" in German - which was dubbed with a normal woman's voice speaking German - that show just isn't funny without Fran's voice!

If you think German dubbing is bad, Emily, you should've taken a trip to Poland. I've watched several movies and TV shows dubbed in Polish, and some of them are just down right terrible. It's one person (usually a guy) that translates all of the dialog. And to make thing worse, the original English language can be heard in a lower volume. Listen to this English language TV show dubbed in Polish (http://www.kingpigeon.com/eurotrash/poland/tv.rm) (you'll need a RealOne player to listen). What a hoot! :lol:

Originally posted by vashti1999
The handfull of foreign films I've seen, I watched with subtitles, so I'm used to that. Ditto.

I prefer dubbed. If I want to read something I'll pick up a book.

Originally posted by Janice
The Passion is going to have subtitles? :confused:

The French version we're doing here in Québec for theaters, will contain subtitles.

Originally posted by Jenya
If you think German dubbing is bad, Emily, you should've taken a trip to Poland. I've watched several movies and TV shows dubbed in Polish, and some of them are just down right terrible. It's one person (usually a guy) that translates all of the dialog. And to make thing worse, the original English language can be heard in a lower volume. Listen to this English language TV show dubbed in Polish (http://www.kingpigeon.com/eurotrash/poland/tv.rm) (you'll need a RealOne player to listen). What a hoot! :lol:

How true, how true...

It was a pain trying to watch movies. There's a lot of channels on satellite that has a different person reading lines for each character, and you can't hear the English at all. I liked that. But on the basic stations TVP1, TVP2, Polsat, etc., all the foreign programs are read by one man. During the end credits of movies and soap operas, they always give the name of the man who read the lines, and they always list a different name, but I KNOW it's that same man. :lol: The nice thing though, is since I can hear the English, I can see if they translated it correctly or if they goofed.

Originally posted by Sterling Holobyte
I chose subtitles. Dubbed films usually sound silly, and I think it gives the film an unreal feeling to it.

That's how I feel.

Originallly posted by vashti1999
The handfull of foreign films I've seen, I watched with subtitles, so I'm used to that.The only ones I have watched are NTSC english movies I get from Japan on VHS cause I cant get it anywhere else and I dont mind having JAP subtitles there....

ITS BETTER THAN NOT SEEING THE MOVIE!!

I have 2 movies from Japan

1) Savage Harvest - 1981
2) Adventrures in babysitting - 1987

I got Adventures in babysitting as the Japan one didnt say "PRESENTED IN DIGITALLY PROCESSED HI-FI SOUND" so i was hopefull for the original analogue sound!!

Sadly its the same thin crap thats on the US copies... That say "Presented in DIGITALLY PROCESSED HI-FI audio"

Thats fine but why do they ruin the linear track also??

I DONT WANNA HEAR THAT DIGITALLY PROCESSED CRAP.... I WANNA HEAR WARMER ANALOGUE!! (That I would hear over analogue TV)

Subtitles