C_U_SPACECOWBOY Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 (edited) Because Americans don't like watching movies in other languages with subtitles, so when a good movie comes out in another country, if it's animated, we dub it, and if it's live action, we just remake the whole thing. While I whole-heartedly agree that that is the motivation, and I have heard many a person say things like "Subtitles?! If I wanted to read I stay home and watch the book!", I think that it is, a flawed, self perpetuating rationale. If a movie is marketed correctly, and legitimately good, people will go see it regardless of an ethnic cast and subtitles: see Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Slumdog Millionaire. Edited July 9, 2013 by C_U_SPACECOWBOY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Jax Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Slumdog Millionaire was in English. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alive she cried Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 (edited) I think you're being unfair on your countrymen Jax, by suggesting this aversion of subtitles is only an American problem. I have many a time run into resistance when suggesting subtitled films. Now, until recently I might have agreed with your "English speakers aren't used to subtitles" argument, but recently I was talking to a German girl and she told me that most German cinemas screen dubbed movies. Basically, people are stupid, no matter where they come from. Edited July 9, 2013 by alive she cried Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Jax Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Well, I was basing my thesis on my time in Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile) where kids/animated movies play in theaters with either dubbing or subtitles (they offer screenings both ways), and live action movies an movies that are not explicitly for children are ALL subbed. I assumed that with the literacy rates being higher in Europe, the preference for subbing over dubbing would be, if anything, greater. So if you go to see World War Z in a German movie theater, it would be dubbed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panch Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 (edited) Basically, people are stupid, no matter where they come from. Â Wait, why are people stupid if they want to see a foreign movie in their native language? Edited July 9, 2013 by Panch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C_U_SPACECOWBOY Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 (edited) Slumdog Millionaire was in English. Not all of it. A lot of the film was in Hindi (I just watched it again last week). But I mainly bring it up to address the point (not one you made) that American audiences won't watch films with and entirely foreign cast. Edited July 9, 2013 by C_U_SPACECOWBOY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iambaytor Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Because that movie wasn't made in their language. I agree though, the dub on Oldboy is pretty solid. It's bo Brotherhood of the Wolf (it was years before I realized it was in French) but it isn't bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireDownBelow Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Not to put words in Eamon's mouth, but I believe he is meaning that a person is stupid by limiting their options when refusing to see something unless it's in their native language Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panch Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 (edited) Doesn't make em stupid, though. This is just another example of folks on high horses. Not everyone likes things your way. Get over it. There's no wrong way to watch a movie. Edited July 9, 2013 by Panch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iambaytor Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 No, but it is dumb and selfish to expect something to cater to your every whim when you can just read the words on the screen. Also I tend to look down on people who "can't watch movies with subtitles" unless they're dyslexic or have some disorder or problem that makes it difficult for them to read because they're really just saying "I am lazy and that's everyone else's problem for some reason." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alive she cried Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 So if you go to see World War Z in a German movie theater, it would be dubbed? Insanely yes. Though, when I saw I am Legend in Poland, it just had Polish subtitles, so I guess it varies from country to country. Wait, why are people stupid if they want to see a foreign movie in their native language? Â As FDB and Baytor previously pointed out, they're stupid for dismissing great films because it's not exactly what they're used to and for expecting the world to revolve around them. Also though, can you imagine how much is lost when you dub over an actor's performance? It's an insult to the directors vision, the actor and the film in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the division of joy Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Dubbing makes me want to drown things. Subtitles ftw. But this is quite off topic as regards the film itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panch Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 It's insulting to actors/director or whatever blah blah, but it's not stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Jax Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Â Not all of it. A lot of the film was in Hindi And a lot of Avatar was in Navi. There's a big difference between an entire movie in a foreign language and parts of a movie in a foreign language. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireDownBelow Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 (edited) Doesn't make em stupid, though. This is just another example of folks on high horses. Not everyone likes things your way. Get over it. There's no wrong way to watch a movie. Â Umm...and refusing to watch a movie that might be excellent simply because you don't dig subs seems a little high-horsey to me. So, are you arguing for it or against it? Â At least my decision to not to see the original or being disinterested in a remake is based on content. Â It's not really all that off topic. It goes back to my arguement on what's the point of a remake when subbed versions are readily obtainable. We then pointed out American's lack of interest in subbed movies, which is shortsighted because they are missing what is generally considered an excellent film. Likely Hollywood will muck it up and if they don't, I somehow don't see that it will translate that well because as I was trying to put my finger on and what Spacecowboy finally explained, it's a VERY Korean film Edited July 9, 2013 by FireDownBelow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panch Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 How would you know, you haven't seen it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireDownBelow Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 (edited) I've never eaten at In and Out Burger either, but I can point out that many people think they make pretty fine food and that there's no reason to mess with the original. Â I never said I saw it. I said it's considered an excellent film and I think it will be mucked up. Does that sentence in any way lose it's meaning if I haven't seen the film? Â Do you even read my posts? Or do you just like arguing with me that much? Edited July 9, 2013 by FireDownBelow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iambaytor Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Using logic with Panch in an argument is not a thing that works, he has none and sees no use for it. Â I don't see how 99% of Oldboy wouldn't translate well to an American setting, I really don't. I expect this to be like the remake of Let the Right One In. It'll be better produced and more glitzy, certain scenes will be better, certain will be worse, we may or may not get big memorable moments or they may be altered in a way that doesn't work as well. I don't think this will be a soulless remake based on the talent involved, it may just be a super-indulgent fiasco that misses the point entirely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panch Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Likely Hollywood will muck it up and if they don't, I somehow don't see that it will translate that well because as I was trying to put my finger on and what Spacecowboy finally explained, it's a VERY Korean film. Â This is the sentence that I "didn't read". How can you know AND agree with someone on something if you haven't seen the thing y'all are talkin about. THAT doesn't seem logical to me. Â It's a new level of hipsterism that things are so underground you don't even watch em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireDownBelow Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Nope! I just don't watch the same things ya'll watch. I mean, I didn't see the Notebook or Nights in Rhodesia or whatever the fuck that one was. So it's not a matter of having a vagina. Â I've just been burned by Asian movies before. They are...weird in a way that I can't describe. I'm not getting why a remake of this is necessary though. It's not really an old movie, from all accounts it's a good movie, and it's widely available with subs. It's a head scratcher. Â Â Â There we go! Thanks, Space, you just summed up my entire issue with the film! (I have seen parts of it, just not the entirety) But I reiterate, I don't see why there's a ned for a remake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panch Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Seeing parts of a movie is NOT seeing the movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iambaytor Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Wasn't her point that remaking a movie in a different language is pointless? How does it matter if she saw it at all? Picking a piece of an argument you can win is not the same as winning an argument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FireDownBelow Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 (edited) Ryan, get bent. I can handle this. Â <sigh> Ok, I've derailed this thread enough. I'm going to make one last ditch effort to explain myself and then I'm gonna drop it. Â Seeing parts of a movie is definitely not seeing a movie. This I agree with, which is why I maintain that I've not seen the movie. BUT, seeing parts of it were enough to confirm that I was uncomfortable with the movie for the same reason that most Asian media bothers me: cultural differences. Which is what Space Cowboy was able to put into words while I was blindly groping for a way not to sound like a xenophobic, culturally ignorant prick. Â My opinion: I don't see the need for a remake. What is there is fine. From what I have heard the movie works very well in it's own language and is described as being very good. Now, based on what I have seen, I don't think it will have the same...flavor, if it is remade. In my opinion, that counts as a muck-up. Leading right back to my question: Why a remake? Â Which Jax answered. Â END Edited July 9, 2013 by FireDownBelow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panch Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 Ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The NZA Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 in recent times, Let Me In gave me some faith regarding remakes, at least  Wait, why are people stupid if they want to see a foreign movie in their native language?  i don't usually like to use "stupid" but it is dumbing down, and unfortunate. this is always by degrees.  take our precious Berserk: you & i take for granted that the localization (and that part's important, because it's not at all the same as mere translation) is both good and faithful, because frankly if the entire japanese library of it so far fell in our laps obviously we'd not know the difference.  we always hope things aren't lost in translation and that the author's true intent is coming through...if you're the kind've reader/viewer who understands this (and chances are, if you're checking out a foreign film i'd argue that's likely true) then i think it's you're duty to try to meet the creator halfway, because while not "stupid" i would say doing otherwise (barring problems reading, etc) is lazy.  of course, i don't pretend my methods are perfect either. when i play a game made in poland or where the cast was predominantly french i like to use their native tongue & sub the game where possible, so as to avoid non native speakers struggling on a dub & hopefully get the most infliction/emotion from their performance. you could just as easily counter "if you don't know the language, how do you know they're not terrible?" and obviously i don't. just like uh, how many of you here think it's okay when one of our actors does a piss-poor irish accent.  How would you know, you haven't seen it.  hahahaha...not gettin anywhere near this part Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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