Yes, I like foreign films. You wanna fight about it?!

[Ki'esha Foxx]

At a recent (and temporary) job I had over the summer, I would bring movies to wrok everyday so I would have something to do during my luch hour. My employers didn't mind, so it was all good. I even invited my coworkers to join me if they wished.

The first movie I brought in was Devdas, a Hindi flick that my friend (who was also working with me) wanted to see again. A few others came in and the minute they saw the subtitles they asked "What the fuck is this?" and walked out of the room. The next week, I brought in an Asian movie (can't remember which), and watched that by myself.

The next morning, me and other person got to work about ahalf hour early and we just talked. Then out of nowhere he said "You have weird taste in movies". I asked what he meant by it, and his explanation was that he didn't know anyone who voluntrily watched subtitled movies. I know it's not something to get worked up over and I'm not, I'm just tired of being labeled strange because I like foreign movies.

Today we watched Nochnoi Dozor, a Russian film, in my Film Club; two people showed up, and both complained of the subtitles. I calmly told them it'd be a cold day in Hell before I ever watched a dubbed movie again, and since I was the one showing the movie they dropped it, but later I heard them talking about it.

I don't get it: what's so bad about watching foreign movies subtitled? Is it the fact that you have to actually spend time reading to get the movie? Are they really that lazy?

This isn't really a rant in the typical sense, but I just wanted to get this off my chest.

[Tagia_Romero]

I love foreign films. I frankly don't care what people who consider themselves to be my critics think when it comes to the films I watch.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

Dubbed movies just piss me off, I remember walking out of Crouching Tiger HIdden Dragon, a fine film overall, all because I was watching the dubbed version.

[Tayzlor]

Yeah, Americans (especially those from the middle-of-nowhere as you hail from) can be extremely xenophobic. Actually, it could be just a gut reaction to something they're not used to - if not xenophobia. One foreign movie and "you have really weird taste in movies".

The movie distribution system is so bad here, that you can't entirely blame the normal person for reacting so strangely to something not manufactured in Hollywood. Simply scoff at the hostile reactors and explain to the others that there's nothing wrong with 'em.

Like black and white movies, this is a non-issue. You know, just people reacting to the previously unknown or known but not curious enough to look into.

[Cronos]

Originally posted by Ki'esha Foxx
Is it the fact that you have to actually spend time reading to get the movie? Are they really that lazy?

simply, yes (or they're trying to hide that they cant read :p )

my little brothers like that, he doesnt understand why i watch foreign films and refuses to watch anything with subtitles, when i asked him why he basically gave the above as his answer

i love foreign films and (unless its a cheesy martial arts flick or man in monster suit film which i have fun mocking) flat out refuse to watch any foreign language film dubbed, it loses any and all effect the film may have otherwise had

[Jas]

Anytime I'd watch a foreign movie, my friends would treat me is if I was clinically insane.
Then again, those types of people are the bunch that like movies like Dumb & Dumberer and Little Man...

[Draccoca]

I don't mind subtitled movies just for the simple reason as you can hear the true emotion that the actors put in and the director wanted. Where with dubbed movies it loses that aspect. Now I've tried to introduce my dad to subtitles but he has a hard time keeping up with them because it takes awhile to focus on them. otherwise he would watch them.

[Mr.HyDe807]

True, every time i would get a movie from Netflix like Battle Royale or Hard bolied, my mom and dad would always say "you always pick weird movies!"

Jeez, sorry i didnt rent capote!

[Joshmo]

My family used to say shit about my netflix choices especially if a flick were foreign. When I said when they start paying half of my bill then I'd order what they want. Surprisingly, its easier for them to keep griping then for them to pony up $10 a month - so um, basically, family or not...fuck em.

[TheDeadWalk]

I don't particularly like watching a subtitled film unless it's something I've heard great things about. (Battle Royale, Kung Fu Hustle)

I too don't like dubbed movies either, they can be irritating. My whole thing is that I have bad eyes and sometimes have trouble making out those little words all the way from my couch. (The bitch at the DMV gave me shit about it when I got my driver's license renewed)

I also think it really takes away from the visual scene and setting that the director took a great amount of time to put in there for a reason. I like it better when the language flows naturally into my brain, allowing me time to enjoy the visual beauty that comes within a film.

But I do plan on going to the eye doctor just as soon as I can kick this 10 grand a week coke habit.

[Trail_Blazer]

Originally posted by Jas
Anytime I'd watch a foreign movie, my friends would treat me is if I was clinically insane.
Then again, those types of people are the bunch that like movies like Dumb & Dumberer and Little Man...

Do NOT put that abomination "Little Man" in the same sentence as one of the great comedies in the history of cinema! :p

But really... Dumb and Dumber really is a FAR better movie than anything the Wayan's Bros. can come up with.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

Originally posted by Trail_Blazer
Do NOT put that abomination "Little Man" in the same sentence as one of the great comedies in the history of cinema! :p

But really... Dumb and Dumber really is a FAR better movie than anything the Wayan's Bros. can come up with.

Um, I believe it was Dumb and DumberER he was referring to, unless you were being sarcastic.

[bigred760]

Foreign films kick ass as much as American movies. Subtitles don't bother me in the least; I prefer them so much more than dubbed movies. I myself own 5 foreign flicks: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Shaolin Soccer, Brotherhood of the Wolf, Seven Samurai and Yojimbo. But I've seen countless others that are classics - Battleship Potemkin, The Grand Illusion, and Ikiru just to name a few. I don't think you can call yourself a movie fan if you don't take foreign flicks into consideration.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

Originally posted by bigred760
Foreign films kick ass as much as American movies. Subtitles don't bother me in the least; I prefer them so much more than dubbed movies. I myself own 5 foreign flicks: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Shaolin Soccer, Brotherhood of the Wolf, Seven Samurai and Yojimbo. But I've seen countless others that are classics - Battleship Potemkin, The Grand Illusion, and Ikiru just to name a few. I don't think you can call yourself a movie fan if you don't take foreign flicks into consideration.

Totally agree, I see a lot of people who claim to be film buffs but walk out on a film just because it's not American. Now, maybe if they just weren't fans of the film then it'd be ok, but no self-proclaimed film buff can refuse to watch foreign movies....period. Same goes for black and white movies.


Fanny and Alexander is one of my top five favorites, and I've had friends say they'd never watched a foreign film until they saw Fanny and Alexander and as a result they'd start watching a lot more. That's how powerful that movie is.

[AceD]

First of all, I don't think it's fair to say "I like foreign flicks"...it's like saying "I like indie flicks"...yeah some of it is good but a lot of it is derivitive and stupid just like everything else.

Still. You definatly have to watch foreign stuff to get a full picture of film history. However, as much as they can drive me nuts...subtitle DO take away from the visual aspect of the film...do I watch the film the first time through, or read every subtitle?

[sAtAn666]

Originally posted by AceD
First of all, I don't think it's fair to say "I like foreign flicks"...it's like saying "I like indie flicks"...yeah some of it is good but a lot of it is derivitive and stupid just like everything else.

Yeah, but the same can be said for horror flicks, sci-fi flicks and so on. You're obviously going to bump into a lot of crap along the way, no matter what kind of film it is. So I don't see why not.

[CletusHorniblow]

It is true that there is good and bad in every genre, but "indie" and "foreign" really aren't genres. They may all have certain characteristics with eachother (All foreign films speak in a foreign language, indie movies don't have as high of a budget, etc) but that's about as far as it goes to classify them with one another.

There are foreign action films, indie action films, foreign horror films, indie horror films, foreign comedies and indie comedies. There are genres within the classification as "indie" or "foreign".

Plus, I see nothing wrong with stating that you tend to like foreign films more than native (for lack of a better term) ones or indie rather than mainstream.

[TheDeadWalk]

Originally posted by AceD
First of all, I don't think it's fair to say "I like foreign flicks"...it's like saying "I like indie flicks"...yeah some of it is good but a lot of it is derivitive and stupid just like everything else.

Still. You definatly have to watch foreign stuff to get a full picture of film history. However, as much as they can drive me nuts...subtitle DO take away from the visual aspect of the film...do I watch the film the first time through, or read every subtitle?

I see what you're saying, but I don't think I agree with it totally. By saying "I like foreign flicks", I think it has something to do with liking to watch films involving other cultures, or just one culture in particular. (e.g. Japanese culture)