What's wrong with subtitles?

[CosmicPuppet]

I'm getting sick and fucking tired hearing people say they don't like foreign films because they have to read subtitles. What fucking pampered planet are you from if you can't read a few lines of dialogue during a film?

This is a very American complaint that I can't stand and I'm getting tired of hearing it from lazy people who just can't be bothered to read. God forbid you have to use a little reading comprehension during a film! Shit, you don't hear people from other countries complain about it when they get to see an American film, but you always hear it from lazy people in the U.S.

Is the level of intelligence really that low in this country? I'm tired of hearing this sorry excuse. I had to hear it from a dumbass from Tennessee who said he didn't like Pan's Labyrinth because it had subtitles. What kind of an excuse is that? Oh, it hurts my head, this moive must be dumb! Why don't they just speak English?

If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go smell my farts and drive my Pious! :)

[sirdizzy]

I don't mind subtitles and the fact that a movie has them doesn't detract me from watching a movie or loving it for that matter. There are a number of gorgeous films like Life is Beautiful and City of God that I would have missed if subtitles bothered me.

That being said I prefer movies in my native tongue, English. Given the option of dubbed or subtitled I will choose dubbed every time. Sometimes having to read the dialogue can distract from the movie, especially if it is an action film like Apocalypto. Dramas are fine but when I have to concentrate on the dialogue being read rather than the action of the film the movie loses something.

Pan's Labryinth was an incredible movie but that movie is so beautiful visually I had to watch it a second time so I could catch everything without concentrating on reading the dialogue.

[HeavyFknMetal]

To answer your question, not a damn thing.

A lot of the times I actually put on subtitles on english movies as well. To me it's like reading the screenplay, and sometimes it helps in understanding the movie a lot better. Usually if I really enjoy the film, I'll watch it once, and then later on when I watch it a second time, I turn on the subtitles.

[sirdizzy]

I've turned on subtitles in English films with heavy accents because it was hard to understand what they were saying (Intermission comes to mind)

[vampirefan1]

yeah i had subs on when i last watched Trainspotting
it helps a lot.

[bigred760]

Subtitles are 150 times better than dubbed movies. Subtitles don't bother me one bit. I just don't understand people who avoid movies because they're subtitled.

[Criminal Rock]

People gotta learn how to use their peripherals...

[LordSimen]

I love both subtitled and dubbing and which one I choose on a movie usually depends upon my mood. Sometimes I'm just not in the mood to read and other times I'm the perfect mood to. Usually if a movie has both as an option I'll watch it in both atleast one.

[bigred760]

It annoys the hell out of me watching characters talk and the words aren't in sync with the lip movement. It sometimes gives me a headache. It's usually why I won't watch foreign flicks on TV because they'll use the dubbed version more often than not (IFC and TCM are exceptions).

[Le_Big_Mac]

Originally posted by CosmicPuppet
Is the level of intelligence really that low in this country?

Yes.

[Tony_Montana]

I usually go subtitles over dubbed anyday, except when it comes to certain cheesy Hong Kong movies (esp. old Jackie Chan). Then it just adds to the fun.

[LordSimen]

Riki-Oh with Dubbed Voices = Best thing ever. :D

[TheJadedGamer]

Originally posted by CosmicPuppet


Is the level of intelligence really that low in this country? I'm tired of hearing this sorry excuse. I had to hear it from a dumbass from Tennessee who said he didn't like Pan's Labyrinth because it had subtitles. What kind of an excuse is that? Oh, it hurts my head, this moive must be dumb! Why don't they just speak English?

Come on now, I'm from Tennessee and I loved Pan's Labyrinth.

[CosmicPuppet]

Sorry bro, didn't mean to rag on anybody from TN, except that guy I was talking about. I only mentioned it because he's always talking about how much better Tennessee is than California. He's a smug asshole, but what I don't get is how he could be smug when he has nothing to brag about. The guy's as thick as a stale loaf of bread.

[TheJadedGamer]

Originally posted by CosmicPuppet
Sorry bro, didn't mean to rag on anybody from TN, except that guy I was talking about. I only mentioned it because he's always talking about how much better Tennessee is than California. He's a smug asshole, but what I don't get is how he could be smug when he has nothing to brag about. The guy's as thick as a stale loaf of bread.

I was joking around, man. Sorry I forgot the :D when I posted.

I work at a video store, so I know how people can be ignorant. When Pan's Labyrinth first came out, everyone threw a hissy fit that a Spanish film was getting a high profile release at our Blockbuster. I told them that, instead of renting Code Name: The Cleaner, they should sit down and get lost in an enchanting world instead of being hit with shit for 90 minutes.

Then I suggested that if they don't like subtitles, they should at least rent Children of Men or Blood Diamond.

[Jerk Shapiro]

I see how illiterate people could have problems with them.

[Drewza89]

I think the same people who don't like "old" movies are the ones who don't like subtitles.

[john_rambo]

If its a serious movie, I don't mind reading subtitles. But there are two types that require dubbing because it just adds to the viewing experience.

1. Cheesy Kung Fu- You don't wanna read, you wanna hear the bad dubbing.

2. Godzilla flicks- The bad dubbing in these is as famous as the monster itself

[BlueGoggles]

It's really hard for me to watch a dubbed movie. Unless of course it's for humor's sake.

It really bothers me how quickly Hollywood will remake a movie just cause it's in another language. I just saw that French movie "Them" in a film festival and was totally blown away by it. I came home from the theater to find out it's already been remade and is coming out before the end of the year!

What really bugs me about this movie is that THERE'S HARDLY ANY SPEAKING IN IT! It's almost a 60 minute chase scene. You're not having to read that much people! Suck it up!

[crodger]

Originally posted by bigred760
Subtitles are 150 times better than dubbed movies. Subtitles don't bother me one bit. I just don't understand people who avoid movies because they're subtitled.

Right on brother. I avoid dubbed movies like the plague. I saw a bit of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon dubbed and fuck, it was so distracting.

[miguel_montes]

I guess you have to divide Americans (and people of all nationalities, I guess) in two groups:

Those who love Cinema:
- they really like to watch movies no matter what language it is in, and so don't mind subtitles. Everybody who replied in this thread doesn't mind (they're in a movie forum, so they must love Cinema, right?), and me included, but I'm Portuguese, 99.999% of movies here are subtitled;

Those who watch a movie just because they don't have nothing better to watch (the great majority of American people):
- they don't love Cinema, and perhaps have a low cultural and intellectual level, and get tired to read when watching a movie.

[vampirefan1]

I rented Ichi the Killer once the dubbing
was definely horrible.

[Brando @$$ Fat]

Ever since I saw Oldboy I don't really mind if they're dubbed. I strongly prefer subtitles, but I can deal with dubbing.

[LordSimen]

Originally posted by Brando @$$ Fat
Ever since I saw Oldboy I don't really mind if they're dubbed. I strongly prefer subtitles, but I can deal with dubbing.

Yeah, Oldboy has REALLY great dubbing in my opinion, one of my favorite movies to watch both dubbed and subbed.

[vesaker]

FOr me the only problem is i'm dyslexic and have ADD, so i usually have to watch a sub titled movies twice to understand it, once to read the subs to get the plot while glancing up at the picture and then again to watch the picture while already understanding the plot ;)

[jbar1026]

watching a movie with subtitles is not that bad if its a foreign film. however when you watch an american film filmed in a differnt country and you have to read fuck that. i ve watch 100s of episodes of anime with subs and it dosnt bother me at all but to have to watch something like passion with subs is retarded the damn thing is an american movie.