Subtitles vs Dubbing

[harlo]

Which do you prefer?

Personally I go for subtitties... err titles mostly, but if it's high in action I'll take dubbing. I don't care to read while I'm watching kung fu movies or super crazy fast action anime.

[natech911]

I prefer subtitles. Actually, I like to put my close caption on while watching TV. Am I sick or what? I think its my ADD. I just can't watch TV, I have to read it too.

[comradelazyman]

I really hate dubbing for live action films. It's just uber cheesy but if i'm watching like an anime or something like spirited away or totoro then I prefer dubbing because it's not really obvious.

[jimmyjones]

the universal language of english please.

[narco]

It depends on the type of movie. The answer to this question can be found in Wayne's World II.

[iggystar]

I completely prefer subtitles. Not to be a cinema snob, but I hate it when people walk out of movies when they find out it's subtitled without even trying to see if they would enjoy it. I mean, it's kind of distracting at first, but you get used to it a few minutes in.

I like the subtitles because if the movie is filmed in another language there are nuances with the sound of the voices that are lost in dubbing. I remember in Crouching Tiger the wisp of voices and intonations in the foreign tongue.... It was lovely and gave a entirely different feeling from the dubbed version...yuck.

[divadawg9234]

dubbing is just distracting... I'd much rather have subtitles!

[jonathanlondon]

If it's foreign Super Action it has to be dubbed. Hands down.

Otherwise, subtitle it.

[harlo]

I completley agree with the Crouching Tiger example. I tried watching it with dubbing when I got it on DVD having seen subs in the theater. Horrible.

But the worst film I ever saw with dubbing after seeing it numerous times with subs was City of Lost Children. I accidently picked up the dubbed VHS copy (back in the day) to show some friends who'd never seen it. I got 10 minutes in and stopped it and took it back to the store telling them that they couldn't watch it this way heh.

[bcool]

yeah on cheesy kung fu movies dubbing only makes it better. Sometimes on animation it's ok too if the actors are decent.

[buxomia]

I'm all about subtitles. Audition would SUCK if it was dubbed over. That whole film is about that girl's voice.

[atomusk]

yup yup i also agree with my dromies, i do subtitles but if its "SUPER ACTION" or certain animes then i'll do dubbing

[freecajunlove]

I hate dubbing, but what I hate more is Asian people speaking English. You can't understand a single damn word

[iggystar]

This is so true in many cases cajun. ^^

[satori]

bruce lee movies are about the only movies I like dubbing in.

[point5o]

Every movie needs Engrish subtitles. That made Episode III so much more enjoyable.

[tuding]

Subtitles! Dubbing should be against the law!

[dangerboy1718]

I can stand to use subtitles for stories that are low in the action department. If it is an anime, I really need dubbed because I can not stand to read and then try to notice all the detail in the scene or as the giant spikey hair ***** kills another spikey hair *****.

In essence I really just hate the Japanese voices in anime. Maybe I'm just a hater.

[point5o]

I'm for selective dubbing, e.g. replacing that girl's voice in Ong Bak. Those who've seen it know what I'm talking about. Holy shit, her voice was fricking annoying.

[superdeformed]

Wow, I love this forum. After years of being on the Sub vs. Dub debate with a damn near even split on every forum or whatever it's nice to see Subtitles win in a landslide for once.

But if the movie is bad to begin with and enjoyably bad then dub that shit. The Mystery of Chess Boxing or say Ricky-Oh never needs to be subtitled.

Godzilla movies? Hmm, debatable. GOJIRA!

[runyon]

I'll admitt that alone, i dubb, but when i'm with people i'm a total subtitle poser.

[mr-underachiever]

For Anime, I don't really care, but for live-action (Tokusatsu, Kung-Fu), I gotta go for the subs.

[thebigkahuna]

I prefer subtitles. Actually, I like to put my close caption on while watching TV. Am I sick or what? I think its my ADD. I just can't watch TV, I have to read it too.

thats weird that i do that too. i was like holy shit, other ppl do that too

[ali_pinto]

Subtitles definitely... dubbing often ruins the movie and adds a sense of cheesiness.

[slowmtnsilhouette]

subtitles are much better than dubbing if you're serious about watching a movie. if its all in fun, dubbing is hilarious...

[Mr.Jeff]

I have to say I normally prefer subtitles. Most of the time I think the problem with dubbing is the fact that they usually do it on the cheap and use crappy actors. I also find it distracting when they use Hollywood actors for voices. It becomes a game of name that voice, instead of focusing on the movie.

[satori]

I'm for selective dubbing, e.g. replacing that girl's voice in Ong Bak. Those who've seen it know what I'm talking about. Holy shit, her voice was fricking annoying.

Good call... anyone seen the Woody Allen movie called What's up Tiger Lily in which he took a Japanese spy movie and turned it into a comedy by dubbing it into a completely different story. It's bloody hilarious.

[soundwave2-0]

i like subtitles, but i think if i had to pick it would be dubbing.

i am such a visual person i feel like i am missing something when i am reading the subtitles. i want to see what is going on on screen.

yeah, having the real voices is authentic and all...but i can't understand it. i get distracted on how it takes like 4 sentences to say on thing in english.

anime is worse. i mean it's voice actors from the get go. just put some english speaking ppl in there and let me focus on the animation.

[harlo]

Good call... anyone seen the Woody Allen movie called What's up Tiger Lily in which he took a Japanese spy movie and turned it into a comedy by dubbing it into a completely different story. It's bloody hilarious.

What's up Tiger Lily is awesome. I think that was Woody's first movie. While not technically "directed" by him it is definatly all about his comedy. My personal favorite line is when the girl drops into the car and the main character sees her and whistles, "Ahhh an oriental!" Much more high brow then Kung Pow obviously.

[jon]

Subtitles for me. I remember years ago when I first got into martial arts movies and Jet Li I would go to Suncoast and they would actually sell the subtitled versions of a few of his movies.

[spikedtropicaldrink]

I much prefer subtitles. The english usually comes out sounding a little odd at times when a movie is dubbed. Not to mention I pretty much watch all the movies I see with subtitles these days so I am getting pretty used to it.

[leeahd]

I think if it's live action I prefer subtitles but when it comes to anime I'm totally for dubbing (just get good voice actors)

[icedsoul]

dubbing is for wussies... ok jlos point can be accepted I guess :-) but dubbing takes so much soul out of movies... the funniest shit is polish dubbing... no idea if you ever saw that somewhere, but they have like one guy for an entire movie... no matter if its a girl, woman, boy, man, dog whatever... just that one guy the entire movie... completly ****ed up.

[bcool]

the simsons is awesome with german dubbing

[icedsoul]

the simsons is awesome with german dubbing

LOL... they arent that bad actually... :-)

[superdeformed]

Good call... anyone seen the Woody Allen movie called What's up Tiger Lily in which he took a Japanese spy movie and turned it into a comedy by dubbing it into a completely different story. It's bloody hilarious.

I'm glad someone other than me has seen this movie.

The scene where he sings "Love can find me" or whatever in the gas mask is , uh, epic.

[briangilmore]

I prefer subtitles. Actually, I like to put my close caption on while watching TV. Am I sick or what? I think its my ADD. I just can't watch TV, I have to read it too.

I DO THE SAME THING!!! That's just cause I listen to music too loud and might be losing some hearing at the age of 21, though...ugh...that and I live on a street where cars are louder than my -10 inch screen tv.

[briangilmore]

I DO THE SAME THING!!! That's just cause I listen to music too loud and might be losing some hearing at the age of 21, though...ugh...that and I live on a street where cars are louder than my -10 inch screen tv.



oh yeah and SUBTITLES FOREVER!!! YOU WATCH ANIME OR ANYTHING ELSE WITH DUBBING IN ENGLILSH AND YOU A DAMN FOOL! I PITY DA FOOL WATCH BILLYBOB THORNTON DUBBING PRINCESS MONONOKE! I PITY DA FOOL!

[sloppybunny]

the simsons is awesome with german dubbing

I find the french Dub hilarious, especially Marges voice, It's a total pisstake.

I'm also selective on dubbing. I find that because English speakers don't venture into foreign films as much, there isn't much of a demand for dub actors and people do a horrible job of dubbing films. I saw Amelie on a Plane once and it was dubbed, and it was horrible, especially as the narrator in french has a really nice story telling voice.

Then again in Hungary, because we/they make usually rubbish contemporary movies (Kontroll and nyocker were an amazing exeption though) rely a lot on foreign films to be entertained and really mastered the Art of Dubbing, and are quite enjoyable.

Also I noticed in subtitling a lot of dialog gets missed, well in French and Hungarian movies anyway.

As for Anime, since there is no lipsinc to talk about and I can't really appreciate Japanese voice acting as my Japanese only extends to counting and confessing I'm some sort of socially defunct nerd, I prefer dub :)

[bcool]

Also I noticed in subtitling a lot of dialog gets missed, well in French and Hungarian movies anyway.


yeah, for sure. It's not like all subtitles are equal either. I've often had the sense I was reading way less than the actors were saying. sort of like the opisite of that scene in waynes world:). Some seem to have been badly translated as well. I can't think of any specific examples at the moment...anybody remember any bad subtitles?

[satori]

I'm glad someone other than me has seen this movie.

I'm in awe of the fact that 2 other people on this forum have seen it. I used to list What's Up Tiger Lily in my top 25 movies and would constantly be asked "what is it"... everyone knows about IMDB now so I don't get that question as much... but still... I can't believe the movie's not much bigger. I get that Mr. Allen is somewhat scorned after marrying his adopted daughter (cringe, shudder), but this happened before he became a poster boy for Quasi-Incest Monthly.

[thetechguru]

subtitles all the way. i do prefer dubbing on anime, but it's still just as good with subtitles. and do why to they always use those wierd voice's when they dub? they use the worst voice actors possible when dubbing.