board77

Sorry for another post, but this one isn't to be buried in an edit.

Best Documentary nominee, JESUS CAMP, is on Google video! That's right, it's free. Right there online. So now we have no excuse not to watch it! I'm gonna have a go this week. Even without the Oscar nod, it was one of three docs I really wanted to see this year (THE BRIDGE and DELIVER US FROM EVIL being the other ones).

link here




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I saw PAN'S LABYRINTH tonight. Easily amongst the year's best. There definately should have been some acting noms here. I can't remember the last time I hated a film character as much as the stepdad. He was brilliant, as was the girl.

Yeah, it felt good nominating Ivana Baquero for Best Actress in the other thread there.

Had you seen del Toro's THE DEVIL'S BACKBONE before, yov? Most people who have say that it is the better film, myself included. That is not to imply Pan's wasn't very good, but I felt much more attached to the former. They're similar movies in theme and characters, so even if you haven't seen it, you should be happy to know that there is something else out there like it!

The stepdad grew on me. That was a badass slicejob he got near the end. Reminded me of the main character in ICHI THE KILLER, who also had, uh, the Black Dahlia's smile...




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I have to say I think Pan's is the best movie this year, and is just a plan great movie in any year. And if PJ cant do The Hobbit, I think that del Toro could do an excellent job of it.

That could be interesting, Ara. He sure can direct children, so even if they aren't featured in The Hobbit, I don't doubt he would appreciate their sensibilities and bring some wonder to the project.




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Question to those who have seen Pan's Labyrinth (sp) was it in Spanish?
Borry

Yes. Subtitled.

Unlike most subtitled films, I found this one really easy to keep up with. I was worried in the beginning because it was this sort of complicated shot with lots going on I was trying to follow, and it had heavy narration so I feared a lot of the visuals would be missed. However, soon enough we're trucking along as normal. No prob.




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K, just checking Thanks guys
Borry

<-- will get the dubbed version.

Fortunately, German dubbing is quite good, so I don't mind watching it in German. Only when it comes to English language films do I prefer the originals since I understand it just as well and something is always lost in translation.

Subtitles distract me.

Now that I think of it, I never even remember to try out dubbing. Obviously the subtitles are more distracting than the lack of syncing between words and lip movement, but it must be the purist in me coming out. I have faith that the original actors gave better vocal performances than those who dubbed it, so that's what I stick with.

As you say, though, German dubbing is quite good, so perhaps it's easier to rely on that than in North America. I don't have a lot of experience with it, but I don't believe we're up to par in that respect.

I don't own many foreign language films, but did watch HERO one boring night to compare the dialogue in the dub to what was being subtitled. Will have to watch it again. It might be better when I'm just concentrating on what I hear instead of what's scribbled across the screen haha.




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Quote:

Obviously the subtitles are more distracting than the lack of syncing between words and lip movement

Eek, I don't agree with that at all. The obviously-wrong sound coming out of the actor pulls me way out of the moment. Subtitles I get used to very quickly and then forget about.

Well, I never watch dubbed films so it's still a case of preferring subtitles, but when I'm reading them there's what, 66 - 75 % of the screen I'm not seeing. That's a distraction. I can keep up with them, and have no qualms at all with watching foreign language films (unlike everyone else in this dumb town), but can't deny that they're in the way. It's like reading a book with the tv in front of you: words in front of action... choose wisely.

I'm with you, though. Bad syncing is matched in distraction only by it's annoyingness. It's like I'm hearing the voice disembodied from what's going on in the film. At least I can still see it, as opposed to when reading subtitles.




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Quote:

Obviously the subtitles are more distracting than the lack of syncing between words and lip movement

I think it depends on what langauge we are talking about. The lip movements can be very out of sync in some languages simply because of the nature of the languages involved. With English and German it isn't too bad, so it does not disturb me. I once watched an Asian film that was dubbed and that was simply odd.

The original actors give a better vocal performance, thats definitely true! It annoys me in dubbing that sometimes the tone of a line is changed which then gives a completely different meaning to things. The nuances are lost too often.

Heh, that reminds me: I tend to be the only one laughing at jokes in films that make no sense in dubbing, but are very funny in the original. I do get odd looks sometimes.

Silwen wrote:

It annoys me in dubbing that sometimes the tone of a line is changed which then gives a completely different meaning to things. The nuances are lost too often.

Yes, that's what I worry about. Like with full screen versus widescreen, when you're focusing on one thing as opposed to the rest of the shot, so much is lost in terms of what they're reacting to. It's probably one of those things most people don't care about, but I could never willingly go back to fullscreen. It's a big fat mess, imo.

The Screen Actors Guild Awards actually had a section devoted to voice actors, including the ones who dub films. Since what little experience I have with dubbed films hasn't been that great, I was surprised to see how much effort goes into them. Obviously, I was just watching the wrong examples. But I'm glad you brought it up, Silwen. I shall have to check them out more often, even if just for laughs.

Quote:

Heh, that reminds me: I tend to be the only one laughing at jokes in films that make no sense in dubbing, but are very funny in the original. I do get odd looks sometimes.

Ooo, yes, that would be a problem. Even with classic books, there are jokes that go right over my head simply because I am used to a different kind of humor. That may be a poor example, but in a way, old books really are a different language. It's all to do with being lost in the translation of course.




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Quote:

It annoys me in dubbing that sometimes the tone of a line is changed which then gives a completely different meaning to things. The nuances are lost too often.

When watching a Spanish film, I see that they constantly slightly change the meaning in the translation for no apparent reason. In PL, for example, Ofelia at one point says "No, I would never do that!" which they translate to "No, I haven't told anyone." The changes are usually minor (more minor then that) but also usually unnecessary.

It was the same with the HERO dub and subtitles. Each offered different takes on the lines. If I spoke Mandarin, I probably would have heard a third version.




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Yes, that happens here too and I have no idea why if there is no apparent reason. Sometimes it even happens in subtitles.

Yeah, I was talking about subtitles with PL.

Totally random, but am I the only one who thinks of porn versions of film titles?

Because every time I hear "Pan's Labyrinth", I think "Pan's Labia."

Yes, I know Pan is a dude. Or at least asexual.




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