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Why is there such a stigma attached to watching subtitled films? Apparently in the UK very few people are willing to watch foreign films if they have subtitles. If you’re one of these people then all I can say is that you’re missing out on a great number of fantastic films. In fact a large number of mainstream American films are based upon French, Italian, Hong Kong, etc., movies; if it is not the stories that are borrowed, it’s the fresh and unique style in which they are directed. However, what tends to happen when this occurs is that due to the pressure to make money, these original ideas and approaches are diluted so that they do not pose much of a challenge to those who don’t like to stimulate or challenge their brains too much.
I’ll admit that when I first began watching subtitled films I found having to watch what was happening while reading the dialogue a little frustrating sometimes. But, like most things this is a skill that over time you learn to develop. Now I find it just as easy to sit down and watch a subtitled film as I do any other, except in most cases the experience is more rewarding. I find myself getting just as involved as if I were watching a film in my own language, and forget I’m even having to read the words, having developed the ability to watch and take the words in with ease.
I know another rather infantile view associated with foreign films is this idea that they are only of interest to snobbish film critics who praise them so as to seem intellectual. This is a ridiculous assumption. Not all foreign films are great, nor should they all be considered masterpieces. A lot of them are just as trashy as American films can be, and also as enjoyable. However, there are some great films that I’m sure many people will appreciate, whether they be film buffs or not.
Hopefully, the stigma associated with subtitled films seems to be diminishing, as the great “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” turned out to be one of the highest grossing foreign films this year. Who knows, perhaps in the future we’ll see more foreign films entering our top ten cinema-viewing films in the future.
I’ll admit that when I first began watching subtitled films I found having to watch what was happening while reading the dialogue a little frustrating sometimes. But, like most things this is a skill that over time you learn to develop. Now I find it just as easy to sit down and watch a subtitled film as I do any other, except in most cases the experience is more rewarding. I find myself getting just as involved as if I were watching a film in my own language, and forget I’m even having to read the words, having developed the ability to watch and take the words in with ease.
I know another rather infantile view associated with foreign films is this idea that they are only of interest to snobbish film critics who praise them so as to seem intellectual. This is a ridiculous assumption. Not all foreign films are great, nor should they all be considered masterpieces. A lot of them are just as trashy as American films can be, and also as enjoyable. However, there are some great films that I’m sure many people will appreciate, whether they be film buffs or not.
Hopefully, the stigma associated with subtitled films seems to be diminishing, as the great “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” turned out to be one of the highest grossing foreign films this year. Who knows, perhaps in the future we’ll see more foreign films entering our top ten cinema-viewing films in the future.
I agree Dupin, there should be more foreign films in the mainstream than there have been in the past.
Personally, subtitles only put me off because I don't yet have your knack of being able to keep pace with the plot and the dialogue at the same time, but I suppose like you say practice will make perfect.
Foreign language films will still have their 'intellectual image' attached to them as long as they continue to be shown mainly to students in arts cinemas. Getting them into the mainstream is a lot harder, and unfortunately a lot of the best ones only really start to get noticed after they have been released onto DVD/Video and the word starts getting around.
I've seen two foreign language films that have really stood out: Hard Boiled (Japanese) was a John Woo directed film with some astounding visuals. The other was Nikita, the French film with the Americans reworked as Assassin with Bridget Fonda, but the original was SO much better, it just had a certain style all to it's own.
So more exposure should definitely be given to films of this nature, however it would take a brave cinema chain to start off the trend. And it's not just down to them, the whole film industry should collaborate in some way to bring these films to the forefront of the cinema goers' attention.
Personally, subtitles only put me off because I don't yet have your knack of being able to keep pace with the plot and the dialogue at the same time, but I suppose like you say practice will make perfect.
Foreign language films will still have their 'intellectual image' attached to them as long as they continue to be shown mainly to students in arts cinemas. Getting them into the mainstream is a lot harder, and unfortunately a lot of the best ones only really start to get noticed after they have been released onto DVD/Video and the word starts getting around.
I've seen two foreign language films that have really stood out: Hard Boiled (Japanese) was a John Woo directed film with some astounding visuals. The other was Nikita, the French film with the Americans reworked as Assassin with Bridget Fonda, but the original was SO much better, it just had a certain style all to it's own.
So more exposure should definitely be given to films of this nature, however it would take a brave cinema chain to start off the trend. And it's not just down to them, the whole film industry should collaborate in some way to bring these films to the forefront of the cinema goers' attention.
Man U R totally right! I love the amazing Fong Sai Yuk starring Jet Li and I know that it would have been spoilt by dubbing of over acting American voice overs, it must be the same guys each time which ruin all those Chan films and Manga cartoons! I wonder if those voice actors are actually good at kung fu?
Why is there such a stigma attached to watching subtitled films? Apparently in the UK very few people are willing to watch foreign films if they have subtitles. If you’re one of these people then all I can say is that you’re missing out on a great number of fantastic films. In fact a large number of mainstream American films are based upon French, Italian, Hong Kong, etc., movies; if it is not the stories that are borrowed, it’s the fresh and unique style in which they are directed. However, what tends to happen when this occurs is that due to the pressure to make money, these original ideas and approaches are diluted so that they do not pose much of a challenge to those who don’t like to stimulate or challenge their brains too much.
I’ll admit that when I first began watching subtitled films I found having to watch what was happening while reading the dialogue a little frustrating sometimes. But, like most things this is a skill that over time you learn to develop. Now I find it just as easy to sit down and watch a subtitled film as I do any other, except in most cases the experience is more rewarding. I find myself getting just as involved as if I were watching a film in my own language, and forget I’m even having to read the words, having developed the ability to watch and take the words in with ease.
I know another rather infantile view associated with foreign films is this idea that they are only of interest to snobbish film critics who praise them so as to seem intellectual. This is a ridiculous assumption. Not all foreign films are great, nor should they all be considered masterpieces. A lot of them are just as trashy as American films can be, and also as enjoyable. However, there are some great films that I’m sure many people will appreciate, whether they be film buffs or not.
Hopefully, the stigma associated with subtitled films seems to be diminishing, as the great “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” turned out to be one of the highest grossing foreign films this year. Who knows, perhaps in the future we’ll see more foreign films entering our top ten cinema-viewing films in the future.
I’ll admit that when I first began watching subtitled films I found having to watch what was happening while reading the dialogue a little frustrating sometimes. But, like most things this is a skill that over time you learn to develop. Now I find it just as easy to sit down and watch a subtitled film as I do any other, except in most cases the experience is more rewarding. I find myself getting just as involved as if I were watching a film in my own language, and forget I’m even having to read the words, having developed the ability to watch and take the words in with ease.
I know another rather infantile view associated with foreign films is this idea that they are only of interest to snobbish film critics who praise them so as to seem intellectual. This is a ridiculous assumption. Not all foreign films are great, nor should they all be considered masterpieces. A lot of them are just as trashy as American films can be, and also as enjoyable. However, there are some great films that I’m sure many people will appreciate, whether they be film buffs or not.
Hopefully, the stigma associated with subtitled films seems to be diminishing, as the great “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” turned out to be one of the highest grossing foreign films this year. Who knows, perhaps in the future we’ll see more foreign films entering our top ten cinema-viewing films in the future.