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Sashadroogie · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 5:00 am Post subject: Cinema - subtitled or dubbed?

Heard something interesting about why it is that some countries prefer to dub foreign films while others like subtitles more. I always thought it was merely to do with cost, but seemingly not.

Basically, in the 'twenties and 'thirties in countries with dictators, such as Italy, central governments were anxious to exploit the propaganda value to film as much as possible. But with the advent of 'talkies', they were also disturbed by the potential of foreign cultural infiltration, as this might have shown the falsehood of statements made by the dictator about the outside world. But by dubbing over the dialogue with the local language, the film was effectively censored as the dubbed speech didn't have to relate to the original at all. With subtitles, the danger is that the original spoken language remains and someone in the audience may understand it. Once the system was in place, it didn't matter that dictatorial governments later fell, the preference for one or the other form of translation was set in the minds of the cinema-going populace.

This seems plausible, though I do not know if it is true. Certainly, in Russia dubbing is everywhere. Comically so. In Scandinavia or the Netherlands it is subtitling. Opposing ends of the liberty scales.

How about other posters' adopted lands? Is there a marked preference for subtitles or dubbing? Could this be accounted for by that country's political history?

jpvanderwerf2001 · Joined: 02 Oct 2003 Posts: 1117 Location: New York

As you know--having lived in Russia yourself--dubbing is the bane of my existence.
I TOTALLY believe that theory about why some countries dub and others don't. I've also noticed that in countries where subtitles are used (much of Europe and Latin America), spoken English is much better. That might just coincidental, of course.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 8:32 am Post subject:

Much of Latin America also subtitles, and if English there is better, I have to ask better than what? If it were any worse, they wouldn't even know it was a language.

Best,
Justin

PS- currently in Korea, which tends to subtitle. More evidence against.

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

I never thought about the politics behind dubbing, but it does seem plausible.

Everywhere that I've lived, subtitling has been the norm, with dubbing generally used for kiddie movies (which still might have dubbed versions available, but you've got to check first).

In Prague, a student group was hosting a showing of Dr. Strangelove. Dirt cheap tickets. Dubbed? No. Sub-titled? No. They actually had a guy standing in the projection room with a microphone, translating and talking over the voices in the movie. Very frustrating! One guy, doing all of the characters, with the volume set just low enough so that you could sort of hear what they were actually saying, but not quite. No wonder tickets were so cheap!

d

keitepai · Joined: 23 Feb 2008 Posts: 143 Location: Istanbul

I never thought of dubbing vs subtitling this way!

Turkey is into dubbing in a big way. I always thought it was because a percentage of people here cannot read well enough to cope with subtitles.

Maybe they are just not 'visual'....many times on the bus people ask in Turkish "Does this bus go to Besiktas?" The word "Besiktas" is clearly written on the front and side.........I always think they cant read well or prefer to talk than look .

It is also quite possible that dubbing is a political choice, Turkey likes to 'feed' it's population selected information and anyone with opposing views can be arrested for speaking against the nation. Shocked

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

Mexico seems to subtitle most flicks though most movies for kids are dubbed cleverly using local talent and idioms.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I think the fact that it's more expensive to dub might also play a role.

Ok, the Netherlands doesn't dub (nearly anything) and they have pretty great English in general, but there are other reasons too - such as the fact that about half the television channels here feature English-language stuff (without dubbing or subtitles!). Sink or swim Cool

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

JZer · Joined: 16 Jan 2005 Posts: 3898 Location: Pittsburgh

In Germany you can find both dubbed movies as well as movies in their original version with no subtitles.

If you are in a small town you will most likely to forced to watch American movies in German. In cities like Berlin and Munich you can watch the original version. Berlin also has an original version movie theater that only shows movies in their original language.

mr tree · Joined: 09 Oct 2007 Posts: 98 Location: Prague, CzR

GambateBingBangBOOM · Joined: 04 Nov 2003 Posts: 2021 Location: Japan

jpvanderwerf2001 · Joined: 02 Oct 2003 Posts: 1117 Location: New York

Perhaps I should have put "That might just be coincidental" in bold. Shocked

FrenchLieutenant'sWoman · Joined: 24 Jan 2010 Posts: 53 Location: France(ish)

I think there's a lot in the literacy argument. I noticed in mainland France I had access most films in VO but subtitled in French. Here they're all dubbed, no VO option at all, and literacy rates are much, much lower here.

Isla Guapa · Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 7:26 pm Post subject:

Not so sure about the literacy argument. In Mexico, subtitles are the rule, except for films designed for children in mind. In Spain, most foreign-language films are dubbed. When I lived in Madrid a few years ago, there were just a few theaters showing films with subtitles, and they were clustered in the central part of the city. While I have no figures to prove my point, I'm pretty sure that functional literacy rates are higher in Spain than in Mexico.