I find this response by students as strange and puzzeling as Don. I have never encountered it, even in "first" film courses, though I can quite imagine that students come to "block out" the (language) sound through their focus on reading. (This actually is an argument for dubbing, though that's another issue.) I have used Japanese films extensively, especially Ozu and "Tokyo Story", and a wide range of films other than Kurosawa. I have always encouraged them to listen to the Japanese and begin to connect it (inflection, tone, etc.) with facial expression, bodily comportment, and the information given in subtitles. (They have also been encouraged to see the films twice, though most don't, except in response to a specific assignment or for a term paper.) But film is also a strange beast, living as much in our imaginations (and constructed memories, ie., as retold stories--modified, amplified, embellished, etc. ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]