Taking the position against dubbing there is nothing worse than bad vice casting. I see this on TV all the time, also you get to know the voices and they don't correspond to the same face. But getting back to the original question I never experiened the idea of a film being subtitled as being silent, but then the majority of the films where I live have subtitles. I also have to confess that I haven't seen Toyiko Story either, so I have question - does a foriegn language (when a person isn't accustommed to hearing it) blend in to the background - ie. with the music. Metropolis is an example of a silent film that on video now has a music score attached. If so Japanese is a musical language and possibly the student became confused. The voices of the actors are part of the joy for me and if I like the film I'd prefer to see it again and again to enjoy the visuals along with any dialogue I may have missed at first reading/viewing. This is of course the same I would give a film in my first language. P weaver Meredith McMinn wrote: > > The one argument in favor of dubbing is also an argument against, or, > more accurately, making the point of the original post. The actor's > voice is as much a part of the performance and thus of the film as any > other single element. No two actors sound exactly alike and certainly > English sounds quite different from other languages. Unfortunately, > watching films in an unfamiliar language is always going to involve some > loss (or is it enhancement, at times?) in the translation. > > The one good argument in favor of dubbing, in my opinion, is that it > gives American voice-over actors work. Thus, I am in favor of it...if I > get the job! :-) > > Meredith > On Thu, 5 Dec 1996, Evan Cameron wrote: > > > Let me second Jesse Kalin's remark that the strange effect of switching > > one's attention from perceiving to reading, which subtitles requires, > > deserves more attention that it has been given, and is indeed, in my > > experience and judgment, the sole and perhaps decisive argument in favour > > of dubbing. It is unfortunate that most North Americans have no awareness > > of how well and effectively dubbing can be done, though most Europeans who > > lived through the last era of cross-country exchanges of good films > > (1955-1970) will not forget it, especially when confronted with the > > computerized garbage rushed into place nowadays. The impact of > > Tarkovsky's long takes when well-dubbed, for example, compared to the > > constant interruption of them required when reading subtitles, has > > perhaps to be experienced to be believed. > > > > It is equally unfortunate that no one has bothered to study the most > > notable other effect of reading subtitles. I well recall how intellectual > > the babblings of the drunken guests at Fellini's party in EIGHT-AND-A-HALF > > seemed to those of us compelled to read the lines via subtitles when it > > appeared (is read like an existentialist tract); and how astonished we > > were to learn that our Italian counterparts considered ASPHALT JUNGLE to > > be equally intellectual when its dialogue was filtered through the act of > > reading, compared to the debased level of communication they found in > > their own indigenous productions (their masterpieces, by our 'reading'). > > > > > > Evan William Cameron Telephone: 416-736-5149 > > York University - CFT 216 (Film) Fax: 416-736-5710 > > 4700 Keele Street E-mail: [log in to unmask] > > North York, Ontario > > Canada M3J 1P3 > > On Thu, 5 Dec 1996, Jesse Kalin wrote: > > > > > 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] > > > > > > > ---- > > To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L > > in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask] > > > > ---- > To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L > in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask] ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]