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HAUTE TENSION transmorgrifies into HIGH TENSION leaving only your favorite form of frenching behind!!!

Published at:  Apr 21, 2005 5:56:32 AM CDT

Hey folks, Harry here... Now I'm one of the folks that absolutely loves HAUTE TENSION - the incredibly well made slasher style horror film that just completely was everything I wanted from the movie when it played at BUTT-NUMB-A-THON 5 about a year and a half ago. Now, I'm one of those folks that can actually read subtitles and enjoy a film all at the same time. About 99% of you folks are as well... unfortunately - we all know a good many people that can only get halfway through a sentence before it leaves being replaced by another whole sentence to wade through. Actually - honestly - I can't say I know any of these pathetic folks... but apparently they exist in enormous numbers. I mean - this is a very hard R-rated horror film - which pretty much means an 18 and older demographic... One that was brought up reading in chat rooms faster than any film's subtitles have ever moved. But the great ignorant masses of Americans (whom I've never met) are so many allegedly - that Lionsgate has gone and dubbed the film, and re-edited it a bit. It is possible that they've done a really good job. The voices in the trailer - though we don't actually see them in conjunction with mouths moving. The voices don't sound like the typical hackjob, but I've never really seen a dub job I've preferred over simply subtitling a film. Same for most filmlovers. I don't know about the quotes in the trailer, if they refer to this dubbed version - or if those come from critics that saw the original French print. I don't know how this version will play - but damn I love that original film!




Click Here For The Englishfied HIGH TENSION trailer!



A DISCUSSION REGARDING SOME SPOILER ASPECTS OF THIS FILM LAYS BELOW THIS POINT. IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE FILM - I ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND THAT YOU NOT READ THE FOLLOWING, EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT OUT AND OUT REVEALING THE SPOILERS, IF YOU'VE A SHRED OF ANALYTICAL ABILITY YOU WILL DISCERN WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. SPOILER FOLLOWS:
























Reply from Harry to Talkbacker 433 aka Jeremy. The turn you're talking about - if given a bit of thought and consideration suddenly very much makes sense when you consider the following. The point of view from which the film is being told. And the condition of that person's eventual state of awareness. Applying logic to a horrifically disturbed and tragically unfortunate mental state - well - while I certainly agree that it isn't the lazy A to B storyline of nearly EVERY SLASHER FILM SINCE THE DAWN OF THE GENRE - but rather - an incredible exploration on what goes on behind those cold dead eyes that reside within that White Kirk Mask, within the Hockey Mask, within that stitched face and chainsaw. HAUTE TENSION's story and perspective is ultimately in my opinion not only beyond the lumbering tired genre steps that have grown continually tired and trite - but thrilling and challenging. The lazy thing is to merely declare that 'left turn' as random - but if you think about all that that turn means, what we know about such turns in the rather cold reality of these conditions and documented cases - How is it any more fantastic than such brilliant suspense films as DRESSED TO KILL, BODY DOUBLE or even PSYCHO. My initial reaction was that it was a random left turn, but after revisiting the film, and further consideration - which I felt the first 4/5ths of the film indicated that an incredibly talented and thoughtfully deliberate mind was directing - that I thought about that final act and considered it seriously.



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    Readers Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 6:37:07 AM CDT

    is this dubbing actually new?

    by gerardcox

    'cause I already saw it dubbed in 2003. Mind you, that was in Belgium, where French is a national language, so it's perfectly understandable that it was dubbed of course...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 6:38:39 AM CDT

    It's in my country available on DVD...

    by derlanghaarige

    and it sucks! And not only because the german DVD is strong cut!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 6:46:29 AM CDT

    That trailer stinks and I don't like it

    by mascan

    Bring back the Sonic Youth song from the first trailer.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 6:52:46 AM CDT

    Disney has done great dubs for the Miyazaki films

    by demosthenes2

    That's about it as far as any decent dubs out there I can think of. It certainly helps when it's animated. I believe I watched Crouching Tiger's English dub for a bit and wasn't offended by it but still preferred the subtitles there.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 6:57:38 AM CDT

    Dubbing

    by genericjokename

    Lest we forget most american films are released in europe dubbed and it doesn't seem to be that big an issue.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 6:58:41 AM CDT

    hmm thoughts after watching the trailer

    by demosthenes2

    I miss the crazy usage of the "Don't You Remember You Told Me You Loved Me Baby" cover in the first trailer, well I'm sure that's not the name of the song but whatever.

    Does anybody else ever feel like voice-over actors for dubs feel like they have to energize their voices too much, almost cartoonishly, just because they can't physically perform and want to put all their energy into rounding their voice instead? It just sounds too Stepford Wife.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 8:25:34 AM CDT

    We saw this at BNAT and...

    by 433

    ...it's terrible. It starts out great, continues to be great, and then makes a hard left turn that not only makes no sense, it makes the rest of the movie not matter. Very sad, because I was loving it about 80% into it.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 8:26:10 AM CDT

    Not into dubbing myself...

    by cablecasual

    Must admit, dubbing just reminds me of badly dubbed kung fu films. I just get to distracted by the mis match between the words and the mouth, find it far easier and less distracting to read the subtitles. Forget I'm doing it after a while. Cracking film though, although came out over here (UK) on DVD as Switchblade Romance, which is a terrible name.... AT least you don't have to suffer that stateside!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 9:01:21 AM CDT

    You forget, GenericJokeName

    by vikingkitty

    Some twits in this country think the Europeans are the epitomy of high culture, so its OK if they dub OUR movies. However, if we have the nerve to dub the crap they call movies into English, its because we're swine.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 9:01:44 AM CDT

    Dialogue in Haute Tension

    by cigarettefairy

    I read about Haute Tension on this website so being the dishonest soul that I am, I downloaded it (that and be used to this website telling us about horror films that're gonna be great and then you see SAW and CABIN FEVER and they're pieces of shit) and yeah, also a piece of shit. But that's not my point. There's about 3 lines of dialogue in HAUTE TENSION and that's if you even care about their excuse for a plot. But I guess Americans will be Americans.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 9:03:31 AM CDT

    Fitzcarraldo Dubbed or Subtitled

    by john-locke

    Fitzcarraldo is damn near impossible to with subtitles, The Good, The Bad and the Ugly was mainly Dubbed, Most Argento films are Dubbed and Run Lola Run dubbed into english is fricking hilarious (they got recognisable british actors from Grange Hill and shit to do the voices), maybe this dub job on a otherwise mediocre and predictable twist fest will add that little certain something to the mix and also allow the film to find it's real audience: Kids getting into Horror who don't speak french who wouldn't read if you paid them. Any other clasic Dubbed movies you guys can think of?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 9:16:09 AM CDT

    The dubbing isn't nearly as bad as the cuts

    by marytylermorbid

    I've seen both versions of this film - the unrated French cut, and the dubbed R-rated American theatrical version - and as far as I can tell the dubbing is up to par, but the cuts made to the American version to scure an R rating really hurt the film. In the orginal French version, the death scenes are original, violent and bloody as hell, but the lame-ass cut American version they're hacked so badly they play off like most of the half-ass death scenes from the later Friday The 13th sequels. Someone needs to step up to the plate with a set of balls and release a NC-17 horror movie. Fast.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 9:28:59 AM CDT

    Instead of watching the inept drivel, learn to read and pick up

    by salvatoregravano

    http://imdb.com/title/tt0338095/board/thread/14195139

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 9:29:37 AM CDT

    ***Spoilers*** Re:CUTS

    by john-locke

    MaryTylerMorbid are you saying that the R rated cut doesn't have the head in the bannister scene and the Kid wont get shot, If so i'd recommend seeking the unrated version cos the gore is quite gratuatious in places. Just read Harry's comments, I'll watch the film again and have a rethink about my views, it just seems there are a few things in the film that don't make sense.

    Reply to Talkback

  • GenericJokeName: it doesn't seem to be a big issue because the mass audience in countries like Germany or France are totally ignorant about the difference between an original version and a dubbed one. And they even refuse to read subtitles (i don't know if it's just lazyness or nationalistic/proudness of their language or whatever) Believe me: The Germans for example are famous to be very good in dubbing movies (not only American movies but every foreign films) but it's STILL HORRIBLE. Even the Germans themselves think that the translations and synchronizations would be so good that it won't be a big difference. But THERE ARE PLENTY! There are so many things even in the most stupid and simple action movies which are lost or changed etc. through dubbing! You can't dub a movie perfectly because of the barrier of language and the mentality behind languages etc.(including how words are spoken and the meaning and feeling when a word or a sentence is spoken in a certain way) And when it's not possible to dub perfectly then it's not good enough. And i'm not even talking about the obvious things like humour, wrong translations or when actors speak in a certain accent(which means that one of an important acting method of stars are completely lacking in dubbed version) Believe me: You don't want to live in Germany and go to German cinemas when you're a film geek!
    (theaters showing movies in original language are very rare)

    just a stupid theory of myself: i believe that northern European people like in Sweden, the Netherlands or Finland are speaking English almost perfectly and definitely better than French or Germans 'cause they watch movies in original language with subs.^^(of course there are plenty of more important factors and reasons, duh) Japan or Korea don't count 'cause Asian languages are totally different.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 9:34:21 AM CDT

    Switchblade Romance

    by mr harold shand

    How's that for a facking stupid name change we got over 'ere in the UK. Thankfully not dubbed though. Gotta say the twist seemed a little random to me first time through but maybe i'll give it another go one day down the line. Name changes, i fackin shat em.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 9:46:16 AM CDT

    CurryIce "cause Asian languages are totally different"

    by john-locke

    Just being pedantic but I always thought that Mandarin sounds alot like French, Mind you it's ironic that it was the demise of dubbed films and the re-releasing of Classic Kung-Fu films in their original languages with subtitles that made it possible for me to have such an opinion in the first place, they don't speak much Mandarin in these here parts.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 10:00:21 AM CDT

    edit

    by thekinginyellow

    i was fortunate enough to see this at bnat5 and shortly after i was fortunate enough to find it floating around the internet at an avi. unfortunately it was heavily edited. there was no decapitated "head" scene, just the truck driving away with the head on the ground. the scene where the father gets decapitated by the dresser was gone. i'm sure there were other scenes that were missing but i can't remember them.

    oh well, if you get to see the version we saw at bnat5 you're in for a treat. if not, sorry.

    excellent bloody fun movie!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 10:00:40 AM CDT

    Harry: "Actually - honestly - I can't say I know any of these pa

    by john-locke

    but apparently they exist in enormous numbers" Never heard of dyslexia, I know plenty of people who were diagnosed in their late teens, those pathetic folks can't read subtitles for shit.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 10:02:54 AM CDT

    The dubbing won't matter

    by zampano

    When you get to possibly the worst twist in horror history. Completely idiotic, nonsensical gibberish. The film really doesn't earn its little "Haha, tricked you!" moment and it destroyed the preceeding movie for me. Which is a shame, as until that point, it really seemed to be playing hardball - a gut wrenching level of tension (hence the name, I guess) and a deadly serious approach to the genre, which has been missing from slasher films in the last decade.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 10:28:12 AM CDT

    The ending wasn't the dumbest thing in the film...

    by jimbolo

    ... it was the excuses that the script made for the actions of the "heroine". For example, say a serial killer is downstairs in your house... Do you a) climb out of the open window and make your escape or b) move the heavy (and noisy) wardrobe out of the way of the phone socket, plug the phone in and then phone the police? If you have any sense, a). If you are the heroine in this film b). Why? Because the script says so. At this point my friend turned to me and said, "this bitch is DUMB", but, of course, it's all okay because the cop-out ending is what everyone focuses on. The ending doesn't really matter when you've just spent the preceding 80 minutes shouting "why the FUCK would you do THAT?!" at the screen. Dense.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 10:34:52 AM CDT

    Flick with balls

    by duza

    Kind of ironic that a couple French guys (who many Americans jokingly refer to as "fruity") make a horror film with balls while we keep putting out safe, homogenized crap like, Boogeyman, and the Amityville remake, then we cut the balls off for American audiences.

    I picked up the Unrated, dubbed version from the dealers room at the World Horror Convention a few weeks ago and thought the dubbing was fine. Loved it, even with the stupid, illogical twist.

    Gravitas indeed!!!!!!

    Duza
    author of Dead Bitch Army
    http://www.houseofduza.com

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 10:34:54 AM CDT

    In defense of dubbing

    by grandocariissian

    Film is primarily a visual medium. If you have to spend half the film reading the subtitles, that's time you're not watching the actor's faces, or the framing of the shot, or the other actions taking place in the scene. How much do you miss out on when your attention is focused on the bottom of the screen for most of the film? Let's face it, unless you speak the language of the film, then you're seeing a compromised version either way. Subtitles may give you the text, but you'll miss the nuances of the actors delivery, the emphasis they may place on certain words over others, or words that have subtly different meanings or connotations in their native language than they do in english. With good dubbing, you lose the original voice performances of the actors, but since you're already missing out on a lot of that performance if you don't understand the language of the performance in the first place. The lack of sync between mouth and voice on a dubbed film may be distracting, but at least you're looking at the actor's face instead of reading the bottom of the screen and missing that part of the performance altogether. The main problem with dubbing is that most of it is done POORLY: well executed dubbing featuring voice performers who actually have some talent and acting ability isn't nearly as bad, we just don't get to see (hear) it much, so most people's opinion of dubbing is based on crappy "you wanna fight huh? fight ME!" style kung fu dubbing. Personally, I like to sit back and WATCH a film, meaning being able to spend as much time as possible watching the actors and taking in the scenery, and subtitles distract me from that.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 11:00:47 AM CDT

    Here's one, Jarv

    by hud

    that makes merry with the whole idea of dubbing: "What's Up Tigerlily?"

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 12:10:58 PM CDT

    Haute BORING

    by frodo2000

    Why are we even talking about this? It's from FRANCE, for crying out loud! League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 2 RIGHT NOW, Hollywood!!!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 12:16:41 PM CDT

    Dubbing in Germany

    by derlanghaarige

    @ CurryIce: Yes, we Germans are really great in Dubbing. Seriously! If you ever have the chance, watch a film with Robin Williams in the German Version. Even Robin Williams himself said that Peer Augustinski (the man who is the german voice of Robin Williams) is a genius! But It's not that every German like dubbed movies. It's easier to watch, sure, but many Germans don't like dubbed movies. Mostly because we are good in putting new voices in other countrys films, but we do al lot of fucking bullshit to the translation. Sometimes it's very hard to watch The Simpsons in German, because so many jokes are translated wrong! Or Pulp Fiction, I know many people here like that film and in the one scene almost at the end, when Sam L. Jackson tells Tim Roth that his Moneybag is the one with "Bad Motherfucker" on it, he says in the German Version: "Es ist die, auf der b

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 12:18:41 PM CDT

    PS:

    by derlanghaarige

    I didn't felt offended by anything you said, I just wanted to give all of you some information.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 12:28:06 PM CDT

    RE: is this dubbing actually new?

    by godoffireinhell

    No, it's the exact same dub that can be found, for example, on the Thai DVD. It was made years ago and not by Lion's Gate like they'd have you belive. The cuts that were supposedly made for the US release are also the exact same 36 seconds of gore that were trimmed for the Korean release. LGF simply submitted the dubbed, cut version and got their desired R. If you're interested in the film just import the UK R2 PAL DVD, which has a ton of cool extras, including longish interviews, an English language audio commentary, a making of doku ...

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 12:35:08 PM CDT

    The idioending was simply supposed to cover up the fact that the

    by salvatoregravano

    And, of course, it doesn't work, because changing names and endings will never cover up the blatant thievery of the remaining 90% of the plot, settings, incidents and details.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 12:40:40 PM CDT

    Dubbing vs. Subtitles

    by thefount

    I always prefer subtitles, because even if the subtitles are distracting for a while, unsynchronized audio/video makes me completely unable to focus on the movie. It has to be done very well to keep dubbing from being distracting while staying true to the dialogue. Of course, someone brought up a good point earlier that for anyone with a dyslexia or a similar issue, subtitles aren't such a good idea.

    http://thefount.blogspot.com

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 12:42:34 PM CDT

    But the Robin Williams Dubbing IS great!

    by derlanghaarige

    You will think, this is actually Robin Williams talking German! (I try to get some soundfiles)
    And the Quarterpunder with cheese is really a quarterpounder with cheese in the movie ("Ein Viertelpf

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 12:42:42 PM CDT

    This sounds EXACTLY like Dean Koontz's "Intensity"

    by grand masta salt

    The storylines sound too similiar.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 12:52:18 PM CDT

    dyslexia

    by kraken

    I had it when I was a kid (and a low level of it now) and I prefer sub-titles any day over a dub.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 1:07:05 PM CDT

    Thai DVD

    by groggy

    If the dubbing is the same as the Thai DVD then this ain't a bad version. I hate dubbing and prefer subtitles everytime, but this is one of the better English dubs I have seen of live action. That said it would appear the LGF version hasn't got all of the action, which makes the release seem kind of silly and timid. The brutality is very necessary if the film is to work as a whole. Get the uncut, dubbed, legit Thai DVD if you can pick it up cheap.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 1:17:22 PM CDT

    In defense of subtitles

    by octagon71

    I grew up in the Netherlands and currently live in California.
    I had to deal with subtitles my whole life and I disagree with GrandoCarIissian.

    Because of growing up watching the BBC and all kinds of other English programs
    I was able to pick up the English language at a very young age. Most people in
    Holland speak English because of being subjected to it by watching TV.
    Just imagine watching TV in a different language with the explanation right below it. You're bound to pick up on it and learn some of the language.

    I'm so used to watching subtitles that it only takes a split-second to read the
    entire sentence. I even watch my English language DVD's with subtitles. It's perfect
    when you can't have the volume up late at night and they make for great free English lessons. I feel sorry for people that can't read fast but thats no excuse to fucking DUB a movie!

    It

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 1:25:32 PM CDT

    The dubbing in other countries

    by malmocheese

    By the way, most civilized countries do not have this dub mania that a few do have - I visited many EU countries and it's true that you often see dubbed movies on TV but in most countries the cinema and DVD releases are subtitled. It's not just us Skands :) that do it the way that it should be done

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 1:31:56 PM CDT

    It's true about the germans - they even dub PORN! Really!

    by malmocheese

    But of course what can one expect from these nazis!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 1:32:19 PM CDT

    "Transmogrifies"

    by volta

  • Apr 21, 2005 1:34:28 PM CDT

    "Transmogrifies"

    by volta

    Ah shit, first post and I fuck it up. What's with the use of the word "transmogrifies"?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 1:52:02 PM CDT

    German Dubbed Pornos!!!

    by godoffireinhell

    Yeah, that's fucking hysterical! It doesn't matter so much nowadays with the original English track also on the DVD but back in the days where you'd rent your porn on VHS ... Yikes! Those dubs were so terrible I always masturbated to the films with the sound turned off. Frequently they'd have two (2) people dub an entire porno movie. One guy for all the men, and one bored, depressed, chain-smoking, hard-drinking (all of that deducted from the voice) stripper for all the girls!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 2:20:28 PM CDT

    Bronkowitz

    by curryice

    "I didn't felt offended by anything you said, I just wanted to give all of you some information."
    well ,my comment was only related to dubbing as you can see so everything is just fine ^ ^

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 2:39:20 PM CDT

    Twist endings are the last refuge of a weak storyteller

    by zikade zarathos

    CITIZEN KANE, USUAL SUSPECTS... these movies are not "Twist Endings" like some people have claimed, they're films that contained mysteries that needed to be solved, and the solution was surprising to most. They (and all the movies like them) set up the question sometime during the flick ("What is Rosebud?" "Who is Keyser Sose?"), and by the end, you find out who it is, and most often it's completely opposite of who you thought. That's good storytelling, because you get, at LEAST, a slim chance of figuring it out. Movies with twist endings, however, just spring on you an answer to a question nobody asked. Imagine if at the end of HALLOWEEN, Michael Meyers would have had his mask ripped off by Dr. Loomis, and it's Laurie Strode underneath. Then there's a cut, and we're in a psychiatric institute, and it turns of she's been telling the story the whole time. That's HAUTE TENSION, and it's just as jarring and ridiculous, an attempt by the director to superficially inject some depth when none was needed. The first three quarters are great, visceral horror -- the last quarter was a huge disappointment by a filmmaker who got cold feet, and dropped the ball.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 2:58:59 PM CDT

    How I learned to deal with subtitles.

    by numberface

  • Apr 21, 2005 3:00:11 PM CDT

    How I learned to deal with subtitles.

    by numberface

    I learned how to READ. Fast. It's not hard. Dubbing is for illiterates and retards. The has never been and never will be a decent dubbing job on any film in the history of cinema. Just. Read. It. You CAN do both. It takes a brain.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 3:41:59 PM CDT

    I Own The Dubbed Version Lion's Gate Is

    by clayd

    Putting out. It's not bad, but I also on the French version subbed in English. Of course there's no comparison. My friends said the dubbing one wasn't bad at all. All that watched it said you almost couldn't tell.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 3:42:04 PM CDT

    CurryIce

    by derlanghaarige

    Y'know. Things can get very quickly ugly here and before I get a "Shut the fuck up you fucking motherfucker! I fucked your mother you fucking fuck!" I better clear some things up. ;)
    PS: I'm not a pussy, I love that we can say here whatever we think but I don't want to answer 200 trolls in a row!
    PPS: Fucking Fuck! Fuck! Ficken! Shit! Ass! Cunt! Swearing is fun!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 3:58:17 PM CDT

    I agree 100% with 433

    by doc_mccoy

    The ending makes no fucking sense whatsoever, no matter how you explain it. The scene at the gas station, as well as the scene where the heroine and her friend are in the back of the van/truck while the psychopath is driving, destroy any hope of the "twist" being logical. I really liked the film up until that point, but the awful ending leaves a shitty taste in your mouth. Pretty much everyone I know that's seen the film feels the same way.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 4:11:51 PM CDT

    I love the smell of elitism in the morning

    by grandocariissian

    If you prefer subtitles, that's fine. That doesn't mean anyone who prefers dubbing is retarded or illiterate. I can read just as fast as most people. I can also form complete sentences and use punctuation correctly, a talent that seems to elude some people. No one should have to take a speed-reading course or watch a movie three times to enjoy it. If you're going to that much trouble, you may as well just learn the language and then you won't have to deal with dubbing OR subtitles. Do most dub jobs on movies suck? Yes, because they're usually done as afterthoughts and it's a lot cheaper to do subtitles than to hire good voice actors for a dub track. If they used the same quality of voice talent for dub tracks that they use for animated movies, then those dub tracks could be fantastic. If people would stop being such sheep and repeating the same BS that subtitles are the only way to see a film in its "pure" form, just because that's what they've always heard the film snobs say, then maybe people would start demanding, and getting, better dub tracks.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 4:12:25 PM CDT

    dub EVERYTHING

    by the_man_from_rio

    from now on, we should dub everything, even those learn a foreign language tapes

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 4:21:09 PM CDT

    Wnanahara7

    by numberface

    It is NOT hard! It's easy. Glance at the bottom of the screen, read what's there, look at the pictures. This is not rocket science, people. Dubbing is far more distracting because the voices coming out of the mouths of the people onscreen don't fit, the ambient sound is all wrong, and you find yourself taken out of the movie. Subtitles all the way! Dubbing stinks. I have never enjoyed a dubbed movie, Except Fellini, where all the voices are dubbed anyway, even though i watch

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 4:43:27 PM CDT

    Numberface is a retard.

    by wee willie

    Some folks like dubbing. Some folks like subtitles. You can fault people for what they enjoy. But movies should be available in both versions.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 4:44:46 PM CDT

    I meant "can't"

    by wee willie

    You CAN'T fault people for what they like. Still though, if you're going to dub, put some effort into it.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 5:55:34 PM CDT

    I AM IN LOVE

    by topaz4206

    with every inch of Cecile De France. What a delicious skin-biscuit! Anyway, the original is AWESOME, love it-loveit-loveit. One thing I noticed, that it does sound like Cecile at least did her own dubbing for the English part. Who cares, I've got the original sitting right here, you can't take it away from me!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 6:13:37 PM CDT

    Speaking of dubbing...

    by -guyinthebackrow

    The Full Monty needed subtitles.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 6:36:27 PM CDT

    Subtitling has its place, BUT . . .

    by ol' painless

    Only if you have a genuine problem such as dyslexia or visual impairment. People with these problems should not be denied the opportunity to enjoy a quality foreign film. But if your reason is you can't be bothered reading a little faster and getting into the flow of the film, then just don't bother: go back to films by Michael Bay. He'll spell it out nice and simple for you so you won't be troubled with subtlety, nuance, and all that other annoying stuff . Sometimes watching a film requires a little work: if you are prepared to do this, you may experience something wonderful.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 21, 2005 8:09:39 PM CDT

    Please, Do Explain

    by grandocariissian

    How does constantly shifting your attention between a scene and the writing at the bottom of the screen help you "get in the flow" of a film? It does exactly the opposite for me. And how does printing the translation of a film's dialogue communicate nuance and subtlety? I'm sorry to break it to you, but the nuances of foreign languages can't be expressed by the written word. It doesn't matter if it's dubbed or subtitled, something is lost in the translation either way. Stop deluding yourself into thinking you're getting something more out of a subtitle than you'd get from a dub. Even in English, there's a big difference between reading dialogue and hearing it spoken. Try reading a screenplay and then going to see the actual film and you'll hopefully hear what I'm talking about. Unless you understand the language, you've lost any nuance the actor added to the original dialogue. Saying "Don't bother going to foreign films if you don't want to read subtitles" is a cop-out. That has as much logic as saying "Don't bother to go to a film if you can't be bothered to learn the original language." After all, if you don't understand the language you'll never get the full effect of the film, so what's the point? But I DO bother to go to foreign films and to rent them on DVD, and most of the time I read the subtitles because I HAVE NO CHOICE. If I did have a choice, I'd listen to a good dub track instead. Then I wouldn't have to worry about missing the subtle details and nuances in the production design and cinematography on films like City of Lost Children or House of Flying Daggers, where even glancing away from the scene for a second might cause me to miss a fantastic visual.

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  • Apr 21, 2005 8:18:06 PM CDT

    By the way

    by grandocariissian

    City of Lost Children was the film that convinced me that dub tracks aren't such a bad thing. When I saw that movie in the theater, it was subtitled. It wasn't until later that I saw it on DVD with a dub track that I realized how much fantastic imagery I had missed the first time around because my attention had been so focused on reading the dialogue. I used to just as evangelical about subtitles as every other film snob. I gave the dub track on COLC a chance because it featured some of the actual actors, like Ron Perlman, and because I wanted to concentrate on the visuals. I'm glad I did.

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  • Apr 21, 2005 9:27:02 PM CDT

    GrandoCarIissian

    by john-locke

    "Unless you understand the language, you've lost any nuance the actor added to the original dialogue" Bollocks, I don't understand French too well I do know that in my favourite French Films of recent memory (La Haine, Irreversible, Taxi, Dobberman to name a few) alot of the films strenghtsare the way characters talk to each other and pronounce words, Vincent Cassel dubbed in La Haine?, think about it if you've seen the movie. Bollocks

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  • Apr 21, 2005 10:57:42 PM CDT

    Yo, Grando

    by ol' painless

    Grando, you continue to evangelise about the joys of dubbing, and good for you: I think you are wrong . You have your opinion and I have mine, so there doesn

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 22, 2005 12:53:42 AM CDT

    I don't think dubbing will hurt a movie like this too much.

    by cash bailey

    There's not that much dialogue and in the end, it's nothing more than a really brilliantly-made slasher flick. It's not like watching in horror at the dubbing in something like CROUCHING TIGER, where you're treated to "Ahh-soo, I see you have da greeeen destahny swoooord"-type Fu Manchu dubbing. Besides, they can do what they like with HAUTE TENSION. I have my uncut, sub-titled DVD.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 22, 2005 2:22:17 AM CDT

    Opinions Noted

    by grandocariissian

    I'm not here to try to convince anyone who prefers subtitles to switch to english dubs instead. What I am trying to do is show that there ARE good reasons why someone might prefer dubbing. Plenty of people here have expressed their preference for subtitles and I have no problem with that, but I do have a problem with the ones who say if you prefer dubbing you're a retard or, even worse, a Michael Bay fan. If you prefer subtitles then good for you, but that doesn't mean you're smarter or have better taste in film than those of us who don't. And just to clear one thing up, if you think I'm somehow denigrating the art of acting, then you have clearly misunderstood everything I've written about that, since I clearly stated previously that my preference for dubbing is partly because it allows me to view the entire performance of the actor, including facial expressions, body language, etc. The nuance that is lost (in both dubbing and subtitles) is in the dialogue, not in the actor's overall performance. Also, I'm not shedding any tears over an absence of english dubs of foreign films; with DVDs, a lot of those films come with BOTH dub tracks and subtitles, so everyone can choose whichever they prefer. What I DO complain about is the lack of GOOD dubs, which is directly related to 1) how cheap the studios are and 2) the snooty attitude so many people have toward dubbing. If the studios think the only people who listen to dubs are lazy illiterates, why would they bother investing any money in producing better dubs? As for what we can do to get the studios to turn out better dubs, I don't know. Since when do studios listen to us? Despite everything I've written here, I really don't care enough about this to start a petition or a letter-writing campaign about it. But I'll make an extra effort to see a dubbed film versus a subtitled one if they put some effort into the dubbing, like they did with City of Lost Children or Spirited Away, just like I used to go out of my way to see letterbox films instead of pan-and-scam. Truth is, MOST people in the USA avoid subtitled films altogether and would prefer dubbing (for reasons that are admittedly dumber and lazier than mine) so if that's not financial incentive enough for them to release better dubs, I don't know what is. That said, if the voiceovers in the Haute Tension trailer are any indication, it sounds like they did a decent job with that one.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 22, 2005 2:52:44 AM CDT

    Thrown out of this site

    by derlanghaarige

    Y'know what I mean

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 22, 2005 4:00:49 AM CDT

    Subtitles ...

    by shan

    In Australia, we're used to subtitles because we have a government channel which shows foreign movies on a regular basis. So being able to watch a movie and read the subtitles at the same time is second nature to most of us.----------------------
    The important thing to remember is that there's only *ONE* language in the world which films are subtitled in common: from Russia (Nochnoj dozor/Nightwatch), Germany (Run Lola Run), Korea (Old Boy), Japan (Ring), China (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Hero) and so on -----------
    and that is English. Everyone else in the world has to learn at least one other language to understand either through subtitles or dubbing to understand films from many countries outside their own. So, we're really lucky in that we can see films from just about anywhere in the world without having to learn any new languages if we don't want to, so it's good to remember English is unique in that fashion and we're lucky in that respect. I'm trying to learn a few languages at the moment and it's not easy. (I currently understand just enough Japanese and Korean to be more confused than if I didn't know anything at all, I think).

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  • Apr 22, 2005 6:48:45 AM CDT

    I just saw it now Malmocheese

    by derlanghaarige

    Shut your fucking face! I don't know what dubbed Pornos have to do with Nazis!? And don't you never call any of us Nazi! (except these stupid Skinhead-Neo Nazis) WWII is over for more than 50 years, we all learned our lesson and holy shit! Most of were born AFTER this and so we had absolutely nothing to do with them! But who am I talking to. I'm sure you are sitting right now at home and masterbate to Schindlers List, stupid brainless FUCK!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 22, 2005 8:56:01 AM CDT

    Fair enough, Grando

    by ol' painless

    It certainly is nice to have choice, nnd studio's do need to put more effort into their DVD's and give us the option of both dubbing and subtitles. But we know the studios don't give a fuck about quality dubbing: we will always be stuck with the 'recorded by mostly-unemployed-for-a-reason-so-going-cheap-
    actor-monkey-in-phone-booth' quality on the dubbing. There's no money in it, they say, so why bother? I guess at least with subtitling, the hope is you are getting more of the original film, rather that a shit sandwich served up by some penny-pinching accountant in Distribution who is spending the money saved on hookers. But hey! Lets just shake hands and go for a beer: first rounds on me!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 22, 2005 11:10:00 AM CDT

    Make Films, Not War

    by grandocariissian

    See, peace in the talkbacks IS possible. Let's solve the Isreali-Palestinian conflict next, it's almost just as important.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 22, 2005 12:40:31 PM CDT

    Peace

    by john-locke

    So everyone is agreed, give us both options done well, I'll watch mine with Subs, just remembered Crimson Rivers (Reno/Cassel) had the actors re-voice their characters into english on the DVD and the film sucked even more as a result in my opinion but the choice is there if you want it Grando. Sorry for my use of profanity in earlier post, I can get very passionate about things late at night. Peace.

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 22, 2005 1:22:35 PM CDT

    'Glancing' and 'Reading'

    by numberface

    I guess it depends on your level of comprehension. I glance and read at the same time. Does that make me a better person. HELL YEAH IT DOES! (Just kidding) 'Prancing' and 'Dancing' are different, but the same message comes across. What's the message? That the person doing either is obviously gay. So are people who like dubbing. (Just kidding)

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 22, 2005 1:59:28 PM CDT

    Ow, don't shoot, herr gruppenfuhrer bronkowiz, nein!

    by gerhardschrojerk

    Don't shoot me herr gruppenfuhrer bronkowiz, ich liebe dich! (ahaha) I will not tell any jokes about the beloved leader and god of germany, fuhrer adolf! I will not joke about the neonazi party that won 20% votes in the "modern democratic" germanazi elections! Don't put me in a concentration camp, herr bronkowiz!

    (No surprise the germanazis openly admit they hate Schindler's List: just go on its IMDB board and read all the sick crap they post there, where they can anonymously let their concealed ingrown racism and "german pride" out. No wonder Spielberg had to have six bodyguards when he scouted locations in Munich!

    By the way, I wonder if they dub kid and scat porno there, too. gErManY (would be "germaniA" if adolf won) is the #1 market for this sick sh*t, so they probably do! Post some reviews of that, bronkowizt!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 22, 2005 2:10:10 PM CDT

    learn to read faster...

    by octagon71

    Like I said in my earlier post, I grew up in The Netherlands and had to deal with subtitles my whole life, because of this I read them pretty fast so it takes me a split-second to read then, then I look back at the screen again. It's like second nature and it does not take me out of the movie what so ever. Most people who grew up watching subtitled movies will have no clue what you people are going on about. Plus watching an English movie with Dutch subtitles just strengthens your comprehension of both languages, unless they do a shitty job subtitling of course. So fuck off with restarted dubs and learn to read (faster).

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 22, 2005 4:15:55 PM CDT

    Yeah right!

    by derlanghaarige

    KZ jokes are soooo funny. Are any jews in here? Tell them how much you laughed. But first should think about how many wars Germany started in the last 50 years while other countries...well...Y'know. Oh and about the IMDB ratings you should give a fuck. There are even more trolls, haters, fanboys than here!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 22, 2005 4:42:56 PM CDT

    wars?

    by numberface

    America started the most wars. And kicked the most ass. Don't even go there, bro!

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 22, 2005 4:48:56 PM CDT

    And just like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a seemingly long

    by grandocariissian

    Will the cycle never end?

    Reply to Talkback

  • Apr 22, 2005 10:49:23 PM CDT

    Not on my watch, brother.

    by numberface

    Not on my watch.

    Reply to Talkback

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