Do you ever watch English dubbed movies?

United States
September 27, 2008 6:21pm CST
The other day, we got an old Jackie Chan movie, that had been dubbed with English. I guess it's OK. But, personally, I love to watch the movie in it's original form and read subtitles. You can really hear the passion that the actors put into their words, even if the words are foreign. But, it is a little difficult to read subtitles and watch the movie at the same time, especially with an action film where everyone's constantly moving or kicking or fighting. Which do you prefer. To watch the movie in original form, and read subtitles? Or, to watch the foreign movie, dubbed with English?
5 people like this
22 responses
• United States
28 Sep 08
Forrest my cat - Forrest Gump the cat who had a very low IQ
I cannot read fast enough to watch a movie with subtitles. I tend to get lost because I can read only a few sentences and then they change the words.
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Sep 08
Thanks for posting a pic of Forest! I loved your cat story. You know me. I'm a big ol' cat mama. Right now, my cat, EB is trying to curl up in my lap between my hands as I'm typing.
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Sep 08
Some how the photo of Forrest I put on the wrong discussion. It was for the other discussion. What an air head I am.
• United States
29 Sep 08
No way! Don't say that kind of stuff about yourself. Forrest is such a cutie! I left a comment. Thanks for sharing your cat!
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
28 Sep 08
Ewwww...I can't stand listening to English dubbed movies they sound so phoney I definitely rather see the movie in the original language and just read the subtitles, but then I tend to be a fast reader....
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Sep 08
Yeah, they do sound very phony. That's an excellent way to put it. So, true!
@Shaun72 (15959)
• Palatka, Florida
28 Sep 08
I like his movies. I like both myself. I think because my father liked watching a lot of the karate movies with Bruce Lee years ago. of course he also liked fighting movies with Clint Eastwood. I just liked the karate ones the best myself. I agree it does seem like there is more passion in the original movie to me also.
• United States
28 Sep 08
Yeah! My brothers used to like watching those kung fu movies too. And, that meant I had to watch them too, considering we only had one TV. Jackie Chan is so cool. He's funny too.
@Shaun72 (15959)
• Palatka, Florida
28 Sep 08
Yeah that is why I like watching him so much now. He is both funny and great at karate.
1 person likes this
16 Oct 08
I'm not really into Jackie Chan movies. I like having subtitles on some programmes as sometimes I dont always catch what they say so if I have subtitles on, I can read what they say ans watch them at the same time. Though Ive noticed that they dont subtitle everything what the actors say, they alter some of the words. Not sure if this is something to help them or what but its weird when you read I and they say something similar but different!!
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
28 Sep 08
I like to watch both..sometimes its funny to watch their mouth and read and see if it sounds right..lol..
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Sep 08
I know! That part kind of makes me dizzy!
@fwidman (11514)
• United States
27 Sep 08
If it is an action film, I'd have to go with the dubbed version. It would be impossible to read while Chan is jumping all over the place I don't watch many foreign films, maybe a Mexican movie now and then and I just watch, I don't have the subtitles to read. But, usually I can get the gist of what is going on. If I run into trouble, I get Shelly to translate for me
• United States
28 Sep 08
Have you ever seen Ran, the movie? I think it's in original Chinese, with hours of subtitles. It's an epic type movie. Pretty cool! It's been years since I saw it.
@SViswan (12051)
• India
2 Oct 08
I prefer subtitles to dubbed movies. I find it funny when I watch dubbed movies and it totally throws me off track from the movie I'm watching. Especially when English movies are dubbed into Hindi. It sounds very funny to me and I know the emotions are not the same...and the dubbed accent is funny too. I prefer to hear the dialogues as they are and read subtitles to know the meaning.
29 Sep 08
Most definitely subtitles over dubbed anyday. I don't really find it difficult to read subtitles and wach something at the same time. I really enjoy foreign films and dislike it when they are dubbed as it just spoils the authenticity of it.
• Philippines
28 Sep 08
hmm, I prefer to watch movies in original form and not dubbed and just read it's subtitles. Usually, movies that are dubbed were kinda not that good and not quite fit, there are movies that are quite dubbed nicely, but it was only few, mostly are the dubbed are not that good. So I really prefer to watched movies that isn't dubbed.
@neildc (17239)
• Lapu-Lapu City, Philippines
2 Oct 08
There are lots of foreign movies here that are being shown and dubbed in English or Tagalog languages. There are also some of these being shown in television and dubbed in our local language. Of course, the people here, mostly, wants to see these movies being in local language but if we can only see how the dialog and the lips of the actors, we may laugh though the situation is a dramatic one.
@raclie (1732)
• Singapore
28 Sep 08
well... for me, i am used to watching the show and reading the subtitles at the same time. i have done this since young and it is rather task for me. but... englisg dubbed movies is just....wired... the words and the lips are sometimes not syncrognised, and it spoils the movie experience and thus, i do not enjoy myself that much. thats an interesting discussion...
@Docdocdee (123)
• Philippines
28 Sep 08
it depends. because sometimes there are types of movies that you should just read the subtitles to preserve the experience and the feelings or emotions of the movie. some are just meant to be dubbed.
@shoeb000 (321)
• India
28 Sep 08
i like the movie dubbed in Hindi/Urdu [my national language/mother tongue] because we need to understand the movie what they are saying, when i see a movie by reading its subtitles.. then i cannot watch the scenes properly, so there is no fun remain. and if i see a dubbed movie, i atleast understand the whole movie...
• Australia
28 Sep 08
It depends on how well the voice actors are doing the roles, and if it just sounds right or not. If it sounds right and the voice actors are doing a good job at it, I'd watch in dubbed, otherwise I would go for the subtitles. I've sort of become used to watching and looking at subtitles by watching many Japanese anime.
• United States
28 Sep 08
I usually prefer subtitles, but you're right. It can be very hard to keep up with them when there's a lot of action on the screen. Most dubs sound terrible, but once in a while I see a movie where the actors have done their own dubbing, and that works a lot better. With more and more foreign actors who also speak English, that kind of dubbing should be more widely available. But it's faster and cheaper to write dialogue for subtitles than it is to have the actors redo every scene with voiceovers.
@iskayz (5420)
• Philippines
28 Sep 08
Hi there! I prefer watching movies that has been dubbed in english. Though sometimes the dubbing is late or has a funny voice I don't mind it. As long as I can concentrate on watching rather than concentrate on reading the sub titles. I get headaches cause my eyes are constantly moving up and down. I also miss the action cause I'm busy reading the sub titles. Ciao!
@icegermany (2524)
• India
28 Sep 08
i think dubbed movies are much better as i can watch the movie properly and not miss anything but it doesnt happen with the movies with subtitles as we concentrate more on reading and not on the movie. and hence i would prefer to enjoy movie and dont miss anything. i know dubbed movies are a little some what different from the original one but then too its fine as far as we enjoy it and i think then it doesnt matter wheather it is dubbed or original.
• India
28 Sep 08
Hi, i feelthat dubbed movies look very funny.Its own charm is gone.Originality is vanished.You dont feel like it is the real movie you are watching.I prefer watching movies in original language.Dubbed ones are a no no for me.
28 Sep 08
Neither lol the sub titles are a real pain,as you need to keep on looking at the bottom of the screen,and then if you get the film and it is dubbed,well often the dubbing is bad,in fact we watched a film the other week which was dubbed,and the dubbing was way out,the mouths werent moving in time with the words,which gave a really weird effect all in all.
@iman3004 (123)
28 Sep 08
i also prefer watch movie on it's real language and read the subtitle, coz i like to hear the true voice of the actor