MovieChat Forums > Akahige (1968) Discussion > Horrible Subtitles

Horrible Subtitles

posted 20 years ago by ClarenceSurgeon
9 replies | jump to latest

Someone please tell me what they think the story is. We need much more dedicated translaters if artist's work is to be fully appreciated world wide.

[–] 20 years ago

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[–] manicsounds 20 years ago

I felt Donald Ritchie's subtitles on the Criterion
edition were quite good, considering i speak
both languages. i dont think anyone
would complain about the subbing on it.

everyone out there that DOESN'T have this
DVD in their collection must now
go to the store and buy it. now.
never will you regret it.

[–] gaiderdraco 20 years ago

It is true that the subtitles are bad but I managed to purchase the film for $8 (CAN). It is a DVD so I am happy.
However, as mentioned above, the Criterion Collection does have the greatest of traslations; theyt also contain a lot of terrific trivia and quality.
You can purchase the films in stores for a price between $50 and $60 (CAN) buty on Ebay, on can find them for cheap ($10 or so).

Have fun purchasing Kurosawa films. Enjoy them once, love them forever.

[–] mac_alain 19 years ago

everyone out there that DOESN'T have this (Criterion) DVD in their collection must now go to the store and buy it. now.

Or else I will come around with my sword and chop your head off

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare2/redbeard.htm

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] 19 years ago

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[–] Dancing_Bear 20 years ago

It may be that you watched a poor quality Hong Kong knock-off. Criterion is a pretty reliable dvd, even if you have to go to Blockbuster to rent a Criterion copy, I urge you to try to find the real thing. I saw some cheap Hong Kong knock-off Kurosawa dvd's and the sub-titles were indeed very horrible, plus they substituted Chinese names for the Japanese names (example, Hing, instead of Benkei, in The Men Who Tread On Tiger's Tails). Therefore, you can't even recognize the characters being called out in Japanese because the Chinese-translated name shows up on screen! Besides that, the translations are just plain awful on the Hong Kong knock-offs. No matter how reasonable the price seems to be for a Hong Kong Kurosawa knock-off, always pay more and get Criterion or other original version, then you won't be disappointed. Although I must say, in some instances I do prefer the LD or video subtitle translations better than the dvd (my own preference).

[–] kpjf 18 years ago

Yes indeed dancing bear, all those dvds on region 3 have absolutely terrible subs, real simple typos like hte (for 'the') and poor grammar errors, etc

I haven't seen the criterion one, but the BFI (British Film institute R2)release has very good subtitles; very little mistakes and best of all the picture quality is excellent. Plus one thing i notice about R3 is that the picture quality is way worse, and theres usually no widescreen available.

Maybe your one was R3 ?

Doesn't matter how cheap they are (R3 ones), its not worth it- I got the bfi R2 releases on eBay for both red beard and ikiru all in about £14.

Amazing film...

[–] thebukkaker 18 years ago

Lol, the copy of Akahige I have translates Akahige as "Brown Beard".