MovieChat Forums > Children of a Lesser God (1986) Discussion > Why did they dub Sarah's voice?

Why did they dub Sarah's voice?

posted 18 years ago by technologyisgreat
8 replies | jump to latest

In the scene where they are arguing (I've learned your language! You want me to come into your world? Come into mine! Learn to speak!) and Sarah lets out a scream with something to the effect of "Because this is my human voice! I sound like a freak!"

I noticed a discrepancy in the vocal recording. The first part of her line sounds like the boom mike on the set. The last part sounds like dubbed vocals in post-production. I know the actress is deaf, and, therefore probably really does sound like that. Why would they dub over her line if the whole point of her tantrum is show William Hurt (and the audience) how ugly her voice sounds or at least how ugly she thinks it is?

[–] techniscope 18 years ago

"see my mouth? hear my voice? i'm not afraid!"

it didn't sound dubbed to me. i think i'll rewatch it again sometime soon just to make sure though. assuming that her voice was dubbed, perhaps she did some voice over work. many things can go awry while shooting a scene, like picking up noises on the set.

[–] Seanpdineen 17 years ago

Anybody as surprised as me, at one thing?
Why didn't he ever look at that beatuful mouth of hers?
Most speech people want to make sure there clients jaws are in working order.

[–] SmotheredEarth 18 years ago

Movies are dubbed for lots of reasons. Maybe there was a car horn in the background or something else wrong with the audio take. Don't you notice these changes in sound quality in every movie you see?

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] broadway309 18 years ago

I don't think it was dubbed. I played that scene over about a dozen times, and I think her voice was just changing as she screeched. Either she couldn't tell how she sounded or it was superb vocal acting- it communicated her frustration better than if it was just a well pitched scream. I don't hear the discrepancy as far as the boom mike is concerned because the room tone stays the same. But I could be wrong.

[–] Renowriter77 18 years ago

It sounded like voice over to me. But that is her voice. I've heard her speak on Seinfeld and Spin City episodes.

[–] mikeclaw 17 years ago

She learned to speak after the movie was made. The first time she really showed off her speaking voice in public was a year later when she presented the Best Actor award. She planned it as a surprise, because people did not know she'd been working on her speaking. It was a great moment, because she was very dramatic and obviously having fun with it. When she read "Robin Williams in 'Good Morning Vietnam,' " she said "Good morning, Vietnam!" the same way Robin Williams did in the movie.

[–] boo4141989 16 years ago

Marlee said in an interview I read online that people would ask her family when she was growing up why she sounded different when she talked and they told everyone it was because she was from another country. So she learned to talk before the movie. She worked with a dialect coach for the presentation at the Oscars the next year. This was probably done just to perfect her talking.