MovieChat Forums > Fong Sai-Yuk (1993) Discussion > Does any one HATE the fact that this mov...

Does any one HATE the fact that this movie is dubbed in the US?

posted 18 years ago by quinv
25 replies | jump to latest

I don't understand Cantonese or Mandarin, but I like to watch Chinese movies with their original soundtrack and English subtitles. I just rented Fong Sai-Yuk aka The Legend without realizing that this is a dubbed version. It's almost unbearable and I couldn't continue watching!! I then did some research and found that Dimension rescored and dubbed this movie to release it in the US, not to mention the complete removal of the hero's name from the title. I really want to watch this movie with the original soundtrack... Is it available in the US?

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] ThisiSmyiD9 18 years ago

I got Part 1 and 2 off ebay for under 15 bucks (TOGETHER!) :D

Victory is not possible in the war of opinionS

[–] unleashfieryhell 18 years ago

and it wasn't dubbed?

[–] ThisiSmyiD9 18 years ago

Chinese orginal- english subtittles

Victory is not possible in the war of opinionS

[–] Fenrir-5 18 years ago

Other than just wanting to sound like a dialogue purist, why is this the case?

This isn't a sweeping historical drama or an accurate period piece. It's just a kung-fu movie. When watching a kung-fu movie, most people are more concerned with the action than the dialogue. Reading subtitles thus distracts from the action.

Obviously the best choice would be to have a choice - have two audio tracks. Many such movies do. But the majority of people who watch these movies watch them for flashy kung-fu, not the cliche stories.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] Fenrir-5 18 years ago

"With no offense to you Fenrir-5, if people did not want a story, there wouldn't be films with a story in them."

Oh, come on. Why do porn movies have 'stories' then? It's just part-and-parcel with making a movie. You try to tie everything together with something, but usually Jet Li movies are about the awesomeness of Jet Li.

I imagine there are many Chinese-language versions available overseas. But you have to understand it from the position of the importer: if they import a Jet Li kung-fu flick with dub (even with Jet dubbing his own voice) they will move more units than if they import Chinese language with subtitles. It's just the audience. Although it completely escapes me why they don't keep the existing Chinese track as an option. Probably costs less to manufacture.

For more 'serious' movies the audience is more patient with reading subtitles because they specifically sought out the movie for its story and want to read the best translation of it possible. But, come on. It's a kung-fu movie! I think the big problem most people have with dub is just lack of quality. I've seen some Jet Li movies dubbed really, really well. Some are laughably bad. Same with Jackie Chan, but then again Jackie did try to make us believe there are mountains in New York City.

BTW, I think we just made history for being the first two people on the Internet to disagree without resorting to name-calling. Someone alert the media.

[–] yo_como_comida 17 years ago

Excuse me, Fenrir-5, but I think you don't know what exactly it is you're talking about.

First of all, I know from my own experience that the overwhelming majority of people who are into martial arts films prefer the original language with subtitles to dubbing. If you don't believe me, search around these boards, go to HKFlix and read DVD reviews: it's almost unanimous. As for having to be "patient with reading subtitles," anyone with at least a third grade reading level won't even notice that they're reading subtitles by the end of the film. It just becomes natural.

Second of all, martial arts movies are often about much more than just the fighting. If you don't believe me watch the Five Deadly Venoms, watch Shaolin Master Killer, tell me these movies are "just about fighting." There is a way of life part of it. By saying that a kung-fu movie can't be a serious movie, you're not only making a generalization about a genre of movies that has brought many EXCELLENT stories to the screen, but you're making yourself sound like the typical undercultured American who gives the rest of us open-minded Americans a bad name and an even worse reputation.

Third of all, not only does the dubbed version of this movie in particular change the dialogue to make it more "family friendly," but it cuts out some of the funniest parts of the movie. At least ten minutes is missing in the Dimension rehack of this film. Not only that, but the score was removed and a new, less engaging score was given to this film.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] acolonelofcorn 15 years ago

Dubbing blows.

If you have a hard time following subtitles, best brush up on your reading skills, because you suck at it.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] Falcon90 13 years ago

I do hate it when they dub any movie and this is no different. I guess it may be because I didnt grow up watching dubbed martial arts films. The only exception is Drunken Master when the audio kept switching between Mandarin and English...it seemed to only switch to English when they swear and it was hilarious!

[–] NickB911 17 years ago

Its a kung fu movie , 9 times out of 10 the people who are going to watch them just watch to see the action, and most of the times the stories aren't that good anyways, example ong bak, some of these movies are cheesy and the dubbing does make them cheesier, the original track and score to the movie can be better sometimes w/the subtitles though i agree, and def would agree that having the 2 tracks available is the best bet.

[–] o_th_fret_o 17 years ago

Yeah it would be nice to give a choice but in martial arts movies I prefer dubbed so that I can pay full attention on a fight instead of reading the subs.. I can do both at the same time its just not as easy lol

[–] ksmias 17 years ago

I dislike dubbing in most films, hearing comical american accents accompanying a fight scene in china just makes the movie seem silly.

And then you hear chinese merchant/business people with very strong new york accents... I end up laughing.

[–] joshthejedimaster 16 years ago

The dubbing is the best part! Seriously, IMHO, the dubbing is where most of the humor comes from. I thought it was halarious.

[–] k143311 16 years ago

I get it but I agree with the the other guy. I never enjoyed Battle Royale or Azumi more then when I found out and got my hands on a dub copy. I watch english movies and notice things I missed the first time around due to many reasons let alone watching an action movie and having to read it. Action or martial arts movies I think are best with dub and I do not need to do a search on ANY boards to see how many people want "authentic" movies. I can do another search and read about how many guys like to smoke poles and bottom line that does not make them right or me want to go smoke one.

[–] Fripitto 15 years ago

I'm watching the film right now, it's dubbed and I hate the American accents (not that I have anything against American English, but it seems so unappropriate on Chinese characters.)

The fight scenes are hilarious though. I was laughing my ass off early in the film when some guy gets kicked into a pile of burning coals and incinerates within a second.

[–] sidyaqub 15 years ago

Well the first time I saw this movie was back when I was in my early teens, it was aired on Channel 4 (in the UK) late at night and was followed by the sequel. Both of the films were in original language and english subtitles. This was the first time I saw a Jet Li movie and I loved it, I had luckily taped both films and remember watching them countless times, I remember arguing with friends which was better... Part 1 or Part 2. Then I saw the dubbed version on Sky Movies. I HATED it. Not only due to the fact the dubbing was sillier than needed, the fights had been edited shorter, they had cut out the violence of the bad guys' first fight and to anger my wrath, they had re-done the music score, which sounded like something just made up, cheap and thrown together. The original music score wasn't exactly up to standards of Ennio Morricone or Tan Dun (Crouching Tiger), but had a very appealing touch to it... made the emotions of the film seem more effective and the fight scenes more dynamic (for example, when Sai Yuk fights the Ching officers to avenge his friend Bo). Fong Sai Yuk had introduced me to Jet Li, and since then had watched all his films in the original language (apart from Black Mask). The Dimension Films dub did no justice to the film, I do enjoy watching some films dubbed but not when the score is changed and a lot of scenes are edited.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] Gandalf_is_cool 15 years ago

I love watching dubbed martial arts movies, that's the way it should be shown. It's classic.

[–] chooflafla 12 years ago

If they're going to dub the movie, why not just do what they usually do and remake it? Let's face it, a lot of Hollywood movies these days are all about remaking movies from other countries because they lack the originality to come up with their own ideas. Either that or they remake classic movies - badly. (Having said that, I did prefer The Departed over Infernal Affairs, and I speak Cantonese so could watch the latter without subtitles and could concentrate on the movie.)