MovieChat Forums > Stupeur et tremblements (2003) Discussion > They Dubbed the Cr@p out of It

They Dubbed the Cr@p out of It

posted 20 years ago by Mariannah
14 replies | jump to latest

I watched this on French TV, and was agast to discover that the once Japanese dialogue was dubbed into French so domestic audiences didn't have the inconveniance of subtitles. Considering the leading actress, who I believe is French, went to a lot of trouble to learn Japanese for the film, for it to be completely undone by the French audiences laziness is appalling! When I go to French films, they are IN FRENCH with English subtitles. What is the problem, are French people illiterate or something?!

[–] Guthrog 19 years ago

I definitely understand what you mean. Here in France, many of us enjoy movies with subtitles, and they are rather freqeunt as we watch obviously a lot more foreign movies than the Americans do, for example. I was in complete disbelief when I watched the movie and heard the dubbing. It was a complete waste. This whole movie is about the clash of cultures, and we miss a big part of that if we cant feel the japanese atmosphere, supported by their language.

[–] alexkmatbe 18 years ago

As a french guy, I have to answer this.

In France, on national free channels, EVERY non-french film is dubbed, as well as EVERY non-french series... And generally, very poorly.
This is the reason why I never watch TV... You have to understand that french films and series represent only about 25% of all, maybe less. Most of them are in English... and most French people don't speak English, at least not well enough to be able to watch a film without subtitles.

In other words, if films weren't dubbed, people would generally have to read subtitles, which they are way to lazy to do.

But make no mistake, this doesn't really have anything to do with France specifically, it's the same in about any European country, except UK of course.
It's a pity, but I don't think it's likely to change very soon.

[–] harrydajm 17 years ago

Dear french guy,

I'm sorry to inform you that far from all European countries dub movies. This is mostly reserved for countries like yours, germany and italy.

The reasons for the dubbing are so obvious that I'm not even gonna spell them out here. But it does have something to do with france as a country.

I am so glad I wasn't forced to watch this amazing movie dubbed. The subtitling here in Australia was good enough to make the movie a great one.

[–] lili-marlene 17 years ago

As Guthrob says, not all French people watch dubbed movies.
I'm French and watched this movie in its original shape with Sylvie Testud talking in Japanese.
And I try to do that for all the movies that I watch, no matter which language it is.
Dubbing makes no sense.

[–] chanohana 17 years ago

I just wanted to add that in Greece hardly anything is dubbed, either. Only children's programmes, as it is assumed small children don't know how to read yet. So dubbing is not the case for all European countries. In my opinion, it destroys the atmosphere of the film, and indeed removed the actors' voices, which is one of their tools.

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[–] moysant 16 years ago

I saw it today on Australian TV and it was subtitled in English by the channel (SBS does a lot of its own subtitling). Thank goodness, because seeing a Western actor speaking fluent Japanese in her own voice was interesting, and having the French dialogue in subtitles helped me keep up since my French is pretty limited.

I don't like dubbing, although it is sometimes necessary if a lot of dialogue is happening. Some Japanese anime films that are English subtitled are nearly impossible to follow because the subtitles are too rapid.

I loved the ending of this movie.

[–] Suzume-san 16 years ago

I had fun reading the subtitles, listening hard and trying to understand as much as possible in one language I was taught at school and have mostly forgotten and another I am now trying to learn. Brain aerobics!

[–] bsharporflat 16 years ago

I assume Harrydajm is implying that French cultural imperialism mandates that a only certain portion of media entertainment may be in a foreign language. The majority is required to be in French. Thus the dubbing is probably to conform to laws and not public demand.

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[–] Flickfan-3 14 years ago

at first I had a difficult time believing that she WAS actually speaking fluent Japanese but it was just too good to be dubbed--her lips moved with the Japanese sounds--
that is a dedicated actor ...
and this was a great movie about Japanese culture and one person's peculiar obsession with childhood happiness...

I admit I undestand very little about Japanese culture but why would an educated man at the head of a multinational corporation who apparently has insight into and values a Western mind based on her exit interview with him allow someone in his company to totally dehumanize an employee who had VALUE for the company...
that is what I don't get
they were paying her a salary--probably fairly high based on her qualifications as fluent French/Japanese interpreter--and she could read/write Japanese as well...and yet they had her clean toilets for 7 months...
it just boggles my mind...

"...That's the beauty of argument, Joey. If you argue correctly, you're never wrong..."

[–] kaream 13 years ago

I watched this on French TV ... When I go to French films, they are IN FRENCH with English subtitles.

That's the difference right there. A theatre audience can expect to read subtitles; a TV audience generally will not.

[–] bennygoodtips 10 years ago

I saw it last night on French TV and it was not dubbed only subtitled. You know less Americans go to see foreign films than French go to see foreign films. Maybe if more American saw French films, they would be dubbed. In France, we have a joke : Americans do not dub films, they remake them.