GoldenJCJ

I don't mind watching movies with subtitles unless I'm using the movie for background noise or something.

I do have an affinity for old B&W Samurai films, Seven Samurai, Rashomon, Harakiri, etc. There's just something about those kinds of movies that are better with subtitles (and B&W!).

The one type of movie that I absolutely can't stand though is French New Wave movie goes from the 60s. It's not so mgood that the subtitles but I just find everything about them annoying and/or pretentious.

Mondo Kane

I did prefer watching animated films dubbed.....Until someone decided to have Liam Neeson provide the voice for a certain character in Ponyo---A character-voice that appeared to be much more suited for the likes of Johnny Galecki or Crispen Glover.

Perkinsun Dzees

I much prefer watching a movie in its original language with subtitles rather than an English dubbed version.

You just can't beat those older Hong Kong movies and their witty subtitles:

"Don't trust those cunny."
A Better Tomorrow

"I know it, he is not an idiot, he is sexual detour."
Black Panther Warriors

"Show be a fat one tomorrow."
Peking Opera Blues

OldBoy

how can anyone who is a fan of film, not like foreign films with subs?? there are so so so many gems. some of my favorites of all-time are foreign...

mrhan

Well, when it comes to HK films a lot of the original dubs weren't even the actors themselves even though it is the original soundtrack. A lot of their films were dubbed in Mandarin because it was considered more "higher class" than the "street language" Cantonese. It wasn't until the later 70's that all changed. I understand Cantonese but I did prefer listening to a movie in Mandarin and reading the subs.

Ginwen

It doesn't bother me at all. Occasionally, they do a terrible job with the contrast so they arevhard to read, but generally I don't really notice that I'm reading subtitles as I get drawn into the movie.

Fist of Doom

That bugs the hell outta me. Get it right, folks.

I hate having to read subtitles (and they take your eyes off of the action), but dubs take away the inflection/emotion of the actors' performances. 8 1/2 is a great film, but it's just got so much damn dialogue I can hardly keep up sometimes - I need to learn Italian!

Ironically The Double Life of Veronique and Harakiri are in my all-time top ten.

wishbone

My experience too.We watched this in second year French class in high school. The costumes and designs reminded me of Janet and Anne Grahame Johnstone's illustrations from children's books.

inri222

That is why I prefer subtitles. Dubs sound like someone reading something from a piece of paper.

d2cheer

Agree with this!!!

Dan

Yup.
Shit, sometimes I watch English-spoken films with subtitles on. It's how I roll.

inri222

I do to, just in case someone speaks at a low volume or Hans Zimmer drowns out their voice.

TheMovieman

Agree 100%. I prefer watching movies in the native language. Only exception, sometimes, is anime especially if the English voice work is good.

Crocker Jarmen

I find the yellow subtitles are the best. I can't believe it when I see a movie that uses white subtitles that wash-out over brightly lit scenes.

I read fast, so subtitles aren't an issue. I think the Star Wars were a perfect gateway for getting me accustomed to the notion of subtitles in movies. I don't think I ever really thought about them; as far back as I can remember subtitles have just been part of the movie going experience.

TomOpus

No, I don't enjoy watching movies that way but I have to put up with it. I picked "Sometimes" because the "no" options didn't really apply.

Mike86

I find myself turning on subtitles for films when I can't hear the person speaking or if there's something I don't quite catch. I normally don't watch entire films that way unless it's that way for the entire duration.

Crocker Jarmen

I find myself doing that more often, which I'm pretty sure means my hearing is going as I'm getting older. Either that or they need to stop casting so many mush-mouth actors.

Goat3001

I wouldn't say I enjoy it but I tolerate it and would rather do subtitles than dubs. Alas, I rarely watch foreign movies and maybe I'd watch more if I did enjoy reading the subtitles.

inri222

For me it's because the dynamics of films has gotten so exaggerated. I try to keep the volume at a decent level and then an explosion or gunshot occurs at a ridiculously loud volume so I turn it down a bit. Then when it goes back to dialogue it sounds fine until someone whispers or mumbles and then I get annoyed that I have to rewind, so instead I just leave the subs for the entire English language film.
It also helps a lot with thick non-American English accents (British/Scottish/Irish/etc..) accents.

Troy Stiffler

Yea. I have to be in the mood though. Like anything else.

I find a lot of old films challenging too. Different times. Different pacing. But I'll still sit down and watch. And usually happy that I took the time. That's the thing with old movies ... if you're still watching them in 2017, then they really endured.

Was it Robert Altman that said something like, 'the lifespan of a movie is 10 years'?

Mike86

For me it seems like the audio mix on so many things just isn't the greatest. I find a lot of films it's hard to hear the dialogue but then if I have my volume turned up the minute there's an effect noise or music it blasts. That irritates the hell out of me.

inri222

Same here

davidh777

Yep, anime is the only stuff I watch dubbed.

Sometimes I try to watch a subtitled movie while working and realize what a bad idea that is.

Mondo Kane

And sometimes the subtitles could be a revelation. For instance, most people think Jim Caviezel is the main narrator in The Thin Red Line. But it's actually the minor Private who "Wants to own an automobile".

brainee

Many Italian movies (through at least the 80s ... I'm not really sure when the practice ended) technically don't have a "non dubbed" version. I notice it a lot with horror/giallo and spaghetti westerns. The cast might be international, and the standard practice was to have everyone speak their native language on set and just dub-over all the dialog in post-production. In those cases, at least where major characters are not Italian-speakers, I prefer the English-language "dub".