5 Facts about Subtitles: Why Is It Better Than Dubbing?
When you prefer reading, you choose a book rather than a movie. It’s the same if you just want to relax and don’t want the hassle of reading subtitles. It’s understandable. Therefore, you choose the dubbed version of a foreign film instead of the subtitled one. However, you might have observed that true film enthusiasts always choose the subtitled version. Those who are knowledgeable understand that subtitling preserves the movie’s integrity, they understand the reasons behind it. Here are 5 facts about subtitles on why a subtitled movie surpasses the dubbed version endlessly.
Subtitling Honors the Actor’s Effort
As a legend, Marlon Brando stuffed his cheeks with cotton for his role in The Godfather, insisting that the titular character should resemble a bulldog. One of cinema’s most iconic faces and voices he got then. His approach made mumbling fashionable long before mumblecore emerged. Considering the effort he invested in his performance, envision Brando’s Godfather replaced by the voice of a lesser-known actor. While there are undoubtedly talented voice actors worldwide, and voice acting is a distinct skill, none could replicate Brando’s essence. It wouldn’t capture that distinctive growl, that bulldog-like demeanour. It simply wouldn’t align with the visual portrayal. However, subtitling The Godfather in a non-English language would uphold the integrity of his monumental performance at the film’s core. Subtitles detract nothing from the movie, providing ample reason to favour them overdubbing.
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It Preserves the Atmosphere
Certain films are driven by their plots, while others focus on character exploration and development. Then there are those that rely heavily on ambience. Take Wong Kar-Wai’s In the Mood for Love, a Hong Kong period piece that unfolds leisurely, akin to savouring a bowl of spicy noodle soup. Watching this film feels like getting lost in a maze of slow-motion corridors adorned with red silk and swirling cigarette smoke. The plot may wander, and the characters may seem to drift aimlessly. However, the essence lies in the mood created—a time portal opened by the atmospheric whispers, introspective monologues, and the tonal Cantonese dialogues of the central characters. Replacing their voices with dubbed ones would shatter the entire ambience. Without the mood, the film loses its impact. Therefore, both for your own enjoyment and out of respect for the director’s vision, opt for subtitles over dubbing when watching it!
The Language's Sound is Integral to the Film
Imagine an Almodóvar film without Spanish, a Godard film without French, or a Kurosawa samurai epic without Japanese. It's inconceivable! Language contributes a texture as deliberate as the costumes and as essential as the mise-en-scène (a catch-all phrase for how a scene comes together and tells your story). It complements the colours, patterns, locations, and even the themes of the film. Sometimes, it deliberately contrasts with them. Language isn’t just a medium of communication; it carries aesthetic significance. Consider Almodóvar’s portrayal of lust and abandonment, deeply rooted in Spanish culture and inspired by the hyper-religious dictatorship that once censored Spanish media. The distant boredom of Godard’s cool antiheroes is distinctly French and Kurosawa’s exploration of honor and conquest is quintessentially Japanese. Hearing these themes expressed in their native languages imbues them with context and vitality. To dub them would render them foreign and unfamiliar. Subtitling is undoubtedly the way to preserve their essence.