SquawkRadio Comments

I loved “Like Water For Chocolate”, based on the novel by Laura Esquivel.

It’s the story of Pedro and Tita. Pedro asks for Tita’s hand in marriage but because she’s the youngest daughter, she must remain unmarried to care for her mother. Pedro marries her sister instead. 

All the passion Tita feels for Pedro she pours into her cooking, causing those who eat it to feel the same passions as she.  This results in some very interesting scenes.

I won’t spoil the rest of the movie, but it’s at once funny and sad and something any hopeless romantic would love.

UNDUBBED!!!!!!!AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Sorry.

had to get it off my chest.

have been seeing CSI dubbed in spanish for some years now, and I like it less and less. have stopped going to the cinema, because hearing clive owen speak his lines in dubbing-mode is just a huge turn-off, artistic wise and other-wise.. you lose so much in the comunication with the voices..

as for foreign movies, my favourite is Amelie, and I also like a lot of what Almodovar have done, and the french films Manon et la source and the one that is before, but i cannot remember the name.

thinking about it, all english speaking movies are forein movies for me..

Am going to rent Volver when I get back to zaragoza, looking forward to it! Pe is so much better in her european films..

I have not been to a foreign film in many, many years.  However, for me, the film would need subtitles.  Not speaking another language, hence,not knowing what they were saying would detract totally from the film.

If they speak English in the film, then subtitles would distract me.

This sounds very good, though.  Might just jump in the go see it.

Dubbing?  No way!  One does not realize that one’s near ability to lip read until they veiw a film that has been dubbed.  Nothing worse than seeing the mouth move “in one language” and hearing a “strange” voice in another.  It’s worse that a film that is off sinque with the sound and the lips are starting or finishing before or after the sound.  Ugh.

Subtitles are the only way to go.  No dubbing, ever!

Well...being Indian who does NOT speak Hindi, subtitles are a MUST!!  I’ve never seen a Bollywood film where they dub though, its always subtitled.  It’s so funny because sometimes when they speak English, they still subtitle it so the person will be saying Hello, how are you and the subtitles say the same thing.  That’s a running joke in our family. 

So my favorite Bollywood films are:  Chandi Bar, Astiva, Lagaan, and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (I named my daughter Anjali after one of the characters).

My favorite other foreign language film has been Like Water for Chocolate.  I thought it was such a beautiful movie but again it is one of those where you have to suspend belief.

And my academy would like to nominate…
Well, any of the animated films by Hayao Miyazaki! I first saw “Kiki’s Devivery Service” years ago, and was hooked on the complexety of the animation, as well as the sweetness of the story. My favorites are “Spirited Away” and “Howl’s Moving Castle”. Disney (yes, Disney!) has actually done a wonderful job dubbing these films, with well-known, talented actors. Try them- they are beautiful!

Oh, and Volver sounds amazing- I can’t wait to try it out. Only, I am just fluent enough in spanish to understand about 75 percent of the dialog. I kind of get stuck between listening to the actors and reading the subtitles. Makes my brain leak out my ears.

One of my all time favorite foreign films is Matador by Almodovar.  It is about 2 people fascinated by death, and how they meet, and what happens when they do.  If I remember correctly a very young Antonio Banderas is the secondary male lead.  It is a disturbing film, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of it.

I much prefer sub-titled films.  When I walk away from the theatre I always think I can speak whatever language they were speaking.

Ooh, another favorite--Babette’s Feast!  I love how Babette is finally able to indulge all her passion in her art.  And I love how the townspeople plan to handle the feast and their reaction once they start eating.

Since I’m German basically all American movies are foreign movies for me. I would prefer to watch them in English (with subtitles) but in Germany every movie gets dubbed which is really a pity.
My favourite foreign movie is “Le fabuleux destin d’Amelie Poulain” with Audrey Tautou”. And “Volver” sounds really interesting, thanks for the recommendation.

How could I have forgotten Bend It Like Beckham?  Does it count as foreign even though it is in English?  Does a film need to be in a foreign language to be categorized as a foreign film?  (Although my husband thinks the British are speaking a foreign language.) And Bridget Jones Diary, is it British even though it has an American actress as the star?

This sounds wonderful, Connie!  I wasn’t planning to see it, but hearing about the plot has absolutely changed my mind--
Eloisa

All films that are not made in Finland are foreign to me.

I suppose it depends on what you are used to, but I prefer subtitles. Good way to learn new words…

By the way, has anyone of you seen Starwreck -in the Pirkinning? You can download it for free in the net. It’s not that it would be a great film, but considering it was almost completely made by amateurs and it’s the best known Finnish film in the world at the moment, it’s worth seeing. And of course, it’s free.

I hadn’t planned on seeing this movie, but you make it sound so good I’m adding it to my list.  Like Water for Chocolate is my favorite so far. Subtitles don’t bother me if it’s a good movie I’m so caught up in what’s going on.

Anyone who loves historical romance movies should run, not walk, to Blockbuster today and rent LE HUSSARD SUR LE TOIT (HORSEMAN ON THE ROOF) with Juliette Binoche and Olivier Martinez.

It’s in my top ten.  Hot, hot, hot!

Who has a fan?

Volver sounds good.  I like watching them undubbed with subtitles.

OMG Pamela, That movie, :sigh: Love it!
Volver sounds great, love the all-woman thing..
Loved Isabelle Adjani in “Camille Claudel” about Rodin’s lover, also ‘A Very Long Engagement” and ‘Queen Margot’..all French..anyone remember ‘Indochine’ with Catherine Denuve and Vincent Perez? Loved that one too.
Since I usually knit or sew when watching TV, I have to put that down to read those subtitles!

I rent foreign films all the time so the subtitles don’t bother me, but I don’t like to watch a film that’s been dubbed. 

I don’t know if I have a particular favorite, unless it’s “Muriel’s Wedding,” but I just watched a movie placed in Wales called “Very Annie Mary” starring Rachel Griffiths (of Six Feet Under).  The movie is both sad and funny, but there were no subtitles and you have to listen very carefully to make sense of the Welsh accents if you’re not used to hearing it.  At the end of the film there is an absolutely beautiful soprano aria by Pucchini (?), even if it is Rachel lip-sincing the words.  I kept backing up the movie and listening several times, it literally brought me to tears.

Prefer subtitles, dubbing, IMO, throws off the timing.  I feel like the sound and motion are out of sync.

I love the old Godzilla movies, which are dubbed but that makes them funny to me.

I confess I haven’t seen a lot of foreign language films - but then I don’t watch a lot of films period.

When I was a freshman in college, for one of our classes we had to watch La Cage Aux Folles (subtitled) - it was hysterical.  A couple of years later I saw it was on TV and decided to watch it again, but it was the dubbed version, and I didn’t enjoy it nearly as much.  Something about the original language, even if you don’t understand it, makes it so much better.

I loved A Man and A Woman. It was subtitled and the music got stuck in my head for weeks thereafter. I also remember seeing a Scandinavian film years ago that was supposed to be a HUGE romance...but at the pivotal scene where the lovers get shot/shoot themselves everyone in the theater erupted in laughter with the pretentious bleakness of it all.  Of course my favorite movie is Animal House so I’m not one much for subtle suffering.

I do find subtitles annoying though. I want to do one or the other, read or watch. It’s hard for me to do both.

I loved Like Water For Chocolate undubbed.  It broke my heart to see how Tita was treated…

I don’t know if it counts but The Passion Of The Christ with subtitles punched me in the gut but I still watch it every Easter.

I haven’t seen a ton of foreign films, unless you count poorly done martial arts films (my dad used to watch them to see if he could use any of the moves, he’s a martial artist).  I did enjoy Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and have seen some Jackie Chan ones that were enjoyable.

I have to agree that subtitles are preferred over dubbing.  Nothing bugs me more than lips not matching what I’m hearing.  This includes English language films where they just didn’t synchronized the sound properly.  I read lips and it throws me off.

Finally, I have to say I’m surprised I didn’t see a shout out for my all time favorite foreign film, La Vita E Bella.  That was a piece of art, and love in its highest form.  I watch it whenever I need both a good crying jag and to be uplifted, all at once.

I heard this was a wonderful movie.  I’ve never thought Penelope Cruz was that great of an actress (VANILLA SKY anyone?) but I’ve heard that watching her act in her native tongue is a revelation.  I can’t wait to see it! 

Me and my dad have always loved to watch foreign films together!  One of our favorites is the French film TANTE DANIELLE about an exceptionally mean old lady who terrorizes her entire family.  It’s quite hysterical!

My all-time favorite has to be the French film BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF.  It has it all!  Romance, historical, paranormal, martial arts, intrigue--I just adore it! 

I also love the beautiful Chinese films like CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, HOUSE OF THE FLYING DAGGERS, etc.  I can’t wait to see the new one--CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER.

Connie, Volver sounds like a wonderful movie to see with my girlfriends.  Sadly, we don’t get many foreign films where I live so I’ll have to wait until it comes out on video to see it.  (Anyone know when that will be?) I just checked theaters in a 50 mile radius and it’s not playing anywhere.  Sigh.

I prefer my foreign films with subtitles.  I got used to them when I was an exchange student in Mexico.  Dubbing throws the timing off and is usually very comical and distracting for me.  I much prefer the pure version in the original language.

Great blog, Connie.  Thanks for the tip on this movie!

I never cared much for dubbed movies, but this one sounds pretty good.  Of the ones I have watched, I guess I liked Brotherhood of the Wolf best. Loved Mark Dacascos in that as Mani.

I think my favorite foreign movie is Pedro Almodovar’s “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown”.  We had to watch it for a class but it was hilarious.

It sounds like a great film.  The last time I tried to watch a film with subtitles it was so distracting that I couldn’t watch it all the way through.  Dubbing is also distracting unless done perfectly.  I guess my days of watching foreign films is over.  I would love to read the book this film came from!

I’m frantically making lists!!

And I adore Almodovar, particularly Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down (Atame). 

Add me to the undubbed lists and here are my favorites:

Kolya
Like Water for Chocolate
Diva
Fanny and Alexander
Before the Rain
Burnt by the Sun
Dreams (Kurisawa)
Cinema Paradiso
Amelie
The Scent of Green Papaya

I’m sure there’s more, but I just can’t think of them right now…or remember the titles. 

And I will definitely see Volver.

I like Penelope Cruz a lot, the obvious reasons (ahem) notwithstanding.  Terry and others, you might try WOMAN ON TOP, a really sweet movie that she was in a few years ago.  It’s a little dorky, but it’s a cute story directed by a woman from Venezuela, kind of a throwback to harmless ‘80s romantic comedies.  Ms. Cruz is sensual and intelligent throughout.

For Liz: Fabulous Brazilian music, a la Jobim.

For Terry (and others): For eye candy there’s a Brazilian fella named Murilo Benicio, who is sweet and styled a la Russel Crowe.  Pic at: this site, if the link works.

Mike, who prefers recent Cruz to recent Cruise

I guess I am lazy and preferr things dubbed.  I think the last one that I saw was Hero.  I found it interesting and somewhat surreal. 

I also enjoy Cowboy Bebop… dubbed of course. 

I guess I like stuff dubbed so that I don’t miss anything!

But I like my opera subtitled.

i loved the sea inside and the widow of saint-pierre.  i would definitley rather have undubbed films---i love the sound of the different languages.

UNDUBBED.  What a horrible thing to do to a good film.

Favorite films:

Life is Beautiful.  (I always cry.  Always.)

Like Water for Chocolate.

Undubbed.  There is nothing more distracting than a badly dubbed movie!  House of Flying Daggers is like poetry in motion, and Gong Li has to be one of the most beautiful and talented women working in film today.
Has anyone seen the South African film Tsotsi?  It’s about a young criminal in Soweto, who accidentally kidnaps a baby during a carjacking.  You expect the worst but the movie confounds your expectations.  It’s very moving.

Vanessa

I love foreign films and undubbed, please! Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is one of my all time favorites and Cinema Pardiso is another. Oh and Raise the Red Lantern (old movie) I also watch anything with Gérard Depardieu in it. He simply fascinates me and I can’t explain why.

Connie as you described P.Cruz, it reminded me of the sexy cleaning lady at our work. She looks like a movie star - she is blonde with blue eyes and olive skin. Her hair, makeup and nails are always perfect. She has the nicest smile and looks you in the eyes when she says hello with her raspy accented voice. I’ve noticed she turns heads where ever she goes. I always wonder what is her story and why is she in this company cleaning?

Connie, I loved “Volver”. I’m an Almodovar fan since his “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown”.  Antonio Banderas was so young and cute in that.

Foreign films have always been part of my life it just depended where we were on summer vacation: France, Spain or the Caribbean.  My all time favorites are Cocteau’s Beauty & the Beast(French), La Cage aux Folle( The Birdcage)(French/Italian) and 3 Men & a Baby(French). I like them in their original language because things do get lost in translations.

Sepibo said:
Raise the Red Lantern.

I LOVE that movie, Sepideh!

Sounds like a wonderful movie that I would enjoy. 
I like foreign films undubbed. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a good movie.

I enjoyed Like Water for Chocolate.  I will have to watch it again sometime soon.  I have always wanted to watch Amelie but have never gotten around to it.  Volver sounds fun and quirky.  I will have to add it to my list.  (I like to watch dubbed movies.)

I loved “Volver”! But I am an Almodovar fan anyway.

Since I am not American I am not sure to which movies the word foreign refers. But I got to admit my favourite movie that isn´t American would be a movie that would translate as “Adam´s apples”. The actual story is hard to describe but it basically deals with the concept of good and evil in a very absurd and funny, but incredibly smart way.
Another one is “Just like heaven”, which is - I think- a danish production. It´s a wonderful movie about music and how it can affect people. It´s very touching and sweet, but a little bit sad too.

Undubbed!
(Unless, of course, I’m watching the movie solely for comedic purposes.)
The French film “Apres Vous"–a comedy about the life of two men after one saves the other from committing suicide–is excellent.

I don’t watch a many foreign movies. I did see Like Water for Chocolate and enjoyed it. But I prefer subtiteles. Those dubbed movies are just weird.

And one of my favorite British productions is the mini-series of SHE-DEVIL.  (Not to be confused with the horrible American remake with Roseanne Barr.  I like Roseanne just fine but it was a dreadful movie!)

Oooh, thanks for the eye candy, Mike!  He reminded me of a cross between Russell and Robert Downey, Jr.

No dubbing!  It is, afterall, what makes the old Godzilla films laughable and why “Whose Line is it Anyway” made a game out of it.

I don’t know if I can pick a favorite, so here’s a quick list:

Crouching Tiger
La Femme Nikita (Bridget Fonda...whatever!)
Indochine
Hero
House of Flying Daggers
Old Jackie Chan flicks
Raise the Red Lantern
Seven Samurai
ohhh...there’s more, I just can’t remember them all.

Like Water for Chocolate is good for when I’m in the mood for a fairy tale.

How about silent?  There’s one...tells the story of Joan D’arc.  They matched up an incredible soundtrack...beautiful, amazing!  The script is much more elaborate then the action and romance films of the period.  I cried for the last half-hour before she is executed.

This sounds like a great film! 

It doesn’t matter to me whether or not they are dubbed or sub-titled.  I have to say that I enjoy watching the foreign language channels.  I’m guessing they do a good job with the sub-titles since that’s all I have to go with.

My favorite foreign film was “Madelena”.

I’m not a really big fan of foreign films, but I did have to watch a few in my Italian class when I was in high school. The sub titles are annoying and take your eyes off the film so u can read the subtitles. But My all time fav foreign film is Life is Beautiful. It is cute and sad but yet has a happy ending. Another film I saw was Il Postino which was pretty good. And I wasn’t too crazy about Cinema Paradiso, I actually fell asleep through parts of that. I’ve always wanted to see Horseman On The Roof but wasn’t sure if it was good.

Thanks Connie, now I’m gonna have to go see that movie.. I perfer things dubbed.. For me it’s easier to understand whats going on in the movie.

My fave:
Evelyn w/ Pierce Brason (sp)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

I don’t watch that many foreign films, but some of the ones mentioned sound intriguing.  I watch alot of British movies, do they count??  Thanks for the recommendations everyone!  With that said, I would have to say that I would prefer the subtitles.  I like to hear the voices.  I saw a movie once that took place in Japan and this kid was watching an old John Wayne western on tv with the voices dubbed and it was a riot.  lol Never forgot that.  So, I’d rather hear the actors voices and read the dialogue. 

--dorothy

The Gerard Depardieu version of CYRANO DE BERGERAC.  Whoever they got to subtitle those did a brilliant job - chose to capture the essence of the poetry rather than the literal translation. 

And subtitles all the way!  Except in the occasional animated film.  I’d like to see Miyazaki’s films with subtitles, but so far, I’ve adored them dubbed.

Like emmiebee I love Miyazakis works.  I am a big Japanese anime fan.  I have both subtitled and dubbed films in my collection.  Dubbed is fine as long as it is done well.

I am not a fan of foreign films but my husband enjoys them.  In the library they periodically come up with new ones and I bring them home because my husband can watch them even if they’re not dubbed.

I’m with KathrinH being German myself. I like to watch them in English, so when whenever an English movie is playing that I like I go and see it.

I do not speak any other languages see seeing foreign movies woul be kind of hard. 

What I don’t like, are subtitles. They just make me miss what is happening in the movie, because I’m not reading fast enough.

Julia

I’ll have to see it, it wasn’t one I wanted to see but hearing it described like that, sounds really good

Foriegn films should be subtitled. It detracts from the story if the dubbed voices don’t fit with the people that are on-screen. For me, there’s something so intimate about a person’s voice. It defines him/her and shapes what I think about a character in a movie. Dubbed voices just never seem to work.
That said, I really enjoyed “La lengua de las mariposas”. It’s based on a short story by Manuel Rivas and is about the coming of age of a young boy at the end of the Second Spanish Republic. It’s a beautiful story and I watched it with subtitles.
“Kung Fu Hustle” was a really funny movie that I saw with subtitles. I don’t normally like martial arts films, but this one was actually funny.
Another fun, romantic comedy that I saw in Italy this summer is “Manuale d’amore”. It’s kind of like an Italian “Love Actually”, but really, what movie can compare to “Love Actually” in terms of romantic comedy? “Manuale d’amore” is composed of four vignettes that are more cynical about love than complimentary about it.

Love foriegn films!  Hate them when they are dubbed...one of the best things about foriegn films is hearing the language!  i think my all time favorite is “Mediterreaneo”, an Italian film from 1991.  Great movie set on a beautiful Greek Island during WWII.  Just what a movie should be...heartwarming, funny, and romantic...loved it!  Below is a link to it if you are interested.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102426/

Almost tied for 1st place is “The Color of Paradise”.  This is a Iranian film that is simply wonderful.  It is Iran as I never imagined it to be.  Gorgeous scenery, and truly a heartbreakingly beautiful story about a blind little boy.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0191043/

Another great is Waking Ned Devine.  Wonderful Irish movie set in a small coastal town.  Wonderful characters and beautiful scenary.  Again a wonderful heartwarming movie.  If you haven’t seen these three films...go to Library and rent them, they are truly wonderful!

Oh, elsiehogarth! Cocteau’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is my all time favorite movie!

And I loved LA CAGE, too. Add me to the list of BABETTE’S FEAST fans.

Now here’s a little known foriegn film for anyone who adores oddness and history starring a very young Colin Firth. Run out and rent THE ADVOCATE (Brit) made about 20 years ago. I may have to blog on that movie next.

Thank you for all of the recommendations. I really enjoy foreign films (foreign to me as an American) The sensibilities are so fascinating!

I am all agog waiting for CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, too.

Definitely undubbed.

Two of my favorites

Jean de Florette:  “compelling tale about human greed set in 1920s Provence, a local farmer and his son covet the property adjoining theirs for its valuable freshwater spring. The two men concoct a plan to block the spring and conceal its location, in hopes that the land will be ruined by drought and that the unsuspecting owner (Gerard Depardieu) will sell it to them cheap. But their selfish act may come back to haunt them.”

And Manon of the Spring: “In this sequel to 1986’s Jean de Florette, Manon—the daughter of Jean de Florette’s protagonist—has grown up to become a beautiful woman, ready to exact revenge on the men responsible for her father’s death. When the time comes, she goes after them with a fierce vengeance worthy of her proud and courageous heritage.”

Also a favorite: The Three Colors trilogy Blue, White and Red by Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski - all three films are about women at a crossroad and traces their interior lives.

Finally: Zelary “This gorgeously shot World War II drama tells the story of a clash between two different worlds and two different people. Eliska, a nurse in a city hospital, donates her blood to save the life of injured mountain-dweller Joza, and the two form a strong bond. When the resistance group Eliska belongs to is discovered by the Gestapo, she’s forced to seek refuge with Joza, leaving her urban life behind and starting anew in the remote mountains.”

This is a touching and unlikely love story - don’t expect a happy ending. 

Sorry I seem to have go on and on, I guess I like foreign films.

If we’re counting British films...that means we could include 007!!!

James Bond rules! LOL

and then let’s not forget Horatio Hornblower with Ioan Griffydd (can never spell his name)

I have read and heard many good things about VOLVER.
My favorite foreign films are LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE/COMO AGUA PARA CHOCOLATE and EL NORTE/THE NORTH, which I believe won an Oscar; it is the sad, mystical, realistic story of two Guatemalan orphans who trek to the US and of their experiences there.
I prefer subtitles; it is better to hear the actors’ real voices.
Kay

this movie sounds good.

The Joy Luck Club is one of my favorites with occasional subtitles!  It was my first introduction to Amy Tan since I sought out her book when I was a bit older.

Life Is Beautiful is another great movie!  Very touching.

I actually got to see Volver in the theaters when I was in Spain this past March. Of course, this meant that it was in Spanish without subtitles, but that was fine. I’d never seen an Almodovar movie, but I’d heard a lot about them. I loved Volver. It wasn’t anything like I was expecting, but it was great, even though parts of it were definitely disturbing. I’ve since found out that that’s just Almodovar’s way.

I also saw Rumor Has It dubbed into Spanish (no subtitles) in the theaters, and I thought it was HORRIBLE. I saw it again when I came home, and didn’t think it was much better. 

I’ll agree with everyone who’s mentioned Like Water For Chocolate (Como agua para chocolate). I read and liked the book first, but I really enjoyed the movie as well. I saw it in Spanish too, which I think actually made the magic realism side of it more accessible.

I haven’t seen a lot of other foreign films, but I keep meaning to change that. I definitely prefer films undubbed, and if I can understand them without subtitles, even better.

Connie! I remember the very young Colin Firth in “The Advocate.” His charisma and mastery as an actor, even young as he was then, was very evident. I loved the scene in which the sow, like so many other females throughout his career, totally surrenders to his charms.

martha

Oh, another one I liked although it was sad was Maria Full of Grace.  It’s about a girl who smuggles heroin into the US to get away from her boyfriend.

Mmm, I love foreign films! And ALWAYS UNDUBBED! ALWAYS.

I’ll go with Amelie as my favorite. Audrey Tatou is etherially beautiful!

Subtitled only for me please.  The dubbed versions remind me too much of the awful Godzilla dubbings.  Besides, even though I dont know the language being spoken, you get so much from the inflections in the actors voices that dubbing takes away.  And hearing those melodious foreign accents adds another texture to the movie for me, just sweeps me away. 

Volver sounds like a wonderful movie, and as for faves, you can add me to the Like Water for Chocolate list.  Sighhhh How am I supposed to get anything done today when all I want to do now is watch a good movie! 
Kris M

This blog is making me remember fondly the days of my movie watching that didn’t involve animation, talking animals or superheroes..

I did see LA CAGE years ago and loved it; it was subtitled.  I get tangled up in dubbed movies because I start watching the actors speaking instead of the movie.

My husband talked me into reluctantly watching THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES recently (about Che Guevara).  It was really good!  (He’s annoyingly right about good movies entirely too often.)

Thanks for all the great suggestions, everyone!

I have to go with undubbed too.  I think the voice and delivery of the line is as important to an actor’s performance as the expression and facial/body movement.  I swear that by the end of the film, I’m reading in the foreign language,.

I loved “Life is Beautiful” of course and what romance reader wouldn’t like “Amelie.” And another I’ve been meaning to watch is “The Wedding Banquet” directed by Ang Lee before he got big here in the states.  (before Sense and Sensibility).  It’s about a gay chinese man with a long term boyfriend who lives in New York.  He marries a woaman just to keep his parents off his back.  His wife is part of the plan and everything is ok until his parents decide to visit and throw a wedding banquet.  Hilarity ensues I’m sure.  I think the movie is in both English and Mandarin so only half is subtitled.  I remember my parents watching it and laughing uncontrollably.

Soooo many films and can’t decide so my top 3 are: Amores Perros, Atame (old Almodovar film) & Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

I love the new DVD’s that allow you to turn on/off subtitles.

I think that Nosferatu (the remake and the original) are probably my favorite. I also love Seven Samurai and House of Seven Daggers. I really like a lot of the “asian epic movies"--like The Emperor and the Assasin and The Shadow of the Emperor.

The only dubbed foreign film I saw that I enjoyed more undubbed was an old Godzilla movie from Japan. It was very silly and very funny, and I the terrible dubbing added to this (they even dubbed the parts where they spoke English parts).

Oh yeah, and I’ll watch an old Jackie Chan flick any day!

Oh yes, Cocteau’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is gorgeous!  And is it just me or is anybody else wanting to take the day off and run down to Blockbuster?

Too busy to stop and think with a tortuous pianolesson in 15 min.

Does Godfather 2 count? There were subtitles in that.....actually all the Godfather movies had them, lol

My first though upon reading your post Connie was…”Oh, no wonder I couldn’t sleep last night. All of those family Ghosts are pissed at me because I haven’t scrubbed off their tombstones since who knows when.”

First the question of dubbed verses undubbed. I prefer to watch a movie in its original form. Undubbed, unedited, with subtitles.  However, some movies have a font that is simply too small for me to read. And I read more slowly than many people do. So I end up missing part of the visual action that is going on. (A note here: I actually had my DD read all of the subtitles of Hidden Dragon Crouching Tiger for me so that I wouldn’t miss any of the “action”. Poor kid.) My solution is to have a film on a DVD with Both the subtitled and dubbed versions. I watch the film twice…First I watch it dubbed so that I can concentrate on the words. Then I watch it again, in its original form so that the visuals can ‘flow” over me. Might sound weird, but hey, if it Works for me it might work for you.

I love movies. Even when I couldn’t see very well, I would make my husband take me too one…Viewing a well done movie is a like dinning in a fine restaurant.  A great director, like a master chef, will combine his artistry with a camera, music, voice, movement of an actor’s face and body to cook up a Gourmet Meal that engages your senses. All of your senses. Not just sight.

What are my favorite foreign films? There are so many, most of which have already been mentioned. 
Like Water for Chocolate
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Princess Moninoke
Seven Samurai
And All of the animated films by Hayao Miyazaki are wonderful. Check out “Spirited Away” .

I am nominating the film “The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner”
In honor of Mr. J, the hardest, most particular English Teacher that I ever had (that was back in my junior year of high school). He made us watch this film, and Citizen Kane, The Great White Hope, The Bridge on The River Kwai and many others. Then he made us tear them apart and analyze them…every scene….every camera angle….every word.
The man loved “the spoken word.”
And
We studied the Transcendentalists that year too. Go figure?

Absolutely undubbed…

I love Audrey Tautou as well, so Amelie and A Very Long Engagement are on my list.  As well Run Lola Run (in German) and Bread and Tulips are fabulous.

Connie, thanks for the recommendation, it sounds like a great movie.

PS. My verification word was student58.
This is For all of you hard working English Teachers out there getting ready to head back to class. See! If I was listening…and I do remember…um some…of what you taught me all those years ago…Then there is hope for every student who walks into your room and thinks that : assonance a dirty word, alliteration has something to do with a lawsuit, and iambic pentameter is a trace event.

TRACK...ahhh not trace

My favorite non-English language is THE GIRL ON THE BRIDGE with Vanessa paradis and Daniel Auteneuil. One of those very French perverse love story—very stylish.

My favorite foreign film overall is THE SEVENTH VEIL with James Mason. Its English and won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Mason plays a fascinating Heathcliffian character in that one. Its haunting.

I remember watching movies with my parents, who understand Italian (since that’s what their parents spoke) when I was very little.  I loved to listen to others speak in another language.  I had no clue what was going on in the movie.

As an adult, I have only seen two films where I read the subtitles...CTHD & Life is Beautiful.  I think all movies should be viewed in their original language, otherwise it’s just a comedy with the words and lips out of sync.

My word is Alone69.....uh, let’s not go there.

I actually like THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF with subtitles AND dubbed.  The guy they got to do the hero’s voice (if it’s not his own) has a wonderful voice totally suited to the character.

My favorite is BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF. Awesome movie. It’s a period movie with a great mystery, a super twist at the end and lots of great action in the ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ style.

Some not so bad eye candy either. But it’s also bloody. If you don’t like blood then you might not want to try this movie.

I watch it with the subtitles, but I’d like to try it with just the French now that I know what’s going on.

I like Audrey Tautou .... even before the Davinci Code… she was in a really freay one.. “He Loves me. He loves me not”.... and “Amélie”... she’s a really great actress and I have yet to see her in English.. or the Davinci Code.

I also love “Ying xiong” aka Hero… the music is fabulous and it’s like watching an art museum on film… I have the soundtrack, too. SO good. This really awesome warrior goes after 3 assassians.. think warlords.. fudal China… great fights… colors… seasons… it is a treat for your eyes and ears this movie.

La Vita è bella… directed by Roberto Benigni
is so so so so so good. Mostly my favorite!
(I really love foreign films~!) Great topic today!

Well, obviously have really good taste in movies as well as books! Can’t wait to see this one!

Brownone,

I LOVED Bride and Prejudice… are the ones you like anything like that one? Any other reccomendations than the ones you listed?

I haven’t seen that many foreign films.  I did enjoy Bride and Prejudice

Laura T.:
Gurinder Chadha not only did Bride and Prejudice, which I thought was just okay, she also did Bend it Like Beckam and Bhaji on the Beach, which I loved.

I like movies by Mira Nair like Salaam Bombay, Mississippi Masala, and Monsoon Wedding.  Monsoon Wedding was actually excellent and I’m sorry I forgot to mention it earlier.  These movies are about Indian culture and how the culture affects women. 

Deepa Mehta also has a series which are not really connected, but again are about cultural norms in India and women who go against them:  Fire, Earth, and Water.

You might also want to check out The Guru with Jimmy Mistry.  He’s pretty funny.  He was in A Touch of Pink about an Indian boy who is gay but does not know how to break it to his mother, and the things he finds out about his mother.  It also stars Kyle Mcloughlan sp??  who is in Desperate Housewives.

There was this Japanese movie I saw once… I think it was called “I Love You”. It told about a deaf woman and her family. I really liked it.

Oh, and I’ve heard that the people who made Starwreck are going to make another movie.

http://www.starwreck.com/

Oh yeah...and does Memoirs of a Geisha count??

I don’t see nearly as many movies as I’d like, domestic or foreign, but did get to see “Children of Men” last week.  If British films count, that one’s definitely on the list of Top 10 foreign films.  Clive Owen is stupendous, and I left the theatre with a stomachache from all the tension.  Visually stunning and engrossing from start to finish, I highly recommend this one, but be prepared for an intense ride.  In a very different way I enjoyed “Cinema Paradiso”, and the gorgeous actor who played the hero in the middle section was the one who played the love interest in “Like Water for Chocolate”.  Also thought “Amelie” was charming and loved Almodovar’s “Talk to Her”.  Cocteau’s “Beauty and the Beast” is also on my list of favorites.  I love the combination of surrealism and romance.  Beauty’s last line, something to the effect that she likes being frightened if it’s with the Beast, could be the used on the frontispiece (sp?) of half the romance novels in print today.  “Run Lola Run” and “Sliding Doors” are interesting takes on “what if”.  “Monsoon Wedding” is so appealing to the senses, I almost felt as if I could feel the silk of the saris and smell the spices.  Quite romantic too.

Undubbed.

I love “Chocolat,” although it doesn’t really count. I enjoyed “Iron Monkey” far more than “Crouching Tiger,” but then I prefer obvious happy endings.
“Life is Beautiful” is stunning, and one of those happy/sad movies that I would not have watched if my friends hadn’t prodded me, but I’m so happy I did.
And there is a movie—it hasn’t been mentioned yet—that’s Italian; it’s all about two brothers (IIRC) making this wonderful meal. I especially remember this huge, layered, baked pasta dish. Ah, it’s killing me that I don’t know the name.

I definitely need to make a list of some of these. “Babette’s Feast” sounds excellent.

Hmm, is it odd that most of my fave foreign film involved food?

I doubt that there has ever been a foreign film shown here in my puny portion of the planet.

Don’t think I would like a dubbed movie. I enjoy hearing other languages, but wouldn’t you miss some of the scenes while you are reading across the bottom?

I’m not big on going to the movie or even renting videos/dvd’s. I always feel I should be DOING something instead of just sitting on my duff.

Too Funny!!!!!my word verification is old85. That’s how I feel today.

"fave foreign film”
I meant “films.”

And I liked “Bride and Prejudice,” too. I didn’t love it, but I think that’s because I have a hard time believing in those two living happily ever after. Darcy was a little too playboy slick for my tastes.

Sorry. Off topic.

I think it’s been mentioned a couple of times, but Amelie was such a great French film, and I loved Amores Perros with Gael Garcia, although I do warn it’s not for the sensitive, but it’s a great movie of loves never going right…

I love foreign films and luckily I live in an area where they’re pretty easy to find. While in general I do prefer subtitles, every so often a dubbed movie can be fun. But mostly for the humor value…

I don’t think I can even come up with my favorite foreign film - there have been so many I love. I love everything I’ve seen by Almodovar and I love Y Tu Mama Tambien and Amores Perros, Eat Drink Man Woman and so on. Most recently I got to see Pan’s Labyrinth which is a truly fantastic fairy tale (of the gruesome, original Brother’s Grimm variety. In other words, don’t take the kids) set during the Spanish Civil War. I definitely recommned that people go see that.

And now I really miss the little video store I used to live across the street from that had a fantastic selection of foreign films…

I LOVED ‘Like water for Chocolate’; you can’t go through life calling yourself a woman and not see that movie. My favorite foreign film was probably the original french version of Gigi (NOT Gigli). The remake was made in the late 50s, i believe, starring leslie caron and Maurice chevalier.

Last but not least...UNDUBBED! The inflection and tone in an actors voice relays so much of what the character is thinking, but not nessecarily saying.

~Meredith~

Oh yes! Bride and prejudice and monsoon wedding were lovely movies! Aishwara Rai is probably one of the most beautiful actress i have ever seen.

My code is FREE21....W00H00.....in a few years.....

Meredith --

It’s really interesting that you bring up Aishwarya Rai, who has a huge worldwide following.  Just a month ago, she was named in an obscenity lawsuit in India for a kissing scene—her first onscreen kiss, apparently, and a few seconds long—in her new movie.  The suit, brought by a lawyer in India, charges that the scene from the movie “lowered the dignity of Indian women and had an obscene message,” violating sections 292 (vulgarity) and 509 (derogatory to women) of the Indian Penal Code.

According to reports, “Bollywood actors are conveying vulgarity in the society,” said Dwivedi [the lawyer filing suit]. “These films cannot be watched with our families, they are so vulgar at times.”

Considering some of the scenes in movies such as LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE—or most historical romances—this makes an interesting contrast, no?

--Mike

I prefer my movies undubbed, with English subtitles. These days, I mostly watch Korean dramas (usually a whopping 15-25 episodes!) with my little sister.

I had not heard about the Aishwarya Rai lawsuit. That’s ridiculous—I hope it doesn’t go through.

I don’t think I have ever seen a foreign film.

I haven’t watched any foreign movies before not that I can think of anyway. I only understand english

Hugssss
Linda.H.

I saw BRIDE AND PREJUDICE, BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM, and MONSOON WEDDING, too.  I agree with brownone - BRIDE AND PREJUDICE is okay, but MONSOON WEDDING and BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM are great!

I’ve seen very few foreign films (not including British films) and those few I’ve watched didn’t really leave much of an impression (but then again, I don’t watch many films, foreign or otherwise).  But, I’d have to say that I would probably prefer undubbed with subtitles.

I haven’t seen many. 

I would say my first was My Life as a Dog which I did see dubbed.  I was young and it took me half the movie to figure what was off. 

My last would probably be Life is Beautiful a bunch of years back which I saw subtitled.  I don’t like watching that one dubbed at all.

I love hearing the language by the original actors even if I don’t understand it.  Plus, it helps I’m a fast reader.

I also saw an anime movie that was great, but I forget the title.  I saw that one subtitled.

Sub-titles for me...no dubbing as it really ruins the movie.  The only two that I can think of off the top of my head are Like Water for Chocolate and Passion of the Christ. 

Volver sounds really good!  Thanks for the rec.

Teresa, I, too, love Chinese films like CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, HERO, HOUSE OF THE FLYING DAGGERS, THE RED LANTERN.  I can’t wait to see the new one--CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER.

We go to a lot of foreign films and I definitelty want to hear the original language and read subtitles.  No dubbing, please!  I also prefer BROTHERHOOD OF THE WOLF in French even when we watch it here at home.

Maybe this all has to do with my wanderlust and the desire to travel far and wide.  Or maybe it’s my regrettably tin ear when it comes to speaking foreign languages?

Volver sounds wonderful, Connie.

So many of my favorites have already been names--Babette’s Feast, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Life is Beautiful, etc. My list would also include some older movies. No discussion of foreign films should omit Ingmar Bergman’s movies--The Seventh Seal, The Virgin Spring, Wild Srawberries, Fanny and Alexander, and the list goes on. I also love Claud Lelouch’s A Man and a Woman and Robert Bresson’s Diary of a Country Priest. One of the joys of DVDs is that it is now possible even for those of us who live in the hinterlands to see good foreign films.

And my youngest nephew, a huge anime fan, has made a Miyazaki fan of me. Howl’s Moving Castle is my favorite because I love the Diana Wynne Jones book, but Spirited Away and Kiki’s Delivery Service are also favorites.

See, I love, LOVE, LOVE foreign languages. I know one well (Spanish), am getting a decent grasp of another (German), and would love to learn more. But I love to watch movies in languages I’m not at all familiar with also. I love the way other languages sound. Maybe that’s the reason I hate dubbing…

Well...by the same director.

This movie is definitely off the beaten path.  I saw it with my pack of friends at one of those art house theaters and continue to remember it with fond, but shocked memories.  Tie Me Up!  Tie Me down!  Oh, the first time I saw Antonio Banderas!!!!  (Even though he was mental in the movie) That’s the fond part.
He made me sweat sooo bad.  And that was way before I could use age as an excuse. My other memories are definitely on the “OMG did I just see that movie?” track.  Blistering is the word.

The movie is highly controversial and has some shocking material.  I don’t know how I would react if I saw it for the first time at the age I am now.  At best, it is a thriller with bits of dark dark comedy.  I don’t remember what it is rated, but it probably couldn’t be less than an R with every kind of warning involved.  It’s not for the meek or mild, which I was at the time. 

It’s not a movie that I can even recommend to just anybody on a whim.  I would really have to know that person to say “see it” or “don’t go there”. 

It was subtitled, which was probably why we went… You know the scene:  small town girl goes away to school and goes to every weird or foreign movie at the local movie house.

We talked about the movie for weeks.  That is one great thing about the movie.  It stimulates lots and lots of discussion.

So, after that long story...I prefer subtitles.  Lips don’t match dubbing and that messes with my brain.

I prefer the movie to be dubbed only because a movie is a visual medium and if I have to cast my eyes down to see what is being said, then I miss some of the action on screen

I love Gong Li’s older movies, like “Farewell My Concubine” and “Raise the Red Lantern”. She had such intensity and maturity in those roles, and she is gorgeous.  I hate dubbing - subtitles only please!

I do not think I have watched any foreign films or none that I can remember.

I took a film class and watched a foreign film...however, I don’t remember the name.  Sometimes I’ll put the dialogue on the non-foreign films to make sure I understand what they are saying throughout the whole movie.

I’m a little oddity here, I think. Because my Maman’s French, my Dad’s French-Canadian and I live in Quebec, the French-speaking province of Canada. I only started learning English at around 10, and later Spanish at around 14.

So technically, what would seem for many of you “national film” actually falls in the “foreign film” section for me. 

At any rate, I think that being true to the original material is a must. Especially since a lot of actors do happen to act with their voice, and the dubbing often doesn’t translate that. Also, languages are very specific, and I find that the same sentence in one idiom or the other usually doesn’t carry the same strenght. True, the basic message is the same. But phonetics and word-play can’t truly be carried to another language. And rare are the cases where the translation happens to be better than the original. One rare exception is the movie El Cid, because in Spanish there are a lot of literary references to the original XIIth cent. Epic poem which are harder to find in English.

So, if I understand the language, I’d rather see the undubbed, un-subtitled version (unless it’s a musical or opera, where I would like the subtitles at least the first time). And in the case I don’t understand the language, then it’s all subtitles for me. I find there’s something fundamentally alien about having a Chinese speak in an Indo-European language, especially in a mythical Epic like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

As for any recommendations I’d make, I’ll put out two films for each language I speak:

French:
- La Gloire de mon Père
- Astérix: Mission Cléopâtre

English:
- Dear Frankie
- The New World

Spanish:
- Mar adentro
- Volavérunt

And here are some in other languages:
- Kandahar
- Kristin Lavransdatter

Cheers,

Eloise

I’m an intellectual peasant, I guess.  I can’t think of a single foreign film I’ve seen.  Well, Godzilla.  The original.  Does that count?

Mai

ooh so much to talk about.

The dubbing in Princess Mononoke was good too. Now I must watch Howl’s Castle.

To me Ashwarya Rai, Gong Li, Maggie Cheung and Isabella Adjani are among the most luminous screen actresses.

A few recommendations from Asian cinemas:
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (for Ashwarya Rai’s acting, the gorgeous locations and the musical numbers)
if you like chinese action cinema
Shaolin Kungfu and Kungfu Hustle (the hilarious dialogue and action scenes from Stephen Chow)
The Swordsman and Dragon Gate Inn (these two are classics for me)

Thinking of lip-synching, subtitles and dubbing remind me of moments of hilarity.

I remember the scene in Wayne’s World where Wayne was talking to his girlfriend’s Chinese father. One spoken word had several words for its translation, and there was a pause in the dialogue to allow people to finish reading the subtitles.

Then the nonsensical subtitling in *cough* knock-off DVDs. Diagon Alley became ‘Dia Ganali’!

No dubbing! I think that ruins the film.

Some of these sound really good!

I haven’t heard of that movie.  Thanks for the recommendation!

I can’t think of any foreign movies that I’ve seen. I know Harlan Coben’s book Tell Noone is out in France in French so I would need subtitles to understand it. Hopefully it will come out here in English.

I remember from forever ago my first subtitled movie - A Man and a Woman. I don’t particularly like subbed movies because I think it distracts but on the other hand I enjoy hearing the french or whatever language in the original voice. So I guess I would have to say it’s a nice change once in a while but not very often.

Oh, Eloise, I forgot all about Mar Adentro! For the rest of you, Mar Adentro is a Spanish film (a drama) that came out a couple years ago. I highly recommend this movie (as do any I’ve talked to that have seen it… it even received an Oscar in 2005.)

Oh I have to add that I can’s stand it when the lips don’t match. I usually just listen to the movie when that happens. Fortunately, now adays with the technology like it is, it’s not as bad as say those old Japanese movies.

No voice-overs for me please!  I much prefer sub-titles on the foreign films I’ve seen.  Bad dubbing just ruins a movie for me.

Let’s see…

Life is Beautiful
Brotherhood of the Wolf
Monsoon Wedding (though I think that was filmed in English?)
Howl’s Moving Castle (Japanimation; overdubbed in English, I think)
Triplets of Belleville (not much dialogue, actually)

I prefer sub-titles to overdubbing-- I have a slight hearing problem, and it bugs me when I can’t make the sounds and the mouth motions agree.  BUT subtitles have to be in a theater or on a large screen TV-- it’s murder trying to read subtitles on a tiny screen! 

Laura

I’m in the UK, so does that make US films ‘foreign’? LOL.  In that case it has to be The Far Country.  That’s like a Georgette Heyer Romance set in the West.  Fabulous!  Loved the great fist fight.  Even admired Chuck Heston’s chest.  This was before he lost his hair and his marbles.  But for foreign, foreign films, I think it’s got to be either Monsoon Wedding...so very brave and haunting or the dance version of Blood Wedding.  That makes the hair stand up on the nape, even while the dancing is thrilling you.

I have never seen a dubbed movie. Watching the subtitles takes away from me being able to enjoy the movie!

What a great post idea.

Subtitles, any day, even poorly (and often times hilariously) translated sentences. I hate dubbed movies, because of the weird facial movements and body language.

My favorite French films are: Un Pur Humanite, Indochine, Bleu, Rouge, Blanc, and of course, Cynrano de Bergerac. I adore Zhang Yimou’s and Ang Lee’s Chinese/English films, Kundun and others made on Tibet, Persian movies (particularly by the Makmalbafs), and so many, many others.

If we’re considering England and Scotland as foreign countries, well, then, any of the period movies will do, and some recent ones, such as The Queen and Bend it Like Beckham.

Now to add Volver to my list.

I want to see The Queen!!!!!!!!

So far, it’s not been shown anywhere close to here.

Brownone.. thanks for the rec’s! I’ve never seen those movies before and I can’t wait!

Being East Indian, does Bollywood count?

My favourite foreign movies right now are “Goodbye Lenin” and “Run Lola Run”. It’s too complicated or rather too long to explain what it’s about, so just google it, or better yet rent it!

I prefer watching the movies with subtitles, something about mouths not moving to the words that creeps me out.

- Amal

Also wanted to add La Grande Illusion, a Fench WWI movie, made in ‘37. About French prisioners that make their escape, and end up in a young widowed mother’s house. It has all the elements that speak of war, love, peace, and humanity. The camera shots in the movie are great too.

It sounds wonderful! Getting my hubby to see it though, hmmm.. Thank you for the review! I would go with undubbed as well!

Several of my favorite foreign films have been mentioned above.  Like some of you have mentioned, dubbing can be distracting, even when it’s done well. 

Language is such an obvious part of culture, it seems like dubbing breaks the “reality” of what you’re watching.  Just like the music that’s selected for a soundtrack, the human voices either add or detract from the world of the story. 

Have any of you seen HOUSE OF SAND?  There’s very little dialogue and only one moment of music.  The whole story and characters are connected to the setting.  I think if it had been dubbed in English, something would have been lost.

I love watching foreign films and they have to be undubbed.  Dubbed films don’t have the same feel to them. 

My all time favorite foreign movie is Main Hoo Na.  I hope I spelled that right.  I think the title translates to “I’m here.” Shah Rhuk Khan stars in it and he’s just so adorable.

Definitely prefer foreign films to be undubbed with subtitles!  I think some of the acting is always lost when speech is dubbed, and then there’s the translators trying to fit the same amount of speech in the same amount of time, which can be dreadfully awkward.  I travel abroad for work, and have been dragged to US films dubbed over in another language, which is always fun/funny for me.  (Saw Harry Potter this way).  Love Zhang Yimou’s films (recently House of flying Daggers) for artistic sensibility.

Ann in IL: The Queen was superb. Since the emphasis is mainly on the drama, watching it on DVD won’t take away from the enjoyment of the story and stellar acting. So, don’t despair if it doesn’t come to a theater in your neighborhood.

I like them dubbed...I HATE subtitles!

I would simply like to add a splendid little French movie to my recommendations:

Joyeux Noël, by Christian Carrion.
A great lesson of humanity in times where we desperately need to be reminded of the good we can find in others.

Cheers,

Eloise

PS: Ain’t it ironic that my word is “arms18”?

I only like dubbed movies if they are Jackie Chan movies.  Probably not for the reason I should like them, though. =D

I like watching subbed movies because I like watching it in the original language.

Angelica: I haven’t seen that Sharukh Khan movie! Mein Hoon Nah does translate to I’m here. The meaning is more like “you’ve still got me” kind of.

Good recent British movie, Shaun of the Dead, zombies and cricket bats who could ask for anything more

A very funny German movie called Alles auf Zucker, Go for Zucker.

Another good one is this great Danish film Together.

I am trying to think of ones that haven’t been mentioned.

Also definitely subtitles rather than dubbing!

One of my favourites is “Barfuss” (Barefoot) written and directed by Til Schweiger.  Ooooo, Til.  He is one Geman movie-man no one should miss.  Here’s a link to the inforation: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405743/

Oooh, 8 Women, a French movie with Catherine Denevue and a bunch of other well known French actresses.  It’s a musical about 8 connected women who cover up a murder in a country house.  Umm, La Haine, a rather grim movie about the Parisian neighborhoods where the riots broke out last year.  It was filmed in 1995 though.  The Chorus, also French, about a boarding school chorus set in the 1950s.  Subtitled of course.  Apparently I love French movies and I didn’t know it.

The only foreign film that I have ever seen is Life Is Beautiful.

Laura T:  I hope you find them and enjoy them.

Mike:  I belive Ash is a former Miss. World!  And I do think that sometimes they are a little ridiculous over in India because some of the clothes the girls wear in the movies are ridiculous and then they get upset over a kiss (which is VERY rare).  Another movie that caused such a ruckus was 1942: A Love Story.  It is about India’s Independence from the British but it caused uproar over a kiss, probably one of the first in Bollywood screen history.

My top 3 foreign films are:

1) Shall We Dance- the first foreign film that I saw and one that still makes me laugh and cry.

2) Life is Beautiful

3) Babettes Feast

I am also a fan of no voice-overs. It seems to take away from the allure of the film.

Amelie (Audrey Tautou is wonderful)

A Very Long Engagement

Downfall (excellent one about Hitler)

Bride & Prejudice (I love the brilliant colors)

Dear Frankie (my favorite, tissues are good to have on hand)

House of Flying Daggers (impressive)

I love foreign films.  They open you up to so many other things instead of the big box office American bang.  They are small but all that I have seen are wonderfully made.  I like them undubbed unless there is a lot to see on the screen.  If the movie is more visual, I’ll rely more on hearing instead of reading (I’m sort of a slow reader, I read every word) .  I hate to miss a lot of the visual aspects of it if it is meant to be a beautiful film.  Usually when it is dubbed, it looks more fake and funny to me. 

I love movies and I watch a lot of them.  Right now I am working at a video store so I get to watch A LOT of movies.  They don’t get as many foreign films as I would like but I just end up going to the library for them.  I wish movie theaters would have more independent and foreign films showing.  A lot of times they are better than the Hollywood stuff.

Thanks for a great conversation topic!

I haven’t gone to the movies since Star Wars II and don’t own a DVD player.  But I’m not big on subtitles anyway.

House of Flying Daggers
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Hero
Monsoon Wedding
Shaolin Soccer
Diva
La Femme Nikita
Run Lola Run (great soundtrack, btw!)

and ANYTHING by Hayao Miyazaki

Oh, and subbed…

...except for anime, which I watch both ways...subbed to pick up on the cultural stuff, and dubbed, because there are some really good American voiceover actors.

I don’t watch many foreign films. When I do I prefer them with subtitles and definitely undubbed!

I’ve seen a few on tv (the movie channels) and don’t recall the titles but they were typically historical movies set in France or something. I’ve always enjoyed those type movies. And I don’t mind the reading the fine line either haha.

Wirdald, I believe the movie you’re thinking about is “Big Night” about two italian brothers played by Stanley Tucci and Tony Shaloub (of Monk fame.) the story takes place in the US and a lot happens in English but both brothers are native Italian speakers and communicate to each other in Italian.  the food in the film looks delicious.

Let’s start with “undubbed”. How can you reach in to get a handful of popcorn at the bottom of your bad and watch the screen for the dialog? Too much work.

My fave “foregin” film if considered that would be a lovely small independent movie made in Scotland titled “Dear Frankie”.  It stars Gerard Butler and Emily Mortimer and it a heart warming/wrenching tale of a single mother and her son adn oh what a handsome stranger.

This movie mad me fall in love with Scotland.

How did I miss this blog??? I love foreign films. I’m a foreign film junkie, which used to drive my mother nuts b/c she always would say that she hated having to read subtitles.

There are so many French films I absolutely adore, which is good b/c that’s usually what I watch. LOL!

Jean de Florette is a classic, as is the sequel Manon de Source. Gérard Depardieu is absolute magic in them.

And I absolutely adore Le Chateau de ma Mère and La Gloire de Mon Père. Such beautiful and sweet films. I have too many films on my list to go too far into detail, but these four rank at the top.

A last favorite is this comedy that came out a few years ago. I had just moved home from France and a friend had a screener pass to see Le Placard. I can remember howling in the theatre it was so funny and yet I sat there crying b/c I missed “home”. It truly was a pitiful sight! LOL! The first time I found this film in DVD format I grabbed it up. It’s brilliant. Plus it didn’t hurt that it was filled w/a stellar cast (Thierry L’Hermite, Gérard Depardieu, Michelle Laroche, Daniel Auteuil).

Oh, and no dubbing please! I can’t take it!

Hmm...my word verification is earlier49, as in I should have checked out this blog earlier…

LdyB

Undubbed with subtitles for me, please.  This winter, I discovered two fabulous French films, “On Gaurd” (French title: Le Bossu) and The Widow of Sainte Pierre, both starring Daniel Autuiel. Mercy, can that man act! Both are gorgeous historical stories, set in times and locales that would be great for romances.

There is a big industry in Mexico of dubbing movies into spanish.  With so many movies from the US, we get used to both dubbed and subbed movies since we are kids, so it’s not a big issue.

For those of us who can speak english, it’s better subbed.  We don’t miss anything, and can catch any diference with the subs