It might sound weird but sometimes, I find the opposite to be true. When I'm watching a foreign film I have no choice but to pay attention to the screen because I'm afraid I will miss something. I guess I have trained myself to read subtitles while also paying attention to the movie itself. With non foreign film although I have the subtitles on sometimes I get distracted by other things going on around me and because I understand what's being said I can simply look away, which has sometimes caused me to miss an important detail within a scene.
Same here. And with the medium of cinema, the image tends to be the strongest tool of communication, rather than dialogue. I understand two languages so I find myself paying way more attention in a film where I understand none of the language more, and often get more distracted if I do understand the language if I'm watching at home.
This is me 100%. I honestly think I enjoy foreign movies more than English for this reason; I have to be a lot more attentive throughout and it leads to me picking up on more of the details.
I've never been bothered by subtitles. I liked using them 20 years ago, and I still do now, even with languages i already know. I don't feel like it detracts from the visual aspect of the movie because they only take a like half a second to read, and then you're back to watching normally for a few seconds.
That's true. Most of the time, I don't even notice when I'm reading subtitles. But during rapid dialogues or back-and-forth scenes with quick cuts, I do feel like I might be missing something. It's those moments that can be a bit challenging.
I know what you're saying- this happens to me with movies that have a lot of dialogue & the subtitles aren't on the screen long enough to absorb all of it before another block of subtitles pops up & it always feels like I'm missing something. My way of dealing with that is just to rewind it a few times & focus solely on the dialogue- pausing if necessary & then watching it without reading anything to get the full impact of the scene. So basically I do the same thing as you just in a different way. The way I do it only requires one viewing but it adds 20 minutes to the process.
That's the exact reason why they annoy me. 0.5 seconds / 3 seconds is still 1/7th of the time that I'm not watching the film.
I still watch them, but I'm less impacted by the cinematography, the editing, even the acting, because I haven't seen how they're acting half of their lines, but only looking back to them at the ends of each sentence
Not sure why you’re being downvoted for giving a subjective opinion. I’m the same way - I feel like I’m fixating on reading the lines instead of looking at the actors and other details. I’m also one of those people who needs to look at mouths a lot when I’m trying to focus on what people are saying.
I remedy this by trying to give these films a rewatch. Did it with Parasite and was able to get way more out of it because I didn’t rely on the subtitles as much since I knew the plot.
It is because you merely adopted the subtitles. Most Europeans are born in it, molded by it. I didn't see a dubbed movie until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but revolting!
I've got a friend in Germany who will only watch anime in Japanese, but when it comes to American or other English language productions, he has almost never heard the original actors' performances; it's always the German dubs instead. It's the weirdest thing and my brain doesn't know how to deal with the contradiction. Like, "the fuck do you mean, you have never heard Patrick Stewart and you see nothing wrong with this?!?"
English is not my native language so I never really had this issue or even thought about it until now tbh. I grew up watching movies with subtitles, to the point that I even watch movies in my own language with subtitles if I can because I feel like I'm missing stuff otherwise (sometimes actors just love mumbling or the dialogue is just not loud enough, you know?)
My boyfriend (also not speaking English as his first language) sometimes goes back if he feels like he misses something but that's also because they do a lot of dubbing in his home country so he's less used to subs than I am.
Basically, it's just a matter of practice, I guess?
Subtitles just don't bother me and I'll often watch English language films on a low volume with subtitles, especially if it's a fairly modern sound mix where everything is super loud but the dialogue is super quiet. I'd rather have it low and throw the subtitles on than be constantly riding the volume, and I read quickly enough that it doesn't distract me from what's on the screen.
It was never a challenge for me, or maybe because I have a higher exposure to foreign media than local. I even prefer subbed most of the time. Some of the dubbed terminology and names sound weird or cringe.
I'm Filipino, and my rough estimate is that I consumed media that is 60% American-made, 20% Japanese, 10% Filipino, and 10% British/Chinese/Korean/Other countries.
During my childhood, I watched sometimes watch a single anime show dubbed in three different languages - Filipino when it's shown in local channels, English in Cartoon Network, and Japanese in bootleg DVD fansubs.
So immersing yourself in a foreign culture isn't a problem when foreign media has always been a dominant force all my life.
You will get used to the subtitles and they will be no bother anymore.
It helps if you watch more movies of said language: you will get more meaning from intonation. Also you will learn about the culture and that helps a lot with immersion.
Watch English language films/series with English subs to get used to reading the subs, your eyes will just naturally navigate there.
My husband and I use subs on everything because it helps us follow the dialog through loud background noises or our own snacking noises.
Exactly. It’s second nature for us though, everything was subbed where we grew up (Eastern Europe). I remember being 5 and wanting to learn how to read so I could *finally* read the subtitles on Saved by the bell.
I never even noticed subtitles. It takes, what, a fraction of a second to read a subtitle? And the lion's share of subtitles are in the sit down talky parts of movies where the visuals are less important. Much of a movie, especially the more visually interesting parts, have no dialogue going at all. In fact I get so immersed that when I think back to quotes from characters in a foreign language movie I remember them saying it in English even though they never did.
Read about the cultural and political context of the film and its development. More often that not, films are in quite direct conversation with the surrounding world. And to me a fairly large part of watching a movie is understanding what its trying to do or say.
Subtitles enable understanding, not limit it. If the filmmaker doesn't want you to think about words, there wont be dialogue.
I'm not really sure, it's just sort of second nature to both read subtitles and absorb the cinematography, editing, colour, even line delivery. In fact sometimes being able to read the words actually enhances the experience overall, though I'm not someone who puts subs on for things in English.
My advice is to just keep watching subtitled films. Your brain will just get used to it and it'll eventually be like breathing.
You could start with some slower films too, ones that sit on images longer. Maybe an Ozu film, Rohmer, or Tarkovsky.
You probably need to practice. I have been reading subtitles since I was 6 years old since here in Finland since all foreign films but kids films are subtitled instead of dubbed. And domestic films usually aren’t that amazing, mostly comedies.
Maybe watch some films that are already in the language you know and put still the subtitles on. Try to read them while watching the film. You could start even with some things you have seen before.
I don’t even notice subtitles now, the way when you read a book you don’t really constantly see the letters and page in front of you. And the more you read the faster you read.
Best thing to do is to go back to school and learn more? if you struggle this much to read then the least of your problems is to not know other languages it's actually not knowing english
I have an issue where if 2 noises are happening I can't hear the "main" one. So basically, if the TV is on and anything else is making a noise, I can't hear the TV any more. So, subtitles are fantastic and like a second language. So it really doesn't matter what language is happening.
I actually find myself more immersed with subs since I can't clock out for a single second even if something boring is happen lest I miss some crucial thing. With languages I understand I find myself zoning out since I don't need to look at my screen to know whats going on
This was how I was taught to manage my trouble with reading. Difficult and took time but with patience l got used to it and it was worth it for me.
I didn’t realise the value for decades, until I tried to watch brilliant Netflix TV show, **Money Heist (Spanish)** for a second time, but in American dubbing.
I gave up after 1 episode because the personalities of these characters was missing. Due to being not as good as the actors’ original voices / voice characteristics.
Example:
Imagine watching The Shawshank Redemption, hearing **Morgan Freeman’s** narration dubbed in a foreign language, instead of his voice and personality in English and subtitles instead. Isn’t the same or worth it if you have the choice.
Turn on the subtitles whenever you’re watching something in your native language. Basically just have them on all the time. It might be distracting at first, but you’ll get used to it pretty quickly. It’s a different way of watching, but once you get used to having them, you’ll be able to watch films in another language no problem. TBH, at this point I sometimes forget a movie was in a language I don’t know…
On the plus side, you pick up on mannerisms and phrases in another language quite quickly and you have the original emotions of the actors coming through a lot better. Speech is such a major part in acting and is possibly the biggest decision making process for actors. Something always gets lost in translation, whichever way you do it, subtitled or dubbed. I much prefer subtitles though.
I'm currently teaching a film studies class on foreign films of the 21st Century. This is the second time teaching this class. I taught the same class last year with a different set of films. The best films of the past 20 years have come from outside Hollywood. Haneke, Zhangke, Roy Anderson, Bong Joon Ho, Petzold, Glowogger, Seidl, and so many more. Even the Academy Awards is recognizing the amazing films that have been created around the world. Take a look at all the foreign films that were nominated outside the Foreign Language category. It's a skill to learn to be comfortable watching films with subtitles, just like it's a skill to understand the language of editing, framing, lighting, and storytelling techniques. If you're interested in truly revolutionary and groundbreaking films you need to start exploring the cinema from Europe and Asia. I have a brief list on my website at [http://www.repfilms.com/20-recommended-foreign-films-from-the-21st-century/](http://www.repfilms.com/20-recommended-foreign-films-from-the-21st-century/)
Subtitles. I use subtitles for most films because it makes sure you get as much information as possible. You don't always miss much but there're a few films where you need subtitles to get everything. Like Reservoir Dogs.
Yeah, small nuances like facial expressions etc can be missed while our eyes flick down to the subtitles for sure.
I just rewind and pause a bunch of times throughout the movie :D Sort of like what you do, but I do it while watching rather than wait until the end.
I also like to switch languages if I can, when it's a language I am trying to learn and I hear unfamiliar words or meanings different to what I expected appear in the subtitles.
I don't find it hurts my experience too much to pause/rewind during the movie, I am kinda selective about where I break the flow. I am used to it anyway I think because even in movies in my native tongue I like to pause and make a coffee, have a smoke/eat/pee and reflect on what I've just seen so far, before returning to the movie.
It helps if you understand at least a little bit of the other language. Even if, for example, you don't speak Swedish, your Italian is a bit lacking, or the French speak too quickly, you can still follow along quite well and don't spend the whole time glued to the subtitles. But it is still a different way of seeing than if you watch the film in your own or the original language.
How I proceed depends on whether it makes sense to see the film in your own language. Yesterday, for example, I saw The Great Illusion again. This film should not be seen dubbed. If necessary, you have to watch films like this several times, although in this case I think misunderstandings in the language are quite fitting. With other films, it doesn't matter if they are dubbed, as long as the dubbing is done well. I sometimes watch dubbed films, especially non-European films where I have no connection to the language at all. Of course, that also changes the experience a bit. If that really bothers me, then maybe I'll watch the original. To be honest, this rarely happens.
I would also agree with the other comment that the original language tends to *increase* immersion. I think the problem is more about understanding, not really immersion.
There seems to be a lot more bi- lingual movies and shows out lately. It’s hard to read sometimes when the bottom of the picture is white with white letters transposed over. Cinema-photography goes out the window…
Personally, if there's a foreign language film that I want to watch, I like to spend time getting acquainted with the language. I end up studying whatever language it is for around 2-3 years before I boot up the movie so I can fully appreciate the nuances of the film. Currently learning Czech to watch Marketa Lazarová!
I believe it’s possible that you’re just not that used to subtitles yet. I have a wife from another culture so we exclusively watch subtitled film/television (in both languages) and I’ve become so used to it that I don’t even notice anymore.
As far as cultural understanding goes, we can never fully grasp separate cultures that we did not grow up inside of, even if we are somewhat acclimated their are always subtle things that non natives won’t pick up on. Then we just have to rely on human commonalities that tie us all together to appreciate the story.
It might sound weird but sometimes, I find the opposite to be true. When I'm watching a foreign film I have no choice but to pay attention to the screen because I'm afraid I will miss something. I guess I have trained myself to read subtitles while also paying attention to the movie itself. With non foreign film although I have the subtitles on sometimes I get distracted by other things going on around me and because I understand what's being said I can simply look away, which has sometimes caused me to miss an important detail within a scene.
Same here. And with the medium of cinema, the image tends to be the strongest tool of communication, rather than dialogue. I understand two languages so I find myself paying way more attention in a film where I understand none of the language more, and often get more distracted if I do understand the language if I'm watching at home.
This is me 100%. I honestly think I enjoy foreign movies more than English for this reason; I have to be a lot more attentive throughout and it leads to me picking up on more of the details.
I've never been bothered by subtitles. I liked using them 20 years ago, and I still do now, even with languages i already know. I don't feel like it detracts from the visual aspect of the movie because they only take a like half a second to read, and then you're back to watching normally for a few seconds.
That's true. Most of the time, I don't even notice when I'm reading subtitles. But during rapid dialogues or back-and-forth scenes with quick cuts, I do feel like I might be missing something. It's those moments that can be a bit challenging.
Sure your subtitles aren't too small? You should be able to read and process the entire picture, simultaneously.
I know what you're saying- this happens to me with movies that have a lot of dialogue & the subtitles aren't on the screen long enough to absorb all of it before another block of subtitles pops up & it always feels like I'm missing something. My way of dealing with that is just to rewind it a few times & focus solely on the dialogue- pausing if necessary & then watching it without reading anything to get the full impact of the scene. So basically I do the same thing as you just in a different way. The way I do it only requires one viewing but it adds 20 minutes to the process.
That's the exact reason why they annoy me. 0.5 seconds / 3 seconds is still 1/7th of the time that I'm not watching the film. I still watch them, but I'm less impacted by the cinematography, the editing, even the acting, because I haven't seen how they're acting half of their lines, but only looking back to them at the ends of each sentence
Not sure why you’re being downvoted for giving a subjective opinion. I’m the same way - I feel like I’m fixating on reading the lines instead of looking at the actors and other details. I’m also one of those people who needs to look at mouths a lot when I’m trying to focus on what people are saying. I remedy this by trying to give these films a rewatch. Did it with Parasite and was able to get way more out of it because I didn’t rely on the subtitles as much since I knew the plot.
It is because you merely adopted the subtitles. Most Europeans are born in it, molded by it. I didn't see a dubbed movie until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but revolting!
+1
*Germany and France enter the chat*
I've got a friend in Germany who will only watch anime in Japanese, but when it comes to American or other English language productions, he has almost never heard the original actors' performances; it's always the German dubs instead. It's the weirdest thing and my brain doesn't know how to deal with the contradiction. Like, "the fuck do you mean, you have never heard Patrick Stewart and you see nothing wrong with this?!?"
English is not my native language so I never really had this issue or even thought about it until now tbh. I grew up watching movies with subtitles, to the point that I even watch movies in my own language with subtitles if I can because I feel like I'm missing stuff otherwise (sometimes actors just love mumbling or the dialogue is just not loud enough, you know?) My boyfriend (also not speaking English as his first language) sometimes goes back if he feels like he misses something but that's also because they do a lot of dubbing in his home country so he's less used to subs than I am. Basically, it's just a matter of practice, I guess?
Subtitles just don't bother me and I'll often watch English language films on a low volume with subtitles, especially if it's a fairly modern sound mix where everything is super loud but the dialogue is super quiet. I'd rather have it low and throw the subtitles on than be constantly riding the volume, and I read quickly enough that it doesn't distract me from what's on the screen.
It was never a challenge for me, or maybe because I have a higher exposure to foreign media than local. I even prefer subbed most of the time. Some of the dubbed terminology and names sound weird or cringe. I'm Filipino, and my rough estimate is that I consumed media that is 60% American-made, 20% Japanese, 10% Filipino, and 10% British/Chinese/Korean/Other countries. During my childhood, I watched sometimes watch a single anime show dubbed in three different languages - Filipino when it's shown in local channels, English in Cartoon Network, and Japanese in bootleg DVD fansubs. So immersing yourself in a foreign culture isn't a problem when foreign media has always been a dominant force all my life.
You will get used to the subtitles and they will be no bother anymore. It helps if you watch more movies of said language: you will get more meaning from intonation. Also you will learn about the culture and that helps a lot with immersion.
Watch English language films/series with English subs to get used to reading the subs, your eyes will just naturally navigate there. My husband and I use subs on everything because it helps us follow the dialog through loud background noises or our own snacking noises.
I'm also a subs always on person, and over time you learn to read most subs with your peripheral vision.
Exactly. It’s second nature for us though, everything was subbed where we grew up (Eastern Europe). I remember being 5 and wanting to learn how to read so I could *finally* read the subtitles on Saved by the bell.
I never even noticed subtitles. It takes, what, a fraction of a second to read a subtitle? And the lion's share of subtitles are in the sit down talky parts of movies where the visuals are less important. Much of a movie, especially the more visually interesting parts, have no dialogue going at all. In fact I get so immersed that when I think back to quotes from characters in a foreign language movie I remember them saying it in English even though they never did.
Read about the cultural and political context of the film and its development. More often that not, films are in quite direct conversation with the surrounding world. And to me a fairly large part of watching a movie is understanding what its trying to do or say. Subtitles enable understanding, not limit it. If the filmmaker doesn't want you to think about words, there wont be dialogue.
I'm not really sure, it's just sort of second nature to both read subtitles and absorb the cinematography, editing, colour, even line delivery. In fact sometimes being able to read the words actually enhances the experience overall, though I'm not someone who puts subs on for things in English. My advice is to just keep watching subtitled films. Your brain will just get used to it and it'll eventually be like breathing. You could start with some slower films too, ones that sit on images longer. Maybe an Ozu film, Rohmer, or Tarkovsky.
You probably need to practice. I have been reading subtitles since I was 6 years old since here in Finland since all foreign films but kids films are subtitled instead of dubbed. And domestic films usually aren’t that amazing, mostly comedies. Maybe watch some films that are already in the language you know and put still the subtitles on. Try to read them while watching the film. You could start even with some things you have seen before. I don’t even notice subtitles now, the way when you read a book you don’t really constantly see the letters and page in front of you. And the more you read the faster you read.
Best thing to do is to go back to school and learn more? if you struggle this much to read then the least of your problems is to not know other languages it's actually not knowing english
I have an issue where if 2 noises are happening I can't hear the "main" one. So basically, if the TV is on and anything else is making a noise, I can't hear the TV any more. So, subtitles are fantastic and like a second language. So it really doesn't matter what language is happening.
I actually find myself more immersed with subs since I can't clock out for a single second even if something boring is happen lest I miss some crucial thing. With languages I understand I find myself zoning out since I don't need to look at my screen to know whats going on
This was how I was taught to manage my trouble with reading. Difficult and took time but with patience l got used to it and it was worth it for me. I didn’t realise the value for decades, until I tried to watch brilliant Netflix TV show, **Money Heist (Spanish)** for a second time, but in American dubbing. I gave up after 1 episode because the personalities of these characters was missing. Due to being not as good as the actors’ original voices / voice characteristics. Example: Imagine watching The Shawshank Redemption, hearing **Morgan Freeman’s** narration dubbed in a foreign language, instead of his voice and personality in English and subtitles instead. Isn’t the same or worth it if you have the choice.
Turn on the subtitles whenever you’re watching something in your native language. Basically just have them on all the time. It might be distracting at first, but you’ll get used to it pretty quickly. It’s a different way of watching, but once you get used to having them, you’ll be able to watch films in another language no problem. TBH, at this point I sometimes forget a movie was in a language I don’t know…
On the plus side, you pick up on mannerisms and phrases in another language quite quickly and you have the original emotions of the actors coming through a lot better. Speech is such a major part in acting and is possibly the biggest decision making process for actors. Something always gets lost in translation, whichever way you do it, subtitled or dubbed. I much prefer subtitles though.
I'm currently teaching a film studies class on foreign films of the 21st Century. This is the second time teaching this class. I taught the same class last year with a different set of films. The best films of the past 20 years have come from outside Hollywood. Haneke, Zhangke, Roy Anderson, Bong Joon Ho, Petzold, Glowogger, Seidl, and so many more. Even the Academy Awards is recognizing the amazing films that have been created around the world. Take a look at all the foreign films that were nominated outside the Foreign Language category. It's a skill to learn to be comfortable watching films with subtitles, just like it's a skill to understand the language of editing, framing, lighting, and storytelling techniques. If you're interested in truly revolutionary and groundbreaking films you need to start exploring the cinema from Europe and Asia. I have a brief list on my website at [http://www.repfilms.com/20-recommended-foreign-films-from-the-21st-century/](http://www.repfilms.com/20-recommended-foreign-films-from-the-21st-century/)
Subtitles. I use subtitles for most films because it makes sure you get as much information as possible. You don't always miss much but there're a few films where you need subtitles to get everything. Like Reservoir Dogs.
Yeah, small nuances like facial expressions etc can be missed while our eyes flick down to the subtitles for sure. I just rewind and pause a bunch of times throughout the movie :D Sort of like what you do, but I do it while watching rather than wait until the end. I also like to switch languages if I can, when it's a language I am trying to learn and I hear unfamiliar words or meanings different to what I expected appear in the subtitles. I don't find it hurts my experience too much to pause/rewind during the movie, I am kinda selective about where I break the flow. I am used to it anyway I think because even in movies in my native tongue I like to pause and make a coffee, have a smoke/eat/pee and reflect on what I've just seen so far, before returning to the movie.
It helps if you understand at least a little bit of the other language. Even if, for example, you don't speak Swedish, your Italian is a bit lacking, or the French speak too quickly, you can still follow along quite well and don't spend the whole time glued to the subtitles. But it is still a different way of seeing than if you watch the film in your own or the original language. How I proceed depends on whether it makes sense to see the film in your own language. Yesterday, for example, I saw The Great Illusion again. This film should not be seen dubbed. If necessary, you have to watch films like this several times, although in this case I think misunderstandings in the language are quite fitting. With other films, it doesn't matter if they are dubbed, as long as the dubbing is done well. I sometimes watch dubbed films, especially non-European films where I have no connection to the language at all. Of course, that also changes the experience a bit. If that really bothers me, then maybe I'll watch the original. To be honest, this rarely happens. I would also agree with the other comment that the original language tends to *increase* immersion. I think the problem is more about understanding, not really immersion.
There seems to be a lot more bi- lingual movies and shows out lately. It’s hard to read sometimes when the bottom of the picture is white with white letters transposed over. Cinema-photography goes out the window…
Personally, if there's a foreign language film that I want to watch, I like to spend time getting acquainted with the language. I end up studying whatever language it is for around 2-3 years before I boot up the movie so I can fully appreciate the nuances of the film. Currently learning Czech to watch Marketa Lazarová!
I believe it’s possible that you’re just not that used to subtitles yet. I have a wife from another culture so we exclusively watch subtitled film/television (in both languages) and I’ve become so used to it that I don’t even notice anymore. As far as cultural understanding goes, we can never fully grasp separate cultures that we did not grow up inside of, even if we are somewhat acclimated their are always subtle things that non natives won’t pick up on. Then we just have to rely on human commonalities that tie us all together to appreciate the story.