Monday, April 12, 2010

Sub-Distractions...

Is it just me or do you also get distracted by the sub-titles that most movies shown on Star Movies, HBO etc. seem to have nowadays?

I mean, I was just flicking through one of the most intense scenes of The Dark Knight, a scene which had really moved me when I saw the movie in a theatre, and all I was trying to do was to somehow, just somehow, focus on the acting and expressions rather than just flicking to the sub-titles before they were delivered.

This practice means that I end up reading the dialogues sans any intonation, pause or intensity. Jokes lose their punchlines, sinister mobsters' threats become comical and heady romantic lines look corny and teenager-ish. And it's nearly impossible to prevent the eyes from just moving to the subtitles. They move with every frame and the eyes are just drawn to them.

I have mixed views about the sub-titles. I don't like them, at the same time I do because whatever one says, there is always some character with a strange voice and accent in every movie whose dialogues you just cannot understand. (By the way, I'm sure there is some sentence construction fault in the previous sentence. Please feel free to let me know how that sentence should've been constructed). And that's where such sub-titles help.

Anyway, I guess I'll just have to learn to live with it.

Saw 'Wanted' the Hindi movie last night. Must say I really enjoyed it. Especially some dialogues which had so much double meaning and sexual innuendo possibilities that I was rolling on the floor.

Also saw 'Stanley and Iris'. Very, very nice, gentle movie. A simple story told extremely well. Robert De Niro and Jane Fonda are just fantastic in the movie. And such poignant scenes. So little said, yet so much said with simple gestures and subtle expressions. Highly recommended.


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2 comments:

Padmaja Nagarur said...

You're right! Sub-titles can be a distraction but can be more than mere amusement when you're watching Hindi/regional cinema with English sub-titles! Sample this....from a Telugu song! "If time drives me away..I'll fight back like a storm!" :)

Swapnil said...

Padmaja: DOn't.say.anything.against.regional.sub-titled.movies.

I love these awesome sub-titled movies. Personal favourites include Meri Jung-One man army and Indra-the tiger. Oscar winning stuff, if you ask me!