h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Watched this movie, La Strada (Federico Fellini, 1954) last night: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047528/.

The cinematography, dialogue (Italian dubbed in English in the version I rented), and plot are all fairly simple, yet ethereal and graceful at the same time. Gelsomina, a young girl of a "childlike" mentality, is sold by her mother to a circus performer, Zampano. Zampano is perpetually angry, at the best he pays Gelsomina the most perfunctory attention, at worst, he is cruel to her. Gelsomina, of course, doesn't understand any better.

Eventually Gelsomina encounters the circus "fool", Zampano's nemesis, who convinces her she is in love with Zampano. And then all kinds of tragedy ensues.

Not many movies make me cry: this one did. I highly recommend it.

I really hate dubbed movies. Give me subtitles any day.

Interestingly, this preference varies from country to country. In Italy, for example, most films are dubbed. Cinecita is the world's premier dubbing studio.

The version Netflix has available is subtitled. In fact, I won't rent dubbed films, either.

I think that an overwhelming majority of Americans choose dubed films, as well, just going by what I usually see in the stores. Perhaps it's because a lot of people I know- and some have expressed this verbally- watch movies for "eye candy" and don't want to be bothered with reading.

I prefer to hear the film in its "native" language, and read subtitles. Although I do point out *every* misspelling or poor translation I notice.

Yes, tend to notice poor translations too - in French and German at least - even though I'm not particularly competent in either. A aprticular area of difficulty is swearing, which is not always directly translatable. For example, in Luc Besson's 'Taxi', the word 'Putain!' is used (quite a lot!). It's subtitled as F--k!

The only film I can remember being available both dubbed and subtitled in the UK was Crouching Tiger - presumably to appeal to both the Kung Fu and artsy-fartsy audiences.

Oh...by the way...the subtitles to Cyrano de Bergerac (Gerard Depardieu) were especially commissioned from my writing hero, Anthony Burgess, who wrote them in strict meter as rhyming couplets.

I didn't know that about Cyrano de Bergerac. I've not read much of Burgess, if he's your writing hero perhaps you have a recommendation or two?

Anyway, that's fascinating that he wrote it in strict meter, wih rhyming couplets, like that. I bet I'll love that one for that reason alone! Will have to add it to the queue!

Oooh...where to start with Burgess? He's possibly an acquired taste, being a pretentious auld show-off.

You could try his 'Earthly Powers.' Opening line: "It was the afternoon of my eighty-first birthday, and I was in bed with my catamite when Ali announced that the archbishop had come to see me."

His Malayan Trilogy is very easygoing.

And I thoroughly recommend his book on linguistics, 'A Mouthful of Air'.

Just located an inexpensive copy of "Earthly Powers", once it arrives, I'll have a go at it. (I really need to stop buying stuff till after the first of June, but this was only about $3.50). If I like it, I'll move on to others. "A Mouthful of Air" does sound like it'd be up my alley, though...

So why don't haven't you joined the Language and Linguistics thread? F19585?thread=508032

I'd thought about it. But everyone sounds much "smarter" than I am. It's a bit intimidating!