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Topic: Amelie from Montmarte

Rachel Gilardi
Madam Moderator

Posts: 2214
From: Peabody, MA, USA
Registered: Dec 2007

posted 01-30-2002 01:55 PM

Sorry Peter,

You asked me way back if our prints were subtitled or dubbed. They were both subtitled. Actually after all this time we are still running one of our prints 3 times a day. NOT BAD!

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Peter Berrett
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 602
From: Victoria, Australia
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 01-31-2002 01:50 AM

Thanks Rachel

The reason I asked was I was curious to see whether American audiences prefer subtitled foreign films or whether they prefer dubbed films, as the French do.

cheers Peter

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Joe Beres
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 606
From: Minneapolis, MN, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 01-31-2002 09:19 AM

Peter,
I think the average suburban filmgoer avoids most foreign films altogether. Those that appreciate foreign films here seem to have respect for the original language and performance. Both those things being said, dubbed films rarely show up in the states, at least not in the art house circuit that shows the vast majority of foreign film. For instance, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, the highest grossing foreign language film in the US, (as far as I know) never was dubbed into English. Life is Beautiful, the second highest grosser, was eventually released in a dubbed version, but only at the very tail end of its run.

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David Stambaugh
Film God

Posts: 4021
From: Eugene, Oregon
Registered: Jan 2002

posted 01-31-2002 10:20 AM

Subtitles are much better. I want to hear the actors speaking in their original voices with all the nuances and inflections intact. The subset of US moviegoers who are into foreign film and art house presentation understand this. Crouching Tiger is proof that even a more mainstream US audience will accept subtitles if the supporting material is compelling enough.

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- dave
Avoid the meadow...

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Peter Berrett
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 602
From: Victoria, Australia
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 01-31-2002 08:00 PM

Thanks Gentlemen

I agree entirely with your comments. I much prefer subtitling. Unfortunately I have seen numerous foreign comedies destroyed by dubbing. The film 'Les Ripoux' comes to mind as an example. This story about two corrupt cops was dubbed into English on the VHS video I saw. Like many dubbed French Comedies one or two "dubbers" perform the majority of the voices in the film. This means that the voices are alternatively artificial, contrived, exaggerated or otherwise false. Such dubbing spoils the illusion of reality that the film is endeavouring to project.

I understand that in some countries dubbing has been refined to high standards (Italy?) however this has generally not been my experience of films dubbed into English. I am not anti-dubbing per se - consider the situation of those people who cannot read but would otherwise want to watch a foreign film. So there is a place for dubbing but in general no dubbing is better than bad dubbing.

Curiously the following article sheds some light on the dubbing/subtitling debate.
http://cloud.prohosting.com/ruhneb/board/34.html

I hope they never dub Amelie.

cheers Peter

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Peter Berrett
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 602
From: Victoria, Australia
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 02-01-2002 04:58 AM

Whilst hunting around the Internet I came across some interesting web pages in relation to Amelie.

Firstly Amelie " ...has become the most successful foreign film shown in Australia, eclipsing the opening week box-office record previously held by this year's Oscar winner, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
http://www.sundaytimes.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,3534099%255E10431,00.html

Secondly, thanks mainly to an increase in the number of screens showing Amelie, the film has now taken in excess of $4m here in Australia. It is also currently taking in excess of $14,000 per screen. On a per screen basis that makes it the #2 film in Australia currently.
http://www.cinefile.com.au/News_Bums_on_seats_New.asp

cheers Peter

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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1714
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99

posted 02-06-2002 03:13 PM

Amelie has now surpassed O Brother Where Art Thou? to become the #1 money earner here at the Rialto Cinemas Lakeside.

We have had the film 13 weeks and we have grossed $107,000 so far. We aren't done yet.

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Peter Berrett
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 602
From: Victoria, Australia
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 02-07-2002 06:36 AM

Academy Awards coming up.

Can a foreign film win Best Picture?

cheers Peter

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 02-07-2002 10:59 AM

Peter asked: "Can a foreign film win Best Picture?"

Yes!!! Last year, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Chocolat" were two of the five nominees for Best Picture.

------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion

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Charles Everett
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1470
From: New Jersey
Registered: May 2001

posted 02-07-2002 11:14 AM

John P: Chocolat was not a foreign-language picture. Miramax paid big buck$ for that movie's Oscar nominations the way Enron paid big buck$ to right-wing pundits.

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Joe Beres
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 606
From: Minneapolis, MN, USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 02-07-2002 12:10 PM

Peter, as John said, it can, but it won't. At least that's my opinion. More often than not, the best picture award has nothing to do with the best picture.

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John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 02-07-2002 05:07 PM

True... Pulp Fiction, Raiders Of The Lost Ark and E.T. are all testaments to that theory.

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"It's not the years honey, it's the mileage". - Indiana Jones.

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Peter Berrett
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 602
From: Victoria, Australia
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 02-08-2002 05:58 AM

Hi again

I looked at the oscars site.

As far as I can see a foreign film has never won Best Picture yet.

cheers peter

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Peter Berrett
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 602
From: Victoria, Australia
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 02-12-2002 05:19 PM

Hello again

Amelie has been nominated for 5 academy awards. A fine effort for a foreign film.

- Best Cinematography
- Best Foreign Film
- Best Art Direction
- Best Writing (Original Screenplay)
- Best Sound

cheers Peter

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Charles Everett
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1470
From: New Jersey
Registered: May 2001

posted 03-21-2002 05:26 PM

Amelie is a strong, adventurous woman. Why can't American movies have someone like her? That's why Audrey Tautou didn't get a Best Actress nomination. The incessant push by Miramax for awards didn't help.

Moviegoers in Central New Jersey love Amelie. I saw it Thanksgiving weekend at the AMC Hamilton and it sold out a Saturday matinee (that theater ran it only 5 weeks because of Xmas product). The 6-screen arthouse in Rocky Hill has had Amelie for 18 weeks going on 19 -- a longer run than the Paris Theatre in NYC. The Reading Cinemas in Manville picks up Amelie for an Oscar Weekend double-up (with In the Bedroom).

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