Chip's post on Travis AFB and his memories of watching television shows in a foreign language, made me remember something from my past.
Back in the early 1970's, I lived, worked, partied and was going to college in San Francisco. I was young and had stamina to do all of those things at the same time. Working at The Phone Company...Ma Bell, I was able to get the one of the later evening shifts for a while 5 to 11 or 6 to 12 were my favorites because:
1. You got paid for 8 hours for a 6 hour shift with a half hour lunch
2. Got a shift differential (more money) .
3. Could still get in a decent nights sleep and get up to go to school at 9am and take a nap before work started.
OR
4. If I felt like it, it was still early enough to go out and party for a while and stagger around the rest of the day.
Most of the time, I would hang with my roommates after work . Have a late night snack, have some drinks (naturally) and watch television for hours. Back then there wasn't dish or Netflix so the late night fare was pretty awful.
Our very very favorite was the Lone Ranger on the late night Japanese TV channel. The show from the 50's was completely overdubbed in Japanese and it was funnier than Hell to watch. Probably the funny came from drinking and possibly using other (ahem) substances.
Japanese always sounds so guttural, harsh and angry. The Lone Ranger seemed like he was constantly yelling at everyone, including Tonto. Tonto also sounded a bit teed off, not that we blamed him since the Lone Ranger was kind of a dick to Tonto.
The best was when the Lone Ranger would rear up on his horse, Silver, and say/yell .... Hi Yo Silver Away.!!!! Except, it was in Japanese, so it was Hi Yo Silver-san.....Domo!!!! Domo is a nice way to say thank you. The "san" added to a name is an honorific for someone to show that you have a lot of respect for them
Hi Yo Silver -san Domo!!!!. The Japanese Lone Ranger was so very polite and respectful to his horse!!! Made us laugh like crazy.
Watching foreign films with the words in subtitles is also an interesting thing to do. We are currently watching Babylon Berlin on Netflix It didn't take long to get into the swing of both watching and reading. In fact........the show is surprisingly good because you are closely watching the actors faces and mannerisms to get even further clues about how they are feeling instead of just listening. In addition, I am getting to understand some German phrases.
Highly recommend both. Babylon Berlin and Japanese Lone Ranger.
Plus....Netflix has a subtitle option. Did you know? I'm using it on all of those Scottish and English shows where they have such thick accents that most of the time we are going...."What the heck did he say?!?!?" even though they are speaking English it is indecipherable. Subtitles YAY!!!
20 comments:
Being very hard of hearing I watch every show with subtitles, whether it is in English or not. I'm not saying modern actors mumble, but they do mumble. NOW GET OFF MY LAWN!!!
San Fran in the 70s ... wish I'd been around for that. I didn't get back to San Francisco (post-college) until the mid 80s, which was fun (believe me) but not grassroots, iconic fun. Nobody was blazing any trails, just running over old ground already heavily trodden by previous generations. Anyway, the funniest foreign language dubbing I ever saw was the Dukes of Hazzard, in French.
I love “Babylon Berlin.” An amusing line from episode 1, scene 1 (when they are busting the filming of a porn shoot): “Genitalien einpacken!” Wrap up the genitals!
You got in a good night's sleep? What, three hours? Oh. that's right...you were young.
Sixty, actors have been mumbling since Brando.
In his obit, it was noted that Sheb Wooley told an interviewer that Dirty Harry's nickname on the set of Rawhide was Mumbles.
I really liked Peaky Blinders on Netflix.....except ....they mumbled and used a strong accent that I couldn't understand. Especially when they were using underworld, cockney slang. It was so frustrating that I refused to listen anymore. My hearing is actually very good. They just talk fast with an accent.
Like this-----> Angry Scottish People Saying Words...Maybe AND This one English? REALLY
It was gibberish....My husband said, turn the sound up louder. Nope...just louder gibberish. Now that there are subtitles......I'm giving it another go.
The weird thing is that if I DON'T look at the screen and try to watch their mouths move, I can understand better what they are saying. Don't look and it is clear. Watch the actors and it is all WTF!
Silver-san, love it. Very recently, for the first time I watched two things subtitled on Amazon Prime. It really helps that they make the print large enough so your patience isn't tried. And, like you, I quickly got used to it. Actually I kind of forgot about it at times. The two shows were Scandinavian detective type. One, from Iceland, was Trapped, the second, from Sweden, was Joanna something...can't think of it.
@DBQ: You can always turn the subtitles on for “Peaky Blinders.”
DBQ - what language is that? geeez.
I also liked Berlin Babylon. The lead detective is a good dancer. It's not often you see noir stories with good dance numbers......Here's a chilling thought. All the buildings you see will be destroyed. All the women will be raped. Most of the men will be killed in the war, and some if them will commit horrendous crimes prior to their deaths. If you want to go noir, Berlin in the twenties is the place to go. There's no way you can write in a happy ending.......Apparently the detective prevented a coup from some militarists. Thank God. He made Germany available for Hitler.
Some great English show.
Line of Duty.
The Five.
The Fallen.
Collateral.
The new Prime Suspect.
Old Tricks.
Vera.
Shetland.
Happy Valley.
Broadchurch
I also subscribe to the Acorn channel on Amazon Prime which has loads of English shows.
I am totally off American Crime shows. It is all about degradation and multiple murders where the cops mow down twenty guys and episode and never get a scratch.
Oh for fans of "The Wire" I highly recommend the Netflicks series "Seven Seconds." Set in Jersey City with cops and the death of a young black kid. It is very well done and very realistic.
Broadchurch is irritating but i watch it for Olivia Coleman.
American TV sucks.
I'm watching Breaking BAd finally. I actually hate it. Other than Pinkman. I like Pinkman.
Thanks for all the tips and ideas, all.
OK - just read the skinny wiki on BB. Babylon Berlin is probably not something I would like because of the violence. The other aspects of the show look intriguing and maybe I'll give it a go, but my tolerance for violence is strangely low. I'm entirely tired of it. I find it boring and uneasy/unsettling at the same time. Does that make sense? Messes with my internal vibes.
I may seem all bitchy girl on the outside but I like the calm, the easy and the sedate. Rick Steves travel, or a show like Detectorists or Doc Martin.
Hey Deborah - You might like "Kedi".
Thanks, Troop, I have a lot to catch up on. Am planning on Happy Valley next. Did you notice that the latest season of Vera is not on Acorn, but Britbox. Now they want to nickel and dime us. I'll wait till it's in the library.
Broadchurch is pretty good. It's about the same caliber as Hinterland and Shetland. I adore Coleman.
Thanks, April. I'm one cat away from being a crazy cat lady. I have two.
Cats are the world's most popular pet. You're not crazy. Now I'm crazy because of reasons and cats.
Great thread, great suggestions, great reasons for same.
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