Subbed Or Dubbed!

[Jadedragon61]

Good topic. The only remark I'd like to make is that Celestial made a mistake by not including the old-school dubs on their remasters. Of course, new subs were needed, but even still, what they have is not perfect.

[laagi]

I usually prefer a subbed version nowadays. However having grown up with the german dubs, I definitely enjoy the old (german) dubs as well!

[Secret Executioner]

Good topic. The only remark I'd like to make is that Celestial made a mistake by not including the old-school dubs on their remasters. Of course, new subs were needed, but even still, what they have is not perfect.

What you're saying here is strange, as I have some DVD using Celestial masters with French dubs - Two Champions of Shaolin for instance.

[Jadedragon61]

 

What you're saying here is strange, as I have some DVD using Celestial masters with French dubs - Two Champions of Shaolin for instance.

The English dubs that were used in theaters and what was heard on TV were not included in the Celestial DVDs. In an article at the time of release, Celestial management said that they thought the English dubs were of poor quality - though whether they meant sound quality or acting quality, they did not specify - and so would not be included on the DVDs. A lot of people complained about this, to not avail. I have about 75 Celestial Shaw releases, and none have any other audio language than Mandarin (subs include English and a few others).

[Morgoth Bauglir]

if the voice acting is good and there's some good dialogue then I prefer the English dub.  "If the shoe fits, wear it baby."

[Tex Killer]

 

The English dubs that were used in theaters and what was heard on TV were not included in the Celestial DVDs. In an article at the time of release, Celestial management said that they thought the English dubs were of poor quality - though whether they meant sound quality or acting quality, they did not specify - and so would not be included on the DVDs. A lot of people complained about this, to not avail. I have about 75 Celestial Shaw releases, and none have any other audio language than Mandarin (subs include English and a few others).

Celestial did not release dvds, it was IVL. And as those were meant mainly for asian markets would not make much sense for IVL to pay extra money for dubs. Later as we all know many foreign companies bought licences to movies and released them with dub often included....

 

To original topic I enjoy dubs in certain movies( kid with the golden arm, 5 element ninjas, 5 deadly venoms, 5 shaolin masters etc..) but subs are still clear winner for me.

[Secret Executioner]

Celestial did not release dvds, it was IVL. And as those were meant mainly for asian markets would not make much sense for IVL to pay extra money for dubs. Later as we all know many foreign companies bought licences to movies and released them with dub often included....

Good point, I guess it depends on the distributor - Celestial "only" restored movie prints and made them available to be distributed on home video formats (DVD essentially, and now BD).

[Jadedragon61]

Celestial did not release dvds, it was IVL. And as those were meant mainly for asian markets would not make much sense for IVL to pay extra money for dubs. Later as we all know many foreign companies bought licences to movies and released them with dub often included....

 

To original topic I enjoy dubs in certain movies( kid with the golden arm, 5 element ninjas, 5 deadly venoms, 5 shaolin masters etc..) but subs are still clear winner for me.

Good point: I bought all my DVDs here, in China, and so, yeah, nobody over here really gives a damn about the English dubs. BTW, surprising how few people here on the mainland really know Shaw's flicks at all, as when these films were originally released in the theaters, the '70s thru the '80s, they were totally banned here. Now only MA film buffs know them.

[sifu iron perm]

I prefer the original English dubbing on the old school flicks, the new wave with also international dubbing is cool. anything post that cant/mandarin.

 

[Secret Executioner]

Good point: I bought all my DVDs here, in China, and so, yeah, nobody over here really gives a damn about the English dubs. BTW, surprising how few people here on the mainland really know Shaw's flicks at all, as when these films were originally released in the theaters, the '70s thru the '80s, they were totally banned here. Now only MA film buffs know them.

I guess it would also be the case over here - I mean, if you don't stick to classics like The 36th Chamber of Shaolin when discussing Shaw movies (bring up films like The Heroic Ones, to keep with movies most fans will know - 'cause even die-hards could be left scratching their heads if you go too deep in the catalogue), people who aren't too heavily into Asian cinema will probably have no idea what you're talking about.

 

And I guess a company like IVL mainly added English subs for Westerners in the area or for collectors around the world (though I don't know if they had planned selling their stuff outside of HK/Macao and South Eastern Asia). So yeah, the English dub isn't that big deal (unlike for companies like Dragon Dynasty that are based in America - my DD Avenging Eagle has an English dub along with the Mandarin audio)

[Tex Killer]

Not sure if IVL added english subs or were they originally there in theatrical round...remember HK was at time under control of United Kingdom with prolly quite lot foreign devils in location. Someone could maybe inform us...

 

 

[Secret Executioner]

Not sure if IVL added english subs or were they originally there in theatrical round...remember HK was at time under control of United Kingdom with prolly quite lot foreign devils in location. Someone could maybe inform us...

 

 

I considered it was IVL adding those for some reason, but seeing they also have subs in various other languages (mainly from South Eastern Asia), it could well be subtitles they got from theatrical prints of the films.

[Tex Killer]

Hmm, now when I think I have not watched shaolin temple or men from the monastery with dub since vhs era. I am not interested of dubs never heard as kid but those I had on tape would like to revisit. Kinda nostalgic value,maybe should look around if there is panmedia bootleg available...

 

 

[Iron_Leopard]

I'm with Sifu Iron Perm. Shaw Brothers movies from the 70's and 80's I'll take dubbed but everything else I prefer subbed.

[Duel to the Death]

Do you prefer to watch all kung fu movies in their original language or do you like some dubbed? I'd say before the year 2000 i would not dream of having to read subtitles. But i slowly converted over the years. These days it depends on the movie. I recently watched Master of the Flying Guillotine, 5 Deadly  Venoms and Mystery of Chessboxing in the original language for the first time. I enjoyed them quite a bit honestly. But at the same time i always enjoyed the dubs for these as well. While listening to the commentary for 5 Deadly Venoms, Bey Logan mentioned even the original voices were dubbed. But did the original actors dub their own voices? And is it even true?

For Chessboxing i really enjoyed hearing what i assume is the original voice of Chi Siu Tien/Jack Long. He sounded so intimidating. But at the same time i missed hearing Ghost Faced Killing Plate. 

Same with the other 2. I like things dubbed and not dubbed. I feel like the Venoms are introduced better in the dub. But the voices are better not dubbed. 

I don't think i could ever watch Chinese Connection in it's original language. I have only seen it dubbed and seen it so many times. I don't even know if Bruce did his own voice. I thought i read once that he didn't. 

[SMK]

25 minutes ago, Duel to the Death said:

Do you prefer to watch all kung fu movies in their original language or do you like some dubbed? I'd say before the year 2000 i would not dream of having to read subtitles. But i slowly converted over the years. These days it depends on the movie. I recently watched Master of the Flying Guillotine, 5 Deadly  Venoms and Mystery of Chessboxing in the original language for the first time. I enjoyed them quite a bit honestly. But at the same time i always enjoyed the dubs for these as well. While listening to the commentary for 5 Deadly Venoms, Bey Logan mentioned even the original voices were dubbed. But did the original actors dub their own voices? And is it even true?

For Chessboxing i really enjoyed hearing what i assume is the original voice of Chi Siu Tien/Jack Long. He sounded so intimidating. But at the same time i missed hearing Ghost Faced Killing Plate. 

Same with the other 2. I like things dubbed and not dubbed. I feel like the Venoms are introduced better in the dub. But the voices are better not dubbed. 

I don't think i could ever watch Chinese Connection in it's original language. I have only seen it dubbed and seen it so many times. I don't even know if Bruce did his own voice. I thought i read once that he didn't. 

I merged your post into a thread where there is already a discussion going based on the subject.

Personally for me, if the movies were dubbed with those same familiar British voices that were often heard in so many of the 70s and 80s films, then I definitely prefer dub. Other than that, I'm open. I have no problem with subtitles at all.

[Omni Dragon]

13 hours ago, Duel to the Death said:

While listening to the commentary for 5 Deadly Venoms, Bey Logan mentioned even the original voices were dubbed. But did the original actors dub their own voices? And is it even true?

As I understand it most Chinese films from around the 1960s-1990s were shot without sound and dubbed in post-production and it was common that the voice actor was a different actor to the on-screen actor.

 

12 hours ago, SMK said:

I merged your post into a thread where there is already a discussion going based on the subject.

This thread/topic is also similar:

 

[Omni Dragon]

On 7/29/2015 at 2:37 AM, panku said:

That said, I do like the English dubs done by Ted Thomas' company Corporate Communications in the 1970's.

I'm curious to know can you remember where you came across the name 'Corporate Communications'? 

[Light in the Dark]

On 12/5/2015 at 5:12 PM, Morgoth Bauglir said:

if the voice acting is good and there's some good dialogue then I prefer the English dub.  "If the shoe fits, wear it baby."

This one made me laugh out loud.  The Savage Five is probably my favorite of the old English dubs.  Ti Lung's voice kills me every time and when he sings- forget about it.   Yeah I prefer the old English dubs over subs.  But subs are good too.  I watch both.

[Omni Dragon]

Welcome to the forum @Light in the Dark.

[Light in the Dark]

4 minutes ago, Omni Dragon said:

Welcome to the forum @Light in the Dark.

I appreciate the welcome Omni Dragon.