Film Translations!
The first time I saw Coppola’s ‘The Godfather’ I found a scene dialog quite strange and unreal. I’m talking about one of the scenes filmed in Sicilia. Mike (Al Pacino) is talking to her future wife’s father and after each sentence one of his two guards repeats, using different words, what he’s just said. For example… Mike: ‘I am Vito Corleone’s son’ - Guard: ’His father is Don Vito Corleone’ and so on. I though that was quite strange but I couldn’t find out an answer. When last year I saw the film in original language I understood the ‘mystery’! In that scene Mike is talking in English and his guard translates in Italian what he’s saying. Obviously when the whole film was translated in Italian they found a funny problem to solve. I don’t know what they could do but I only can say that their solution wasn’t the best one. Many people fond of cinema don’t like translation and prefer to watch subtitled (in their own language) films. I agree that a film should be seen in the original version but the subtitles are also a boring obstacle for a properly screening. So, what to do? Obviously the best solution is to learn the language in which the film is realized and then to watch it in original language… ehehe
Rachel, has Clara enjoyed her school trip? What has she visited with her classmates? Thank you for all travel language suggestions. I’m curious about the word ‘voyage’, is it borrowed from the French language or is the French ‘voyage’ which is borrowed from English? Is the pronunciation different from the French one?
Gooooooollllllll! Zambrotta has just put us ahead with an incredible strike! Italy 1-0 Ukraine… I say ‘in bocca al lupo’ to Italy hoping that the wolf won’t eat us…
I say goodbye with this photo which I took this afternoon in my Turin apartment with my webcam. Behind me the mythical Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver. I bought this poster in Camden Town during my London holiday which I talked about some posts ago. It is a shot from the famous scene in which De Niro, aiming his gun against the wall, says ‘you talkin’ to me?’
Good luck for tomorrow, Rachel. I’ll be a great English fun…
See you soon
Antonio
Comments
Hi Anto! I also prefer subtitled films.For me, hearing the real voices is important and besides, I get to learn something from the real language in which the film is made. Italy defeated Ukraine. I didn't see the match but I guessed they played well. Have a good day,Lizeth
In Portugal movies are all with the subtitles and I am used to watch movies in the original format. I do not know which one is the best (with or without subtitles) but I think people tend to like more the movies they are used to watch in their own countries. At this time I am also very happy with the results of Portugal in the World Cup because Portugal won England in the last game (Sorry my english friends!). Regards.
Hello Antonio! I would like to felicitate you for your blog.I read your last posts and I liked very much the way you have written!I enjoyed this post about film translations, I agree that films are better in their main languages, I don't know about Italy, but here in Brazil tranlations are terrible! About the World Cup I'm so sad because our loss.You can't wonder how we are in Brazil.It was a bad suprise for us, and It seems like a lost dream.Anyway now we can't do anything about it, and now the major part of brazilians would rather Portugal as the winner.I think I'll be happy too, because they never win a World Cup.I confess I will see all the matches but for me and for all brazilians the World Cup have no grace anymore! So, I wish Italy wins this two matches.Good Luck for you! So long Antonio and have a wonderful week! Natalia
Hello Antonio! I would like to felicitate you for your blog!I read your last posts and I enjoyed the way you have written! This post about film tranlations is very interesting, I agree that watching films in their main languages is quite better because at least here in Brazil translations are terrible! About the Wordl Cup, I'm happy about Italy, I wiil see the next match but I confess for me and for all brazilians the word cup have no more grace!We are so sad about our loss last Saturday.It was a huge deception for us.The lost dream, you can't imagine how sad we are! Now we can't do anything about it, but the major part of brazilians would rather Portugal as the winner.I think It will be nice, because they never win a World Cup yet. So the Europe Cup is really a Europe Cup. So long Antonio, I wish Italy wins the next matches!Good Luck for you. Have a wonderful week! Natalia
Hi Antò! so here you are... blogging about cinema and life @ BBC! wow! we're so proud of you! we're sure you'll help a lot of students with your funny posts! can't wait to read the next of you! se ya soon! everybody get lost in translation...
Hi Antonio! I have never heard a better thing in blogs.I want to buy DVD-drive to watch film.(But I think there is too difficult to find new film without a translation from English into my native language in my location.all films are piratic versions)
Hi, Antonio!! I loved your post about translation... I found it interesting cause I really want to do translation college!! hehe About the subtitles of the movie of De Niro, I really thought it strange too!! hehe But I think that sometimes the translators have nothing to do about it! I don't know, but even if this is true, it's not nice to watch a movie and to see this happens... haha Anyway, I must say I love De Niro's work and Italy as well!! And no comments about the world cup!! ahaha I was supporting Italy and Portugal as Natalia said! Ciao!!
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