I've never had a problem with dubs. I am more of a casual fan and watch an anime every now and then. Last time I knew people who were really into anime was college and I always got this crazy elitist reaction to suggesting someone watch one.
In terms of Tangled, it looks alright, but I'm hearing it's getting nothing but critical praise for it. It's one of those trailers where I really wanna find out what the movie is going to have in it.
The trailers are not doing that movie justice at all. Disney is trying to market it in a way that will make it appealing for boys as well as girls (because Princess and the Frog didn't sell gang-busters like Disney was expecting), so they are downplaying the fact that it is a movie very similar to Princess and the Frog. Raise your hands if you even knew that the movie was a musical!
I really don't like the commercials they are doing for Tangled too. It's mostly because of the music, because they play this really generic rock track to go along with the movie (Which they used in the trailer for Alpha and Omega...extra cringe-worthy) But from all the reviews, and the aspect of the mother, I really want to see it. The fact that they are giving critics screenings and every critic loves it so far gives me higher hopes.
I'd want to add more to the obscure animation shorts, but it's so hard to remember the names...
Disney added dialog to the Spirited Away dub that did not exist in the original. Editing != cool.
Haven't seen the Disney version, but weren't those lines added to make it more natural sounding, and thus make your experience closer an native Japanese speaker's experience with seeing the original? Editing is 90% of the time necessary when translating.
Haven't seen the Disney version, but weren't those lines added to make it more natural sounding, and thus make your experience closer an native Japanese speaker's experience with seeing the original? Editing is 90% of the time necessary when translating.
No, these were not the kind of changes that are good, following the philosophy of dynamic equivalence favored by the Otaking. The most striking example is one scene where Chihiro looks up at the sky and sees the dragon flying very far away. In the Japanese, this is silent. In the English she says, "Haku?" It's just one word but it makes a huge difference right there. It's also pretty insulting to the audiences intelligence.
[Top Hollywood Studios] Toy Story 3 (Pixar) - Haven't seen the second movie, but I hear it's good. How to Train Your Dragon (Dreamworks) -This movie was cute, but just sort of okay as far as storytelling goes. It wasn't astounding, but it was fun. Tangled (Disney) - This looks like it could be cute and funny. [Indie and Foreign] Summer Wars - Haven't seen it, but want to. The Illusionist - Haven't heard anything about this one. Idiots and Angels - Bill Plympton? Totally want to see it. He's got such a bizarre sense of humor. The Dreams of Jinsha - Sounds like something I'd give a chance. [The remaining handful of talking animals, comedian vehicles, and franchise randomness.] Alpha and Omega - This looked horrible, both aesthetically and the plot proposed in the previews. I avoided it. Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore - Looks like half-CG garbage with some dumb jokes. Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole - Looked neat, but haven't seen it. Megamind - This was funny and entertaining, and actually used 3d well. Not amazing, but far from bad. Despicable Me - Heard it was bad and predictable, so I avoided it. Shrek Forever After - I avoided it after the train-wreck that was the third movie. Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue - Wow. This looks all kinds of terrible. This is a marketing movie created to sell toys to little girls.
Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue - Wow. This looks all kinds of terrible. This is a marketing movie created to sell toys to little girls.
I watched part of the first Tinker Bell movie with my little neighbor and what I saw wasn't that bad, actually. Is it high art? No, but it was actually enjoyable. I can't really say anything about the third movie as I haven't seen anything about it.
I have a kind of a problem with CG and 3D animated movies. Why do they only seem to both target younger kids (e.g. Alpha and Omega, Cats and Dogs) and insult their intelligence? Although something like Megamind or Tangled is an exception, it's only one of few however. Look at the medium of animation, animation has fully shown it can appeal to both children and adults (from Aladdin to The Triplets of Belleville). I guess what I'm really trying to ask is, why does Hollywood seem to believe that the medium of CG/3D animation seems to only be reserved for children or rather uninspired comedy?
To make money. Tried and true method. Children are the #1 demographic for animated features. Animated features are still mostly seen by American culture as something for children. This probably isn't going to change anytime soon.
why does Hollywood seem to believe that the medium of CG/3D animation seems to only be reserved for children or rather uninspired comedy?
Hollywood is about money. It is such big money, that they never want to take a risk. They stick to tried and true formula to make sure they always profit, since many millions are on the line. They have a, mostly true, belief that in the United States our culture views animation as a medium for children's or immature entertainment. Just as they still largely view comics as a medium for superheros. Thus, no hollywood movie or even television show is going to take a risk trying to appeal to a smarter or more adult audiences, especially considering that other attempts in this department have not done well, such as animation on MTV. Be thankful that we have Futurama, Simpsons, Family Guy, South Park, etc.
I have a kind of a problem with CG and 3D animated movies. Why do they only seem to both target younger kids (e.g. Alpha and Omega, Cats and Dogs) and insult their intelligence? Although something like Megamind or Tangled is an exception, it's only one of few however. Look at the medium of animation, animation has fully shown it can appeal to both children and adults (from Aladdin to The Triplets of Belleville). I guess what I'm really trying to ask is, why does Hollywood seem to believe that the medium of CG/3D animation seems to only be reserved for children or rather uninspired comedy?
Because kids will accept anything that's thrown at them, and also because kids enjoy stuff that's targeted to kids. A great example to that, is the Alvin and the Chipmunks movies. Do kids these days know anything about them? Hell no. The movies are bad, and the CGI isn't even impressive. But because it's colorful and "hip" to the little kids, they eat that stuff up. That's why so many of these bad animated movies make money, because it makes kids go "Mommy, mommy, I wanna see that animated movie." Many Disney films go for more of an "All-Ages" type of appeal, which is why more of them aren't making an insane amount of money compared to newer flicks. I think it's mostly for kids these days, that a big animated feature needs to look slick, shiny, colorful and focus entirely on humor.
And not all animated films are ones kids want to see...a great example of that, was Legend of the Guardians. That was way aimed more teenager-animation fan type of crowd and wasn't aimed for kids at all. But despite many of the flaws of the film, I thought it was great to watch and the 3D was amazing.
And not all animated films are ones kids want to see...a great example of that, was Legend of the Guardians. That was way aimed more teenager-animation fan type of crowd and wasn't aimed for kids at all.
Not completely true. It's based on a series of juvenile novels that are pretty popular with the 8-12 age range, so perhaps slightly older children, but still "kids." Also, I think that animation has been viewed for most of its history as a children's medium. This is nothing new with CGI films. There will always been exceptions to that, but until animation gets out of the "kids stuff" pigeon hole, we will continue to see mostly this type of mindless fair. I think part of the problem is that executives underestimate the intelligence of kids. I remember being young, and I remember I liked stuff that was adventurous, brave, and a little scary. Avatar the last Airbender series, Nightmare before Christmas, Ghibli Films, and Brave Story are good examples of kid's movies that exemplify what I think decent children's entertainment should be. Throwing shlock at kids because they can get away with it is bad. People should respect the intelligence of children and give them mentally stimulating yet age appropriate movies.
The most striking example is one scene where Chihiro looks up at the sky and sees the dragon flying very far away. In the Japanese, this is silent. In the English she says, "Haku?" It's just one word but it makes a huge difference right there. It's also pretty insulting to the audiences intelligence.
Oh... I see. Ehrm, I know this is a rather weak and counter progressive defense; But wasn't the Disney version aimed at a much younger audience? Sometimes, shit like that is necessary to make it easier to follow.
But wasn't the Disney version aimed at a much younger audience?
Not really.
Sometimes, shit like that is necessary to make it easier to follow.
Aside from mentally challenged children, that's hardly the case here. What, do we need to add a voiceover to, say, Bladerunner to make it comprehensible?
Sometimes, shit like that is necessary to make it easier to follow.
Aside from mentally challenged children, that's hardly the case here. What, do we need to add a voiceover to, say, Bladerunner to make it comprehensible?
Blade Runner is rated R. Children who wouldn't be able to understand it aren't supposed to be watching =P But if Aladdin suddenly started using metaphors in it's narrative, maybe some editing would be necessary. But if it was aimed at the same audience, then yeah, you're right. Completely unnecessary.
I think part of the problem is that executives underestimate the intelligence of kids. I remember being young, and I remember I liked stuff that was adventurous, brave, and a little scary. Avatar the last Airbender series, Nightmare before Christmas, Ghibli Films, and Brave Story are good examples of kid's movies that exemplify what I think decent children's entertainment should be. Throwing shlock at kids because they can get away with it is bad. People should respect the intelligence of children and give them mentally stimulating yet age appropriate movies.
I feel like that's due to a pure dichotomy now a days in terms of animation. Once we had that wave of adult cartoons that surged around the time of South Park, and because that started to grow, cartoons have kind of divided in terms of if they want to appeal to children or adults (With that taunt of appealing to children). Even though we do have shows now like Adventure Time and Flapjack, I think it's worth noting we have even more animation that is divided in terms of if it wants to appeal to kids or to that 18-49 demographic.
In terms of movies, we still have that bit of leeway, but the pressure of money really keeps things in check, to where we have to follow the tried and true formula. Some movies, that ONLY appeal to kids really make a lot of money. But ones that are experimental, don't always have such luck. Even animated movies made for all ages now, can under-perform in terms of sales. The Princess and The Frog is a great example of that, while it made $267 Million dollars, Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 made $443 Million.
Even though kids can deal with the shock of new animation or scary things, it's the parents who don't. And they control the money. When you are young enough to only see G and PG movies, you'll usually remember them with wondrous nostalgia. That's why many kids programming and video games appeared so great back in the old times. Just now in the modern times with all this fast information, parents are much more concerned in terms of censorship and how the amount of conflict within the film itself. Most parents will take a child to a shlocky movie, that they know is only made for the kid, if it will quiet them. It's kind of a shame really, but it's what happens when you consider how much kids actually care about the material and what the adults are willing to let the child watch.
They added dialogue for Kikki's delivery service dub and I thought that actually made it better :-p (Mainly with the cat)
Oh God, that dub was so bad! Why did they do that to Jiji? Phil Hartman was totally miscast in my opinion. We all hate that dub in my house.
Even though kids can deal with the shock of new animation or scary things, it's the parents who don't. And they control the money. When you are young enough to only see G and PG movies, you'll usually remember them with wondrous nostalgia.
But I go back and re-watch the Dark Crystal or Beauty and the Beast, and I swear it is not just nostalgia coloring my view. I think it is just that adult's view of what kids like is different than what kids actually like.
I'm not saying Phil hartman didn't radically change the character from what it was supposed to be. I'm just saying I liked his reinterpretation of Jiji better.
Comments
I'd want to add more to the obscure animation shorts, but it's so hard to remember the names...
Toy Story 3 (Pixar) - Haven't seen the second movie, but I hear it's good.
How to Train Your Dragon (Dreamworks) -This movie was cute, but just sort of okay as far as storytelling goes. It wasn't astounding, but it was fun.
Tangled (Disney) - This looks like it could be cute and funny.
[Indie and Foreign]
Summer Wars - Haven't seen it, but want to.
The Illusionist - Haven't heard anything about this one.
Idiots and Angels - Bill Plympton? Totally want to see it. He's got such a bizarre sense of humor.
The Dreams of Jinsha - Sounds like something I'd give a chance.
[The remaining handful of talking animals, comedian vehicles, and franchise randomness.]
Alpha and Omega - This looked horrible, both aesthetically and the plot proposed in the previews. I avoided it.
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore - Looks like half-CG garbage with some dumb jokes.
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole - Looked neat, but haven't seen it.
Megamind - This was funny and entertaining, and actually used 3d well. Not amazing, but far from bad.
Despicable Me - Heard it was bad and predictable, so I avoided it.
Shrek Forever After - I avoided it after the train-wreck that was the third movie.
Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue - Wow. This looks all kinds of terrible. This is a marketing movie created to sell toys to little girls.
And not all animated films are ones kids want to see...a great example of that, was Legend of the Guardians. That was way aimed more teenager-animation fan type of crowd and wasn't aimed for kids at all. But despite many of the flaws of the film, I thought it was great to watch and the 3D was amazing.
Also, I think that animation has been viewed for most of its history as a children's medium. This is nothing new with CGI films. There will always been exceptions to that, but until animation gets out of the "kids stuff" pigeon hole, we will continue to see mostly this type of mindless fair.
I think part of the problem is that executives underestimate the intelligence of kids. I remember being young, and I remember I liked stuff that was adventurous, brave, and a little scary. Avatar the last Airbender series, Nightmare before Christmas, Ghibli Films, and Brave Story are good examples of kid's movies that exemplify what I think decent children's entertainment should be. Throwing shlock at kids because they can get away with it is bad. People should respect the intelligence of children and give them mentally stimulating yet age appropriate movies.
In terms of movies, we still have that bit of leeway, but the pressure of money really keeps things in check, to where we have to follow the tried and true formula. Some movies, that ONLY appeal to kids really make a lot of money. But ones that are experimental, don't always have such luck. Even animated movies made for all ages now, can under-perform in terms of sales. The Princess and The Frog is a great example of that, while it made $267 Million dollars, Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 made $443 Million.
Even though kids can deal with the shock of new animation or scary things, it's the parents who don't. And they control the money. When you are young enough to only see G and PG movies, you'll usually remember them with wondrous nostalgia. That's why many kids programming and video games appeared so great back in the old times. Just now in the modern times with all this fast information, parents are much more concerned in terms of censorship and how the amount of conflict within the film itself. Most parents will take a child to a shlocky movie, that they know is only made for the kid, if it will quiet them. It's kind of a shame really, but it's what happens when you consider how much kids actually care about the material and what the adults are willing to let the child watch.