Films in languages that I don't understand
I recently went to the theatre to watch a film called Dans Paris. It wasn't an attempt to be more "culchaah'ed" than I really am (because I am very much so), the experience of watching a film in a language that I don't understand is like visiting a foreign country. A few months earlier, I went to watch Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others), which was not only in German, but also set in the 80's in East Germany. Brilliant movie, if I may say so.
I an going off on a tangent here, please bear with me.
I saw the latter twice, the interesting part was that the sub-titles were different. The subtle, and in places not-so-subtle, differences changed the whole essence of the movie. At least for me. So I deduce from this the fact that my forays in foreign unknown language films will always be influenced by who is writing the sub-titles. And more importantly, I should only watch the movie only once or that if I choose to watch it over and over again, I should stick to the same version. Either that, or I learn the language enough to understand it. Or then again, my understanding of something will always be subjective and change, regardless of the language it is written in.
Back to Dans Paris. I loved it. It was like visiting France for me, or any other planet for that matter. My life is insular at best, having lived in three different continents, I don't think I have experienced life outside of me. I exist within my head and its only with literature or film, that I get a glimpse of what life is like for others. Its not something that I am proud of, that's just how it is.
So this excursion into an unfamiliar society was exciting and a part of me grudgingly accepted or saw the reason why some people like watching Indian films. Its an alternative reality and the reason why I can't be bothered to watch an Indian film is because I cannot make it believable for me. Regardless of whether there are any Parisians who live like the ones in Dans Paris, I can believe that they do.
I will miss the cinema when I go back home.
I an going off on a tangent here, please bear with me.
I saw the latter twice, the interesting part was that the sub-titles were different. The subtle, and in places not-so-subtle, differences changed the whole essence of the movie. At least for me. So I deduce from this the fact that my forays in foreign unknown language films will always be influenced by who is writing the sub-titles. And more importantly, I should only watch the movie only once or that if I choose to watch it over and over again, I should stick to the same version. Either that, or I learn the language enough to understand it. Or then again, my understanding of something will always be subjective and change, regardless of the language it is written in.
Back to Dans Paris. I loved it. It was like visiting France for me, or any other planet for that matter. My life is insular at best, having lived in three different continents, I don't think I have experienced life outside of me. I exist within my head and its only with literature or film, that I get a glimpse of what life is like for others. Its not something that I am proud of, that's just how it is.
So this excursion into an unfamiliar society was exciting and a part of me grudgingly accepted or saw the reason why some people like watching Indian films. Its an alternative reality and the reason why I can't be bothered to watch an Indian film is because I cannot make it believable for me. Regardless of whether there are any Parisians who live like the ones in Dans Paris, I can believe that they do.
I will miss the cinema when I go back home.
posted by Xoff at 6/14/2007 10:36:00 AM
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