What general film/series have you just seen.. marks out of 5

[Markgway]

I've just watched this in Italian for the first time and it was quite a different experience - no dodgy acting

It's exactly the same acting!!

[HungFist]

Suspiria - 5/5
I knew it, if only more people could see it like this.

Which release did you view?

I'm still using the Anchor Bay DVD (with custom subs, if I remember correctly... I think it lacked subs). Originally saw it from a Finnish DVD, which was IT only. Never seen it in English, other than briefly testing the track on the AB release (and giving up very fast...).

[gasteropod]

I had to download it because as far as I can tell, there's possibly one Italian DVD that contains English subtitles, and I don't know where to buy it or if it's still in print, or if it definitely does have English subs. Since I own the UK Blu-ray I'm not exactly being a pirate anyway

[bradavon]

That's interesting Gas because the English dub annoyed me so much (I cannot stand English dubs!) and I never managed to watch more than about half. The acting was terrible too but it's harder to judge when it's all dubbed.

[gasteropod]

Yeah well the talking part of acting is of much more importance than Mark seems to realise, you can take the best acting ever, overdub it with Tommy Wiseau's voice and it will most certainly come across as terrible acting

[Markgway]

You guys crack me up. Suspiria is an ENGLISH LANGUAGE film and always has been. Only a handful of supporting actors didn't speak English because they struggled with it (and some of them were German not Italian!). The three main actors spoke English on set and dubbed their own voices (and some scenes were actual production audio). So to suggest that Italian is more authentic is entirely bogus. If you think it makes the acting better - a bizarre suggestion in my eyes - go for it, but you're being a bit pretentious really. The film was set and shot in Germany shouldn't you therefore be watching it in German?

[gasteropod]

Actually you're merely repeating everything from last time we discussed this, I haven't said anything about it being more authentic this time - I've described my experience with the film in Italian, an experience I don't believe you've had? Your cynical comments are so boring, let us enjoy our films please.

[HungFist]

I have no idea who Mark is arguing with. No one here has said anything about authentic... Not this time, not last time, probably not ever...

[Markgway]

Pod brought up the language issue:

I've just watched this in Italian for the first time and it was quite a different experience - no dodgy acting

This clearly states that Pod considers the original English option as inferior.

Then Brad chimes in :

That's interesting Gas because the English dub annoyed me so much (I cannot stand English dubs!) and I never managed to watch more than about half. The acting was terrible too but it's harder to judge when it's all dubbed.

Talk of "dubbing" in this context implies that the Italian DUB is somehow more authetic (even if no one explicitly said it).

Pod again:

Yeah well the talking part of acting is of much more importance than Mark seems to realise

This 'wry' remark equates my appreciation for Suspiria's original language with an ignorance of the film's acting quality. If I keep repeating myself it's only because you guys do! Stop talking nonsense and I'll stop correcting you.

[gasteropod]

[HungFist]

Dawn of the Dead (USA, 2004) - 3/5
Zack Snyder's highly mixed bag remake. As a new version of Romero's classic it's an admirable try; only the core idea is lifted from the classic, everything else is new. This is exactly how remakes should be done. In addition, the film doesn't rely too much on CGI, but features some lovely old school effects. Sadly, it's another ADHD product with the ever-so-dull running zombies and ugly-as-rotten-ass visual look. Some of the characters are good, some of the cast also, but the film also stubles with idiotic turns (Save the dog! Restore the energy in the dark cellar) and some idiotic cardboard characters (including a nerve wrecking sarcastic asshole - the king of all cliche characters).

(did not live up to the nostalgic memories... this was the first 18 rated film I saw "legally" in theater - on my 18th birthday, if I recall correctly.)

Gorbaciof (Italy, 2010) - 2/5
Grumpy old former gangster (Toni Servillo) falls in love with a young Chinese waitress. With charmy old school approach and almost no dialogue at all, the film has all the potential for romantic crowd pleaser. Unfortunately the drama-comedy falls very short in terms of screenwriting. Lacking any original twist, and brought to screen with little ambition, the film should be playing on TV screens rather than international film festivals. Not an awful pic by any means - just a thoroughly unoriginal repetition of what has been done better before countless times.

[bradavon]

You guys crack me up. Suspiria is an ENGLISH LANGUAGE film and always has been.

I don't give a fuck what the intended language is. It's dubbed, sounds atrocious, end of.

Only a handful of supporting actors didn't speak English because they struggled with it (and some of them were German not Italian!)

I too would struggle speaking in a language I cannot speak but I wouldn't be dumb enough to try and act in it. Stick to German/Italians/Zulu for all I care but don't act in a language until you can sufficiently speak it.

Yes this also includes English speaking actors who cannot speak another language but try anyway. I cannot understand the difference, so don't care. Call me a hypocrite if you like.

The three main actors spoke English on set and dubbed their own voices (and some scenes were actual production audio).

So they cannot use that as an excuse for terrible acting them. What I saw struck me as style over substance and the style wasn't great either.

The film was set and shot in Germany shouldn't you therefore be watching it in German?

I guess the answer would be yes then.

This clearly states that Pod considers the original English option as inferior.

Inferior not less authentic!

Talk of "dubbing" in this context implies that the Italian DUB is somehow more authetic (even if no one explicitly said it).

No it doesn't! Nothing Gas or I said says that. I cannot stand English dubs, authentic or otherwise.

If I keep repeating myself it's only because you guys do! Stop talking nonsense and I'll stop correcting you.

This one's just laughable. Gas reviews a film, giving his personal opinion and you feel the need to repeat the film is intended to be shown in English. When nothing Gas said, contradicted that to start with. You may disagree but if he prefers it in Italian, fair enough. Gas hadn't seen the film Italian before, how exactly is he repeating himself? He's only just seen it.

Where's Shingster to tell you to shut up and stop being a knob? You tend to listen to him.

p.s - Is there really no DVD with the Italian soundtrack but English subs? What a shame.

[gasteropod]

According to DVD Compare, one Italian DVD has English subs, but I couldn't find it so just ended up downloading it. For the record, I consider both the English and Italian tracks equally valid/authentic, but the Italian is better.

[romerojpg]

Dawn of the Dead (USA, 2004) - 3/5
Zack Snyder's highly mixed bag remake. As a new version of Romero's classic it's an admirable try; only the core idea is lifted from the classic, everything else is new. This is exactly how remakes should be done. In addition, the film doesn't rely too much on CGI, but features some lovely old school effects. Sadly, it's another ADHD product with the ever-so-dull running zombies and ugly-as-rotten-ass visual look. Some of the characters are good, some of the cast also, but the film also stubles with idiotic turns (Save the dog! Restore the energy in the dark cellar) and some idiotic cardboard characters (including a nerve wrecking sarcastic asshole - the king of all cliche characters).

(did not live up to the nostalgic memories... this was the first 18 rated film I saw "legally" in theater - on my 18th birthday, if I recall correctly.)

I think this is the film I have watched the most in the last 10 years, must have seen it over 10+ times.
I adore it, the more I watched it the more I like it. You are sooo right about this being the way to "Remake" a film, its nothing like the original really, so in a way its not even a remake I also love the look of it, beautiful photography and style, but I guess you either like that style or ya dont. The cast comment, I would add it has a few too many cast members, its a little packed and hard to give 20 cast members that much to do and flesh them all out perfectly. Still it works, and they kill plenty of them off and as you say with little CGI! amazingly shots I always thought were dodgy CGI turned out to be real I felt like a tit when I found out. See goes to show you never can tell nowadays.

I still remember seeing it in the cinema very vividly.

[luckystars]

Dawn of the Dead (USA, 2004) - 3/5

I still remember seeing it in the cinema very vividly.

I liked the film a LOT when it came out in the cinema...I was very hyped to see a remake of one of my favourite films, and wasn't disappointed at all (how rare is that though?)! Main memories of seeing it for the first time are being sickened by the Zombie baby plot...and going HA HA HA HA OH GROSS HA HA EWWW YUK LOL THO when the chainsaw rig kicks back on the bus!! When that poor lady got gutted. I actually really liked the dog/surviver in the gunshop(??) plot...

Didn't hold up quite so well after couple more viewings and I got shot of the DVD. Still easily worth the 3 stars Hung gave it.

[HungFist]

I also loved it when I saw it in cinema for the first time... so much that I took my friend to see it a few days later... wanted to see their reactions to a fewcouple of scenes

[Markgway]

Re. Suspiria. I'm wasting my time. You guys think what you like.

Scars of Dracula (1970-UK) **

[grim_tales]

Abduction: 3.5/5

After a slow start, Abduction picks up pace and what we have is an exciting thriller with some plot twists that is certainly a good, entertaining watch, if maybe a bit predictable in places. Pretty violent for a 12A, IMO.

[bradavon]

Re. Suspiria. I'm wasting my time. You guys think what you like.

Finally he gets it . We'd care if you didn't read into people's posts what you fancy;).

[gasteropod]

[gasteropod]

Star Trek (2009) - 2.5/5

It was OK, 8.1/10 on IMDb???

[Markgway]

Abduction: 3.5/5 ..... Pretty violent for a 12A, IMO.

I believe it was slightly cut for a PG-13 in the US so expect an UNRATED DVD in about four months.

Star Trek (2009) - 2.5/5 ..... It was OK, 8.1/10 on IMDb???

Critics loved it. I've recorded it and will check it out soon.

[bradavon]

Star Trek (2009) - 2.5/5 - It was OK, 8.1/10 on IMDb???

It's fantastic, well deserving of all it's praise. Abrams's best. I cannot wait for the next one. It better not be called Star Trek 2 though. That was released 29 years ago. Why is it only okay? It's excitement from start to finish, a strong story too.

Not that you have to be at all but are you a Trek fan? Abrams has managed to make a film you don't have to be a fan to enjoy though.

[gasteropod]

Nope I've never watched Star Trek or had any interest in it, the film just didn't do anything for me, it didn't excite me or anything

[grim_tales]

I'm not really a Trek person but Abram's Star Trek was lots of fun Surprised how much I enjoyed it