28.7.10

Postcards from Paris: {Dubbed Actors}


Okay, okay. So initially one may think: "Dog Day Afternoon??! What has that have anything to do with Paris?!"
And to answer that, not much of anything.
Set in Brooklyn, the entire movie is spoken in English. That is, unless the movie is bought in France. In that case, the entire movie can easily be switched to French just by a right click of my mouse and a scroll down. It really is a strange thing; Al Pacino's tough, anxious, somewhat nasally voice quickly transforms into a deeper tone, and his native English-speaking mouth is slightly off with the French coming out. All of the actors have this in common. Not only in this movie, but in all the American movies I've been watching dubbed in French.

It's been a common phrase of advice:
COMPLETE IMMERSION
-Avoid making friends with Americans or any English-speaking people
-Listen to French music
-Watch French films

It makes sense just to dive in deep with a new language, but at the time being I happen to have a handful of Americans who are good company.
I do have downloaded on my iPod a collection of music from Serge Gainsbourg, Edith Piaf, Josephine Baker, Yves Montand, and Brigitte Bardot.
And with a mixture of wonderful French films and movies with dubbed actors, funny as their mouths may seem...
I feel as though I am making some progress.





Bisous,
Reba

2 comments:

Taylor B W said...

reba is to speaking french
as al pacino is to starring in timeless films

amy said...

Reba,
Amy Flurry here and I'm a friend of Paula and Taras and also a writer (I've written a number of times on The Paris Market). I've been following your blog and would like to include a quote and a link to your blog in an article I'm writing on the YSL exhibit at the Petite Palais. But I have to act fast. If I sent a few questions, could you return them right away? Love the blog, Amy
flurrya@bellsouth.net
please forward an email addy