classic film on the big screen subtitled...

[xen on]

its been some small time since ive watched it so i could be not remembering certain aspects of the film that invalidate this... but i remember thinking that the last time i watched kwaidan that it was a film that could be watched without subtitles. i felt that the narrative was self-evident in the actions and images and that in any case any subtleties that relied on an intimate knowledge of japanese folklore would have required more explanation then could be conveyed in subtitles. of course this impression was reached after many viewings over the years so its really impossible for me to say if it really works that way or not.
 
ive often been frustrated by what i consider the devils bargain of subtitles. in a perfect world ( other than the one in which i am effortless fluent in all languages) i think the ideal sitiuation is too be able to watch a film first with subtitles and then thereafter without. as has already been mentioned this does seem to make the dvd a very cool thing.



....it's a case by case situation. I'd welcome any
suggestions for films, Japanese or otherwise, that can
actually function completely without the use of
subtitles (films beyond the silent era, that is).

Mitch




' the better telescopes become, the more stars there will be '

                                                          - g. flaubert -

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