In a message dated 2/26/01 10:29:49 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
<< Subtitles didn't bother me a bit--so for me emotional and soulful worked.
>>
Hi Catherine -
Great! I hear many people say that. As I said - for me it did not work.
Maybe I am predisposed to find subtitles distracting? Perhaps this is why.
When film making is taught a great deal of time is spent on a concept
called "Suspension Of Disbelief". It refers to the art of creating a film
that is, in and of itself, not distracting to the viewer's ability to 'fall'
into the movie - to be transported into the visual/verbal flow and taken to
the 'place' of the movie.
Music for example, is an element that can either be distracting or
supportive. It's a fine line walked in the creation of a musical score.
Although one does 'absorb' music in a manner similar to how one 'absorbs'
visual signals and aural dialog - in that one can disconnect the reactive,
cognitive, interpretive portion of the brain one uses for example in doing ma
th or reading text. However, a poorly paced musical score, or one discordant
with the visual imagery - can take you right 'out of the movie' and back into
the theater.
One important difference between reading, and absorbing whole visual
images - is that in reading, one must first see the shapes of numbers,
letters, punctuation marks, and other symbols - then interpret their meaning
- then interpret their meaning as a whole. When one sees purely visual or
hears purely aural stimulation that is instantly recognizable (dialog in a
native tongue), it becomes a more rapid, wholly experiential encounter. The
human mind can actually eliminate an entire 'step', if you will, in the chain
of interpretation - as compared to reading numbers and text.
Studies have been done that bear this theory out. Francis Ford Coppola
funded such a study in the 60's, I believe in conjunction with USC. It was
found that the 'read & analyze' approach to human emotional response is the
longer of the two paths, when compared to the aurally supported path of
visual imagery, no matter how quickly one reads and interprets. That is why
a visual image of something gruesome or frightening can make you flinch or
scream or squirm, much faster, and to a much greater degree than can reading
a description of the same occurrence or situation. Reading will never elicit
a scream.
Also, the emotional reaction to the visual stimulation will have a deeper
impact on the psyche and subconscious - and can cause emotional scarring it
is so intense. For all of these reasons, and more - in the art of film,
subtitles are considered unfortunate, disruptive, sometimes 'necessary
evils', but something to be avoided whenever possible - and something I
personally find very distracting and diminishing to the potential in depth
emotional impact of a film.
Imagine CTHD without the subtitles, delivered in a language in which you
are fluent, where the 'heard word' would allow you to disconnect the
'number/letter' interpretive portion of your mind, and fully unleash the
films powerful images on a 'straightline connection' with your 'knowing'
soul. Words are not bad - I love to read - but it is a wholly different and
slower emotional ride - not a bad ride - just slower. That is why I was
disappointed with CTHD (besides the kung fu stuff) - I knew it could have
been a higher, swifter, deeper 'ride' if in my native tongue and without the
subtitles. That is why I do not put it on my list of must recommend.
But as I said, it is an attractive movie to look at - no doubt about it.
What I think might be a beautiful experience would be to eliminate the
subtitles, turn off the Chinese dialog track, and orchestrate a soundtrack to
overlay the entire movie - rising and falling in its intensity, density, and
complexity to match the visual imagery on the screen. That would be
spellbinding - IMHO. :-)
Man - where in the hell did all that come from? That was a damned sight
more than I thought I had to say about a movie - that has nothing to do with
Joni!?
TIA, Artheo
NP - the score of Finding Forrester - Miles Davis / Ornette Coleman / Bill
Frisell
