Foreign languages - does the language make a difference?

[lornemalvo]

I like watching foreign films/series, but I find that the spoken language makes a difference to how I perceive them. If they are subtitled it shouldn't make a difference, but it does. It's hard to explain, but if the films/series are equally good, I enjoy some languages more than others. I like Scandi programmes, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian etc., also French productions. German is just about tolerable, but Italian and Spanish, I can barely watch and usually avoid. Braquo , a brilliant French series is available only in Spanish and I can't watch it. I like both Spain and Italy, but something about watching a drama in these languages just doesn't work for me.

[Zetec-S]

I guess the streaming services have brought a lot more exposure to foreign language films and TV in recent years, I've watched stuff in Danish, Swedish, Japanese, Korean, Spanish... no real issues, but we watch most TV with subtitles anyway as my wife has hearing issues.

If anything it's French I find hardest. Perhaps not hard, just a bit odd, maybe as it brings back memories of watching crappy films in French class at school when the teacher couldn't be arsed

[bloomen]

European Spanish isn't pleasant to listen to. Don't mind the Latin American version at all.

Portuguese, especiallly the Brazilian strain, is one of the most hideous sounds in Christendom to my ears. I'd have to really be compelled to tolerate it.

[21st Century Man]

I like to listen in the original language audio with English subtitles. I can't stand dubbing even if it's in English. It's annoying the number of streaming services that provide English subtitles but not the original language as an option. Braquo as mentioned above, it's French but dubbed Spanish. Unwatchable.

[Mastodon2]

I will always watch live action content in the original language, I cannot stand watching dubbed content. The lip sync is always off, the voice actor performances are weak (because it's being recorded by disembodied actors in a recording studio), the audio mixing sounds off etc and it's just weird seeing people who are clearly not American talking in American accents.

I particularly like the sound of Japanese, Chinese, German, Swedish. I'm not a big fan of Spanish and Italian, but that might also be linked to the programs and movies made in those countries. But yeah, I'd much rather watch a Spanish movie in Spanish over the same movie with English dubs, it wouldn't even be a choice for me.