Das Boot Uncut -- Is it just me or...

[Todd_Michael_R]

...is the original German dialogue mixed too low?

I thought my system somehow became uncalibrated until I switched to the English dub OOC and the dialogue levels popped right back up. I then switched back to German w/English subtitles and boosted the gain on my center a few dBs for the duration of the film.

Anyone else experience something like this?

Todd

 

[Matt_Wizall]

Ya know, that's a good point. I rented this from Netflicks and recall the dialogue volume being pretty quiet. It didn't occur to me to try the dub track though. Strange.

 

[Nathan*W]

This is off topic, but I find myself unavoidably choosing the english dub as well as the english subtitles for Das Boot. It's interesting to see because even though several of the english speaking actors (Jürgen Prochnow included) did their own dubs, rarly do the subtitles and spoken dialogue match. Watching both together IMO gives the best impression of what the characters are trying to get across.

 

[Doug_L]

Funny, I would think that listening to the Original German dialogue, from the original actors, in the original language of the script, combined with the english subtitles that you need to comprehend the story line, would give you the impression of what the actors are trying to get across

That's just my opinion, though.

 

[Bob Graham]

Speaking of DAS BOOT, does anyone else prefer the shorter theatrical cut to the "Director's Cut"? I thought the theatrical cut was tight (and have held on to my old LD for that reason) while the director's cut dragged (but I own this on DVD, too). Even though I prefer the shorter cut, I'd still like th opportunity ot see (and would probably buy) the 6 hour German TV minseries version.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Yes, having the original actors dub themselves is a big plus in the accuracy of a dubbing performance

You should still be watching it in German

I've said it before, and I'll say it again

If you support OAR, but not OSL, you are being hypocritical

 

[Ken Seeber]

For the record, calling the 3.5-hour director's cut of "Das Boot" "uncut" is incorrect. The original version of the film was a six-hour-long television miniseries.

 

[Nathan*W]

Ouch, ouch! You guy needed to wait a minute. The flamesuit takes so darn long to put on.

My point was that in Das Boot's case, the english dub had the full authorization and support of Wolfgang Petersen and many of the original actors came back to re-dub their lines. That's a far cry from about 98% of all other foreign-language releases out there. Das Boot's case is a unique one. (I also probably didn't say that it's the only film of it's type that I watch this way.

If you support OAR, but not OSL, you are being hypocritical

I support both, but I find it ironic that you would mention this, as the OAR of Das Boot was 4:3.(TV miniseries from 1981) It was reframed for theaters at 1.85:1.

 

[Christoph Oelckers]

Don't forget:

The English dub is heavily dumbed down for British television. Most of the stronger language has been removed from this version.

 

[Nathan*W]

Curious, because when one of the sub's crew make a joke, it's usually a different joke from the subtitles to the dub. BUT the subtitle joke is innocent, whereas the dub joke is raunchy.

I guess a dirtier joke could also be construed as being "dumbed down". You make a good point though Cristoph, I didn't think to consider who the english dub was originally aimed for.

 

[Hartwig Hanser]

FYI (non-German Speaking members):

The original German Soundtrack is full of explicit references to sex and contains heavy swearing.

 

[John P Grosskopf]

Both the German and English tracks do not match the lips of the actors, and some lines were changed from script to film even in the German version. Both tracks are dubs, as noise on the set was such that dialogue could not be recorded during filming. The German track however comes much closer to matching the lips than the English dub...duhh.

It is my understanding that the German dialogue is from the original dubbing sessions when the film was originally produced. The English dub on the DVD was produced for the DVD release. This means the newer track has the advantage of being recorded with newer, higher-quality (digital?) equipment, meaning the English a has a quality edge over the German track. This might explain level differences of the center channel between the German and English tracks.

If I'm wrong in this regard, please correcet me.

 

[Todd_Michael_R]

Ken wrote:

For the record, calling the 3.5-hour director's cut of "Das Boot" "uncut" is incorrect. The original version of the film was a six-hour-long television miniseries.

Yeah, that hit me just as I hit the submit button for my OP...my bad. Was waiting how long it would take one of you to notice!

 

[John CW]

If you support OAR, but not OSL, you are being hypocritical

??? So long as the original dub is there, it's hardly being hyprocritical wanting to listen to in dubbed in OAR! Why? Because in Germany they listen to it in their NATIVE LANGUAGE - WITHOUT SUBTITLES. How you say that the experience you get is closer to the director's vision when you can't understand what is said and your eyes are taken away from the picture and actor's performances?
I agree both have their merits (sometimes I prefer OSL (Das Boot) and sometimes I prefer dubbed (Akira)), but I don't think it's being hypocritical! (I like watching Akira dubbed because a) it's EXTREMELY close to the original and b) it means I can fully enjoy the animation!)
Also: Has anyone noticed has bad the subs are on this disc? They are WAY out of sync with what's going on! Some of the conversation are VERY slow and with the subs you get the answer BEFORE the actor has even spoken it

Really annoying! Also some of the dialogue was changed to make it more simple in order to fit it in! The VHS version actually has better subs!!

Oh well.
~ John

 

[Jeff Adkins]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again

If you support OAR, but not OSL, you are being hypocritical

Amen to that!

Jeff

 

[Nathan*W]

You'll never convert me!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....eh? Someones at the door...
Hey...you can't come in here...DON'T TOUCH MY REMOTE....
They BROKE my Audio button!
Bastards!

 

[JeremySt]

as the OAR of Das Boot was 4:3.(TV miniseries from 1981) It was reframed for theaters at 1.85:1.

If you think this way, then any film shown in matted 1.85:1 widescreen would be considered modified. Example: Beetlejuice was filmed in 35mm 4x3 and was shown theatrically at 1.85:1. When shown on tv, the open-matte 4x3 version is shown. DAS BOOT was filmed the same way. OAR, to me, is: Original THEATRICAL aspect ratio.

 

[Francois Caron]

FYI, the current 3.5 hour Das Boot IS the Director's Cut. On the commentary track and the extra features, Petersen clearly states this version of Das Boot is the definitive version he wanted to present. Not the two hour theatrical version, not the six hour television version. He also had problems accepting the excessive vulgar language in the TV version.

The only improvement I can see being implemented in the current version of the movie is the release of a non-flipper DVD version. The flipper version cuts a crucial scene right in the middle! Enough with the flippers! This is the one carry-over from Laserdiscs I'd rather do without!

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Yup, as was just said this is Peterson's definative version of Das Boot

Maybe the subs are off on the PAL disc, and that they didn't change them to 25 fps timecode. Mine sync just fine

Letterboxing" is the vile practice of censoring movies on video and broadcast television or cable by blocking the top and bottom of the television screen with black bars so that you cannot watch or enjoy the movie-http://members.aol.com/~savetele/

OK, so you're saying watching a film the way it was originally filmed is essential. No pan&scan! But putting words in people's mouths, erasing the original performance of the actors that made the movie big enough to be released in another country is OK? Even though Das Boot DOES have the original people dubbing themselves, it's already been noted above how badly the film is compromised by that dub.

Many people say "Well, live action is different, because the mouths not matching drive me crazy!" It's not any different. OSL is still OSL, and in the case of anime, and virtually anything else, the dubbing actors are virtually always of greatly inferior stock to Japan's professionals

 

[cafink]

the dubbing actors are virtually always of greatly inferior stock to Japan's professionals

Jeff, it's interesting that you bring this point up. It seems to contradict the rest of your message.

I know that you personally prefer original dialogue to dubs in general, but is it only because of the quality of the voicing? If not, is it even a factor at all? If a dub was released which contained acting superior to that of the original, would you still prefer the original?

For me, the answer is no, because the original is what I want to see, flaws and all. I was under the impression that you share my feelings on this subject, but even discussing the generally poor quality of dubs seems to contradict this point. If a dub is bad just by virtue of being a dub, what difference does its quality make?