Howl's Moving Castle

[innerSpaceman]

Heheh, the movie only got interesting to me once it "unraveled." It didn't much interest me as a linear tale, and I'm glad that was only used as a technique to draw you in. From there, it unfolded like a drug trip ... and I guess that's why I'm developing such an affinity for it.

Calsifa's voice bugs me in both English and Japanese, but I preferred all the other English voices to their Nipponese counterparts. Also, I simply can't be drawn as deeply into a story where I must read the dialogue instead of naturally hearing it. It just does not have the same dramatic impact for me. I'm glad that dubbing works for me in animation ... because it's essentially being dubbed no matter what.

(In many of today's live action films, there's so much ADR and looping that they, too, are practically dubbed no matter what. But the created mouth movements of animation are so much more easily matched with a different language, imo.)

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

(In many of today's live action films, there's so much ADR and looping that they, too, are practically dubbed no matter what. But the created mouth movements of animation are so much more easily matched with a different language, imo.)

This is true, but to my ear it still suffers from the same thing that any dub into a different language suffers from. Namely, no matter how good the translation, there is a time factor. It simply does not take the same amount of time to say the same things in English as it does in Japanese. That severly limits the choice of translation and/or forces the voice actor to artificially speed up or slow down their lines. All very jaring to me.

It takes place in a mythical western society where I find the Japanese distracting.

I'd like to read the source material to see how closely the movie follows it, because many of the main themes were distinctly Japanese. For instance, in most western stories (take Harry Potter for example), those with magical powers are either greatly revered or greatly feared by those without (assuming those that do haven't taken great pains to hide the fact entirely), while it's not uncommon in Japanese stories for the two to coexist in a rather nonchalant relationship, as was shown in Howl's. I'm curious as to whether it was like this in the original book. If it is, I think it might explain why Murukami was drawn to this story as his choice for a western-originating book.

[innerSpaceman]

And for my third post in a row in a thread that no one's reading anyway, I will reveal that I just noticed Alex's review of "mesmerizing" was in reference to gigantoid racoon testicles and not Howl's Moving Castle.

[Gemini Cricket]

Well, now I'm nervous. iSm may hate 'Castle of Cagliostro'. I may be berated and abused by him for liking it. It could be as bad as the 'The Notebook' review fracas.

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

And for my third post in a row in a thread that no one's reading anyway...

I totally read all of your posts. Like your second one about the thing and the stuff. Brilliant.

[innerSpaceman]

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

It could be as bad as the 'The Notebook' review fracas.

And don't forget our meeting of the minds on 'Rent', heheh.

[innerSpaceman]

Well, thanks for that handy link. I think I actually will read the book, since you made it so easy for me to order - - and since Ms. 1812 recommended the literary storyline as her preference (where in heck has she been anyway? I miss her, sniffle, sniff).


I hope the book is translated, because I won't be able to read the original Japanese.

[innerSpaceman]

I have one DVD player that won't turn the subtitles off, so I watched Howl's in English with the subtitles ... and it turns out either the English translation is waaaaay off or the subtitles aren't even accurate to the Japanese.

Unless it was an important plot point, not one single line of the English dialogue was the same as the subtitles. As an example, where a subtitle might read, "Sophie, don't stay here by yourself" ... the spoken English would be, "Sophie, come out and have a good time with us."

It was bizarre.

I'd like to put the subtitles to the "Lani" test of Japanese accuracy. Understandably, much of the English script was modified from the original so that the mouth movements would match. But the subtitles generally had a more stilted, less expressive form of English ... and I'm wondering what the Japanese dialogue really is.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by innerSpaceman

Unless it was an important plot point, not one single line of the English dialogue was the same as the subtitles. As an example, where a subtitle might read, "Sophie, don't stay here by yourself" ... the spoken English would be, "Sophie, come out and have a good time with us."

That's exactly the phenomenon I was talking about earlier. Because subtitles aren't limited to having to match in timing and rhythm to the animation, they can be more accurate with the translation. While the dubbing has to be significantly altered to synch up as closely as possible with the animation.

[Alex]

The subtitles are translation of the Japanese. The English dub is the change in language necessary to match mouth movements and create subtle changes in story that make comprehension easier for non-Japanese people (a Japanese idiom, for example, will probably be literally translated in the subtitles while converted to an English equivelant for the dub).

[Not Afraid]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

The subtitles are translation of the Japanese. The English dub is the change in language necessary to match mouth movements and create subtle changes in story that make comprehension easier for non-Japanese people (a Japanese idiom, for example, will probably be literally translated in the subtitles while converted to an English equivelant for the dub).

Yeah, Japanese idioms don't translate well directly into English. Or the other way around for that matter.