For those only fluent in English, what is your first choice for content with English subtitles

If English is not only your first but your only language, what is your first choice when it comes to watching non-English form motion picture content (be it movies, TV shows or any other motion pictures) in the original with English subtitles.
Any movie or show with no dialog nor commentary does not count?

 

Not sure I completely understand the question, but generally for everyday TV viewing I would choose content from other European countries, probably because I know what to expect. Subtitles aren’t a problem, it’s more to do with the style of drama or the sense of humour being on the same wavelength as mine. I find Scandi comedies like Clark and Love & Anarchy just as enjoyable - or even more so - than home-grown ones. Likewise with films at the cinema, I’m happy to watch Korean and Japanese films but first choice would be French or Scandinavian.

 

Eh?

You mean what foreign language content does one prefer? Good films are good films whatever language they are in

 

Norwegian.

 

Yes, when watched in the original with English subtitles.

 

Subs, not dubs!

 

Yes, in this thread, dubbed content does not count, only content in the original with subtitles.

Is that all to say that you would watch all such content in the original with subtitles and what your first choice among such content is?

 

Kung Fu type movies

Original Godzilla movies

EDIT: sorry, I just saw overdubs don't count, so...nevermind

 

I only watch silent movies.

 

Okay, I did mean to ask about motion pictures that were actually released with soundtracks.

 

If I have the time I'll first watch a movie in it's original version, no matter what language is spoken.
You always get a hunch of the dialogues and the overall atmosphere of the film.

Then, if need be, I'll choose a language I'm (more or less) familiar with and watch it once more.
Often works for me.

When in doubt I'll look up the synopsis on IMDb.

 

I'm a big fan of Nordic Noir/Scandi Noir, so I've watched many a series and film in their original languages with subtitles

The Killing, The Bridge, Bordertown, Deadwind, Trapped, The Valhalla Murders, Wisting, Occupied, etc, etc

 

I just watched The Seventh Seal in Swedish with English subtitles. That seemed to work well.

 

I like watching French “coming of age “ movies which all involve summer romances at the country retreat between curious teens and someone twice their age. Mainly because you don’t give a damn what they’re talking about.

 

Generally I prefer the original language with subtitles. I’ve tried watching some recent shows and couldn’t abide the dubbing. For movies it’s generally the same. Sometimes Bergman works better in English. I actually prefer the English dub of Fellini Satyricon. Makes it seem more baudy and rough. There was an English dub of Almodovar’s Women on the Verge movie that was hilarious for all the wrong reasons. The staccato whip smart Spanish dialogue was replaced with bored drawn out English. One memorable moment where someone let out a string of expletives in the Spanish was replaced with “now your girlfriend is throwing things at my car”, when it’s clear she is saying nothing at all like that. But in general, I’d say original language rules.

 

My first and only choice is for the subtitles to be white letters set on a black background rectangle.
I suppose black letters on white would work too, the main thing is to make them READABLE and not blended into the film's scenes which makes for tricky reading.
Or dubbed.

 

Okay, so it seems you watch some content in the original and English dubs of some other non-English form content and some other content in the original with subtitles. So let me clarify, my question is about your first choice for non-English form content that you would watch in the original with subtitles. Your first choice when it comes to dubs is beside the point.

But which actual content is your first choice when it comes to non-English form content you would watch in the original with subtitles?

 

But would you actually watch it with subtitles if the language spoken is not English?

I am not following you here.

 

Could you please clarify your request?
Are you asking if we prefer a specific language?
Such as French, German, Spanish, etc ...
Or are you asking for specific films or TV programs?

 

Even in English, subtitles can be beneficial, such as What We Do In The Shadows, where characters speak rapidly in broad accents. I don't want to miss the meaning while I'm trying to parse the dialogue.
Watching the news is rough though, since sometimes I can't tell if the algorithms are just not good enough on the fly, or if there's somebody in a little booth someplace, sneaking intentional misinterpretations into it.

Watching a foreign series on Netflix can be interesting, when the dubbing interprets the script one way, and the subtitles vary somewhat from that, like the right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing.

Bottom line though, subtitles don't distract me as much as they do in the theater, where 90% of what you came there for, is on the whole screen, and not just the little part at the bottom.
Why would I want to miss cinema, just to understand conversation, if that's why I'm there.

 

For reference, I suggest checking out this thread, which inspired a discussion on motion picture content. It could be for specific motion pictures (such as movies and TV shows) or it could, for example, be for a specific country, area or genre. For some examples, @normanr likes watch "Scandi" comedies. For another example:

In the original with subtitles?

But despite the title, this thread is about non-English form motion picture content (non-English form meaning the language spoken in the original is not English) one would watch with subtitles, not dubbed, as stated at the start of this thread.

 

I often say that...

 

My preference is for the original language whatever that is.

 

Despite your protestations, you also include television in your question, and I include non-English in my reference to Netflix series from other countries. And since your response suggests foreign movies, that's a lot of what I see in my local arts cinema (why else would they need to use subtitles if not). Let's look at how you stated it yourself at the start of this thread....

And yes, since I'm a totally-English-speaking person, looks to me like my response fits.

 

I like to hear it in whatever language it was originally shot in.