List your most horrendous 'bad English dub' offenders here!
I am old enough to remember when it was nearly impossible to find an Asian film available for rent or shown on tv in the USA that wasn't badly dubbed in English. Sometimes I pull out an older film and marvel at just how pathetic the dubbing sounds.
Even now, there are still some studios that seem to think that Asian films will only sell if they are redubbed in English with no original soundtrack available. Those that do supply both on the DVD sometimes do it well, and many times -- not so well.
With that in mind, I am nominating ANY Jackie Chan recent release where he does his own English dubbing. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying there is anything wrong with Jackie's English... BUT when he is talking with a heavy Chinese accent while everyone else in the movie is talking perfect English, it just makes his accent stand out like a sore thumb.
I guess it is better than the older releases where some cheesy voice actor made him sound like a cartoon superhero, though sometimes that did seem strangely appropriate.
Another nomination is the Qin Emperor in Miramax's release of Hero. In the Chinese language track he comes across as strong and powerful--a true leader, but in the English track--he's changed into a cranky old whiny eunuch!
The award for bad voice-acting hall of fame though must go to the guy who did the voice of Yuen Biao's perpetually late master in Tai Seng's Special Edition release of Deadful Melody.
Country hick buffoon? Yeah that ... errr... fits perfectly. Trust me, if you have never listened to this gem of a performance, it is worth a listen. You will end up on the floor laughing your ass off.
I am old enough to remember when it was nearly impossible to find an Asian film available for rent or shown on tv in the USA that wasn't badly dubbed in English. Sometimes I pull out an older film and marvel at just how pathetic the dubbing sounds.
Even now, there are still some studios that seem to think that Asian films will only sell if they are redubbed in English with no original soundtrack available. Those that do supply both on the DVD sometimes do it well, and many times -- not so well.
With that in mind, I am nominating ANY Jackie Chan recent release where he does his own English dubbing. Don't get me wrong, I am not saying there is anything wrong with Jackie's English... BUT when he is talking with a heavy Chinese accent while everyone else in the movie is talking perfect English, it just makes his accent stand out like a sore thumb.
I guess it is better than the older releases where some cheesy voice actor made him sound like a cartoon superhero, though sometimes that did seem strangely appropriate.
Another nomination is the Qin Emperor in Miramax's release of Hero. In the Chinese language track he comes across as strong and powerful--a true leader, but in the English track--he's changed into a cranky old whiny eunuch!
The award for bad voice-acting hall of fame though must go to the guy who did the voice of Yuen Biao's perpetually late master in Tai Seng's Special Edition release of Deadful Melody.
Country hick buffoon? Yeah that ... errr... fits perfectly. Trust me, if you have never listened to this gem of a performance, it is worth a listen. You will end up on the floor laughing your ass off.
