Do You Go To Non-English Theaters?
 

This is probably best answered from someone who lives in a non-English country, or someone who travels a lot, and watches movies from all over. Outside of English speaking countries, off-hand, what is the ratio of English/Your Language? And… how are those audiences? Do they just love whatever is a hit over here in the US? Or do they play an American movie that might be a hit in your country?

Or if you've traveled and saw a movie in another language. How were those audiences compared to the ones in your country?

Also, are there many theaters playing older movies? If so, do you remember which movies specifically? Thanks.

I went to see a Indian movie about 5 years ago. I've got a friend who is Indian and she didn't know anyone then. No subtitles and I was the only one in the cinema who wasn't Indian. Didn't think much of the movie but I had a good time.

For older movies, my wife and I first saw Rear Window at a cinema in Cambridge. That was awesome.

Re: Do You Go To Non-English Theaters?
 

I went to two. An Indian one and a Korean one here around Dallas. The Indian one is about 2 mins from my home. It felt more like a movie theatre. The Korean one was more like dating center for couples. Just everyone snugly-wugly in the dark!!

Re: Do You Go To Non-English Theaters?
 

Smaller countries in Europe usually don't have a big film industry so they don't produce films often enough to justify filling a movie theater schedule with local productions. In my experience, it is healthy mix of English-speaking films and whatever local got released recently. Interestingly enough, certain countries that share large ethnic groups and/or linguistic traits with neighbors, will often incorporate films from that place in their release schedule (ex Dutch films in Belgium, Russian films in the Baltic countries etc).

Re: Do You Go To Non-English Theaters?
 

I raised this question elsewhere, and quite a few people said how they used to have classic and/or art-house stuff. No more.

Quick answer:
Nope.
:)

I live in China, so yes. I've never heard of an English-only theater here.

Generally, most theaters play movies produced in China. Japanese movies are probably #2. British/American movies are easy to find, especially if they just won a bunch of Oscars or made a billion dollars. All the comic book/super hero movies are entirely too popular. It might be because they don't require a lot of translation. Things blow up the same in any language. Dialogue heavy and art house movies are harder to find, but not impossible. There was a time when younger people were interested in European auteurs like Bertolucci and Rohmer, but the kids are mostly watching movies at home these days.

Every single movie played at every single theater comes with Chinese subtitles, regardless of the movie's language. Mostly because written Chinese is universal, but spoken dialects vary as wildly as English. If the movie is originally in English, it may or may not also have English subtitles. I've never seen Japanese subtitles for a Japanese movie or French subtitles for French. It's always Chinese, usually English.

Live action movies are mostly shown in their original language, except for children's movies. They are sometimes dubbed in Chinese, with Chinese subtitles. Cartoons are almost always dubbed in Chinese, with Chinese subtitles and English if it's an English cartoon.

Interesting, I thought there wouldn't be as many Japanese movies because of their history.



Any chance of seeing a movie like "Casablanca" or a less commercial movie from the 1940s?

Re: Do You Go To Non-English Theaters?
 

Does streaming no-English movies on Netflix count?

I found a theater in a Bangkok mall that was playing Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr. There were probably 2 or 3 U.S. movies like Fast and Furious or other pop draws. It was day time so not that many people were there. It was a unique experience. Soft drinks were in cans rather thsn fountain. Popcorn tasted more home stovetop than the sodium-heavy U.S. counterpart. Between trailers and the film was a national anthem type of promo. The house lights came on and everyone stood. The video playing during the song showed clips of the king and common people showing praise. After the anthem, the lights dropped and everyone sat down.

Thai subtitles were on bottom and the original language played.

There might have been two Korean flicks showing too. There was a fish tank in the lobby where you pay to put your feet in while fish nibble off dead skin. Most everyone wore flip-flops (thongs) so I guess dry skin was common.

I would say no, because at home, you can access anything. I'm interested in what's out there.