Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

Am I the only person who has had enough of the endless subtitles in films and tv series.
As a rules of thumb If we watch something and in the 1st 10 minutes it’s loads of subtitles we stop watching it.
If I wanted to read the story I’d buy the book which will inevitably be better.
Yes the Iranians speaking Farsi to each other is realistic but for years when watching a World War 2 film and we had 2 Germans talking to each other it would be in English with a German accent and I, for one, could make the leap of imagination that it would be highly unlikely that they would really be speaking English to each other.
Now for realism half the film is in a foreign language but for some reason you still have to believe a 60 year old 5’5 Tom Cruise could beat up 5 men bigger than him in a fight?
Make it make sense

usefull if you are deaf and you can turn them off.

EnjoyingTheSun wrote: ↑

Fri 11 Sep 2026 1:52 pm

Am I the only person who has had enough of the endless subtitles in films and tv series.
As a rules of thumb If we watch something and in the 1st 10 minutes it’s loads of subtitles we stop watching it.
If I wanted to read the story I’d buy the book which will inevitably be better.
Yes the Iranians speaking Farsi to each other is realistic but for years when watching a World War 2 film and we had 2 Germans talking to each other it would be in English with a German accent and I, for one, could make the leap of imagination that it would be highly unlikely that they would really be speaking English to each other.
Now for realism half the film is in a foreign language but for some reason you still have to believe a 60 year old 5’5 Tom Cruise could beat up 5 men bigger than him in a fight?
Make it make sense

Just turn them off

Brazen wrote: ↑

Sat 12 Sep 2026 7:21 am

Just turn them off

I would do but my Farsi, Cantonese, Russian & Swahili aren’t up to scratch.
My point isn’t the subtitles, it’s the insistence of tv companies and film makers to insist on having what they advertise as a film or programme in English half in a foreign language. Like I say I think most of us could make the huge leap of imagination that the two Chinese guys wouldn’t be actually speaking English to each other, we totally suspend belief for dozens of things in the film or programme anyway

Completely with you ETS. As a rule I don't watch much stuff with subtitles, but this fairly recent approach of supposed English language films interspersed with foreign language subtitles is nuts, and I just don't watch.

Now for realism half the film is in a foreign language but for some reason you still have to believe a 60 year old 5’5 Tom Cruise could beat up 5 men bigger than him in a fight? For interest maybe you should look up what injuries he has suffered and what training he does before and after any of his movies. For some reason we always accept that the James Bond players are the toughest of all but they mainly use doubles for the most hazardest parts whereas old man Tom is still there doing what people 30 years younger won’t even attempt. Could he really defeat 5 bigger guys in a fight? I would not like to be one of the five who tried - lol.

waddo wrote: ↑

Sat 12 Sep 2026 9:45 am

old man Tom is still there doing what people 30 years younger won’t even attempt. Could he really defeat 5 bigger guys in a fight? I would not like to be one of the five who tried - lol.

He does a lot of his own stunts but come on…?
Also on the subject of James Bond I was never totally convinced that Roger Moore could beat up several baddies at the same time.
Maybe in this thirst for realism rather than them always getting a parking space right outside the building they are going in they can drive around for an hour before settling for a space a 15 minute walk away?
It reminds me of that great comedian Jackie Mason talking about sex scenes being put in films for realism. As he said people also have soup. In his case he had soup far more often than he had sex but when was the last time you saw soup being consumed in a film?

Turn them off, but I do appreciate them if I'm watching a movie when actors and actresses have strong American accent. Particularly from the South.

John Wayne playing Genghis Khan comes to mind, and Allo Allo.

Being somewhat hard of hearing I welcome subtitles in both films and TV series! Life is difficult enough trying to understand Turkish but for a person born in the UK I find it difficult to understand what a Welch/Irish/Scottish person is talking about in their normal local accent. In that case subtitles prevent misunderstanding of the subject. A few good examples where subtitles can be very beneficent to all are F1 commentators, football fanatics, the talking heads of comedian's and in particular the rushed approach to any news - action on the spot - broadcaster who is not sure what they are doing, why they are doing it and if they are actually giving out "News" or just an opinion! Subtitles have their place in all things and the beauty of them is that if "YOU" don't like them then "YOU" can turn them off - the downside for other people is that if they require them for clarity and they have not been included then "THEY" can't turn them on!!! So keep them going and I will be able to understand scouser's, londoner's, taff's, paddy's and jocks - but what do I know, I am just an old smoggy when it comes down to it!

It's not such a modern trend. In The Longest Day film about the WW2 DDay landings, which was made in the 1960s, the Germans featured all spoke German and clear English subtitles were used.

waddo wrote: ↑

Mon 14 Sep 2026 3:59 pm

Subtitles have their place in all things and the beauty of them is that if "YOU" don't like them then "YOU" can turn them off - the downside for other people is that if they require them for clarity and they have not been included then "THEY" can't turn them on!!! So keep them going and I will be able to understand scouser's, londoner's, taff's, paddy's and jocks - but what do I know, I am just an old smoggy when it comes down to it!

Again it’s not the subtitles I have the problem with it’s having a third to half a film in a foreign language for perceived realism

jayceebee wrote: ↑

Mon 14 Sep 2026 4:54 pm

It's not such a modern trend. In The Longest Day film about the WW2 DDay landings, which was made in the 1960s, the Germans featured all spoke German and clear English subtitles were used.

Not seen it in donkeys years but i doubt they were speaking German for 10 minutes on end. Just a tasteful achtung and a hande hoch I’ll wager

Soner wrote: ↑

Mon 14 Sep 2026 3:34 pm

John Wayne playing Genghis Khan comes to mind, and Allo Allo.

One of the Duke’s most nuanced parts.
Peter Sellers in the Pink Panthers for me