The Lives of Others

[feuervogel]

If I've never mentioned it before, I love this movie. Even if I had to give up and turn the subtitles on because actors mumble or the sound effects are too loud or they use words I just don't know. It's really hard *not* to look at subtitles when they're there. (If there'd been an option to have it subtitled in German...)

This time, I noticed that Udo, the second Stasi guy, spoke Berlinisch. Ick, uuf, jut, meen.

So I have a page of notes that I plan to organize and break down using The Hollywood Formula (TM), to find out more about the character motivations &c. I'm not sure who's the protagonist & antagonist here, though. When I make the post, I'll invite anyone who's seen it to weigh in and argue with me about the thoughts I have. It's a fairly complicated fillum.

And I've managed to stay up later than I intended. Hrm.

Comments

[smarriveurr]

Loved that film. And I hit the same problem - had to turn on the damn Untertitel, and once I did, my comprehension went to crap because my brain locked on "reading English" mode.

[feuervogel]

I started unfocusing a little when the subtitles came up. I've gotten somewhat better at reading English while listening to German by watching football matches and reading twitter simultaneously.

[smarriveurr]

I think I need to get more immersion in, really. I got to the point where I think in German, but I can't activate the German side of my brain and the English side at once, so I have trouble translating or operating in both at once...

[feuervogel]

If I need to actively work in one language with the other playing (like if I'm trying to read an article in English and listening to a football match, or, worse, write anything in depth), I find that I have to tune out the audio. But that goes for English-English as well (see the podcast discussion in the previous post).

But if I'm trying to translate something I'm listening to, it's not hard (except inasmuch as translating quickly is).

I generally advocate more immersion; the Goethe Institut in Berlin is very nice ;)

[acari]

I am so, so conflicted about the film. I'd be interested to read your thoughts.

[feuervogel]

I can imagine! I'll write after football, if I still have the will to live.

[ranyart]

I am not familiar with it, although I know I have heard you mention it before. Sounds like a good exercise, though. I often feel like I miss a lot of subtle detail in complicated movies.

[feuervogel]

Watch it! But don't read the post I just made. It is full of spoilers, and you really shouldn't spoil yourself on this.

(Oh they have it on Blu-Ray now... I can sell you the DVD copy & buy it on Blu-Ray?)