Elling again
Yesterday we saw Elling again, courtesy of a special edition, exclusive to Lovefilm (of which more later). It was just as good as the last time we saw it, and I get the feeling that it’s one of those films like ‘The Big Liebowski’ and ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ that I could happily watch many times, particularly when I’m feeling a bit cheesed off with life.
What I can’t understand is why this film—-which had a cinematic release in 2001, and which has won a clutch of awards—-hasn’t been released as a subtitled version in the rest of Europe yet. At amazon.co.uk, you can buy a US version, but it’s both a Region 1 disc (which isn’t too much of a problem for most people in the UK) and in NTSC format (which is).
I notice with a slightly sinking heart that a new version is being made in the US. Yet again, it seems, Hollywood has decided to try to remake a masterpiece unnecessarily, just to get English speaking actors in the roles. But the original actors were brilliant, and I thought that hearing the original Norwegian added enormously to the appeal. Part of the charm is hearing the way that the actors stress words and pronounce things, even if you don’t understand a word of Norwegian. If anyone knows where I can buy an English subtitled PAL format DVD of this film, do let me know.
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Here's a Danish website you can order it from (although it would give you Danish packaging). I see in the photo on the back cover that English subtitles are an option. Sound is, of course, in the original Norwegian. They appear to deliver to the rest of the world. Delivery to the rest of Europe starts at DKK 140.00. I have no idea what PAL format means, so I can't check that.
Anyway, I'm sure you'll be able to find it elsewhere. It would also make more sense to have the packaging either in English or in Norwegian. But if you can't find it elsewhere, then this is an option. Feel free to e-mail me if you want help with the language when ordering.----- You put too many 'i's in "The Big Lebowski". Love your blog, btw.
by Chris @ 16/01/2006 10:02 am • Permalink •
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David (TEFL Smiler): Yay! Thanks for that - if I don't manage to find it elsewhere, I'll try to order a copy from that site. I don't mind if it has Danish packaging, as long it has the original Norwegian soundtrack and English subtitles.
Chris: Ack, so I did. Lebowski always looks wrong somehow.
by bsag @ 16/01/2006 7:01 pm • Permalink •
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Look on the bright side! How in the world could Hollywood EVER create anything more appallingly bad than their interpretation of Starship Troopers? Surely we've already hit bottom...
haven't we?
Of course, if you think American movie adaptations are bad (look at how they killed La Femme Nikita's ending), try our U.S. television. I love Coupling (which we get via BBC America - YAY!), but one of our networks tried an American version (why not just run the British original?). They wanted to make the actors all a bit more "beautiful" (whether or not they could actually act). They ended up with characters that neither I nor my wife could keep straight. Now tell me how can you possibly mess up so badly that a pair of Coupling fans couldn't tell Jane from Susan?!? Personally, we didn't think anyone needed to be more beautiful -- we love the whole cast just as they are!
by Kevin Gunn @ 17/01/2006 8:02 pm • Permalink •
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Kevin Gunn: I wasn't that mad about Coupling, particularly after the Welsh character (I've forgotten his name) left. But I know what you mean. I watched the US version of The Office, too, and it was pretty awful.
by bsag @ 19/01/2006 7:02 pm • Permalink •
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Okay, so I'm not very good with Markdown. Trying again.
http://www.michaeldvd.com.au/Articles/PALvsNTSC/PALvsNTSC.asp
by MenTaLguY @ 19/01/2006 10:01 pm • Permalink •
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Hmm, I had a conversation with an Australian friend about this not too long, before sending him a DVD for Christmas (I'm in the US). Region issues aside, NTSC shouldn't be a problem for PAL players, nor PAL discs for NTSC players. They can rescale.
by MenTaLguY @ 19/01/2006 10:02 pm • Permalink •
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As a follow-on, here's the article that came up during that conversation:
by MenTaLguY @ 19/01/2006 10:02 pm • Permalink •
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Why does Hollywood always seem to need to produce bad versions of brilliant, (or at least good) European films? "Three Men and a Baby" is pretty dire in its Hollywood form, but a very enjoyable, and immensely funny film in it's French original with Gerard Depardieu. It's a great pity that neither the BBC or Channel Four these days sees fit to broadcast as many European films with subtitles as they once did - and if Channel Four does, it is usually far too late at night, requiring one to set the video, which nearly always seems to go wrong. I guess it's a case of 'roll on" the days when we get broadband connections that the Japanese already enjoy - some 60 meg, I believe, then it'll just be a case of downloading, with no need to worry about the plethora of television systems that blight our world.
Does anyone have an idea where I could find Welsh films, on DVD? I've tried contacting S4C, (Welsh Channel 4) and was told that they are available in the shops. (But only a couple, and on VHS as far as I could discover)
by Padi @ 30/01/2006 7:02 am • Permalink •
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