Top Ten Fun Facts About German Dubs of Movies
While in most countries foreign movies get subtitled, they almost always get dubbed for their release in German speaking territories (I know not even a handful of movies where that isn't the case), which is a standard procedure. While the dubs are mostly faithful to the original, there are some instances where there is something weird about it, which is why I made this list.In the original version, it's not so different. Freddie Highmore was 14 and Madonna was 48.
This is funny, because the joke is entirely different. Typically, most African-Germans speak neutral German or have an accent resembling their mother tongue. It looks pretty funny seeing black people having such a strong Bavarian dialect. It's a lot like the Irish cowboy joke in "Family Guy". However, it's not so unusual seeing the old white lady speaking it. In a way, the joke is opposite to the English one, where the Jive speak suits the African Americans but not the old lady.
The guy also dubs John Travolta, John Cleese and Terence Hill.
Not really a film fact, but it is what makes the series a cult classic over here.
Of course, "The Great Dictator", "The Stranger" and "The Trial in Nuremberg" are still about nazis. But for example, "Notorious" has all verbal nazi references removed, and "Bedknobs and Broomsticks" was heavily edited.
Due to the fact that in its initial release, this movie as well had its Nazi content removed, the entire movie was re-dubbed centuries later, more faithfully to the original. But the quote "Look into my eyes, kid" has already been so famous that it was criticized they didn't leave it in the movie.
Character is off-screen --> let them say something funny, even though he doesn't say a word in the original.
When Netflix got the rights for the movie, they made a dub of it, 20 years after its initial release.
Due to copyright issues. There already was a zoo called "Zootopia".
One of the few cases where I like the German title and dubbing edit better than the original. Sounds more cold-hearted, which fits the tone of the movie.
The T.V. series has J-pop music and a very serious and dark tone, the movie is light hearted and has 2000s pop rock and rap music playing. Considering the movie, I can kind of understand why Digimon is less popular in the USA, they often made it look like a Pokémon rip off rather than a way darker anime serious of its own.
For example in "Pulp Fiction".
Of course, in the German dub, they speak German, but the movie is set in America, so it wouldn't make sense that they are aware of the fact they speak German.
Other actors in the same situations do. For example, Christoph Waltz, Daniel Brühl and Til Schweiger dub themselves. Klaus Kinski only infrequently did. Most of the time, the standard voice actor of Louis de Funes dubbed him.
In a few movies, like "Fargo", he has a different, deeper voice, but mostly, yeah, it's the same.
Happens regularly on Family Guy. While most American movie actors and musicians are just as famous over here, stand up comedians and T.V. hosts mostly aren't, because Germany has their own.
What is the point of getting the singer of a popular and successful band who's had a career lasting for over a decade and still is relevant AND has lots of loyal fans for a movie about SINGING and not have her singing even one song?
That's like saying: we hired Hayley Williams for the dub of a character that essentially reflects everything she stands for... but the songs are sung by Scarlett Johansson.
Scarlett does a great job, for sure, but it just feels so weird that they hired a popular singer only for a speaking role in a movie about music.