Today [14.2¾]

Thanks Joan :)

I'm sure everyone already knows that today is the 50th Anniversary of Doctor Who.

The Anniversary Special episode is shown simultaneously in 75 countries worldwide, both on TV and in selected movie theaters. I have my set-top boxes ready to record the original from BBC 1, with original audio track and Finnish subtitles from Finnish YLE2 and a German dubbed version from Fox Germany.

About this Anniversary Special:

Sonic screwdrivers at the ready. The sci-fi show's 50th anniversary celebrations reach their peak with this epic adventure that brings together Matt Smith's Time Lord and his predecessor David Tennant - and throws veteran actor John Hurt into the mix as a third Doctor, who was first glimpsed at the end of the last series. The story begins with three separate plots, as something terrible awakes in London's National Gallery in 2013, a murderous plot is afoot in Elizabethan England and an ancient battle reaches its devastating conclusion somewhere out in space. As these strands draw together, all of reality is at stake - and the Doctor's own dangerous past comes back to haunt him. The cast also includes Billie Piper, returning as Rose Tyler, alongside current companion Clara, played by Jenna Coleman, plus Jemma Redgrave, Joanna Page and Ingrid Oliver. Also being shown simultaneously in a number of UK cinemas

Cast:*Billie Piper, David Tennant, Ingrid Oliver, Jemma Redgrave, Jenna Coleman, Joanna Page, John Hurt, Jonjo O'Neill, Ken Bones, Matt Smith, Peter De Jersey

Runtime: 1 hour 15 minutes

(Quote from: http://tvguideuk.telegraph.co.uk/)

Like a kid before Christmas, I can barely wait. Still 30 minutes to go, the Anniversary Special airs (most probably also in your country) at 19:50 (7:50 PM) GMT, 20:50 (8:50 PM) CET, 2:50 PM EST, 11:50 AM PST.

Signed: A huge Doctor Who fan since almost 40 years,
Kari

I'm recording it too Kari.

I know what I will be watching tonight!



Nommy

I will enjoy the original on BBC1, then directly after it check how it was translated to Finnish watching it from Finnish TV with subtitles.

I gave it my attempt but I ended up recording it from BBC1.
Plan to watch it tomorrow after I finished my thesis.


Nommy

I've watched it on BBC now, just started the German dubbed version, thereafter the one with Finnish subtitles, so it will be the same episode three times in less than four hours.

It's quite interesting to compare the translations. As here in my adopted Germany all foreign film and TV is dubbed, the translations lose something when they try to keep the dubbed translation close to actual lip movements, whereas in my native Finland like in all Scandinavian countries we use subtitles which means better translations, especially when the Finnish broadcaster YLE has used extremely good translators in translating the whole Doctor Who series.

A small and trivial but revealing example. In this screenshot is a scene from the beginning of tonight's Anniversary Special. Doctor is thinking aloud, asking from himself "Why am I saluting?". It is translated in Finnish subtitles exactly, word by word "Miksi minä tervehdin?" (miksi = why, minä + the last n in tervehdin = I am or am I, tervehdin = salute). In German dubbed version he says here "Warum sage ich so?", in English "Why do I say so?" because they need four short words with similar lip movements.

Not a big difference, I know, but if you think this is a simple sentence with only a few words, how do you think longer conversations are translated to German when they must all the time use words that when spoken "look" like the original words, keeping the word count. That's why I like the subtitles more, dubbing all foreign content is one of the things I hate most in Germany. Finnish subtitle translations are really close to the original.

I've spent a month or three in Berlin a few years back for school, and all I remember from watching the telly is dubbed films and series, with most of the time horrible voice actors (male with heavy voice dubbing a child, sometimes even the same person dubbing two or three persons in one film).
Never understood why they don't simply use subtitles in Germany.. Seems the best option as you'll be able to read it in German and still hear it with the traditional voices.


Nommy

I may be the odd one, but never cared for it. A Guy