BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » Sherlock dubbed versions

tobeornot221b · April 18, 2012 5:07 pm

Fortunately most of us can watch Sherlock in the original version – at least on DVD.

But many countries – including my own – feel the urge of dubbing EVERYTHING (including the on screen texts…).
In my experience a dubbed version can be quite a different kettle of fish. Hardly ever is there an improvement. Deviations with regard to the original result from the lack of transferability into other languages; dubbing has to come to terms with actually untranslatable expressions and the need to lip sync. That's quite a job, I presume.
In the case of Sherlock the script of series 1 was not that bad IMO– the choice of voices was…erm…something I couldn't fully agree with.
Nevertheless, at least they didn't ruin it completely...

I'm quite excited about the forthcoming airings of Scandal (May 17th), Hounds (May 27th) and Reichenbach (May 28th) here on ARD. I suspect nothing good but I'd love to be wrong about it.

I'd find it interesting to read about your impressions of your respectable country's dubbing version with regard to our loved and cherished original.

Davina · April 18, 2012 5:11 pm

Is there any way we can access these in the UK?

tobeornot221b · April 18, 2012 5:30 pm

Have you ever tried an online tv recorder? It works well for me and I use to record all my favourite British programs. Maybe there is a possibility for you to record other countrys' programmes as well. As far as I know it's perfectly legal and almost for free.

Or you can order it from amazon:
http://www.amazon.de/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?__mk_de_DE=%C5M%C5Z%D5%D1&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=sherlock&x=0&y=0
Or you can pay a visit to me...

Davina · April 18, 2012 5:39 pm

Thanks! I'm going to try the Amazon site to see what is available. It will be interesting to watch, and hear, the German dubbed version, when I am so familiar with the original.
And you never know about a visit, the last time I was over was for last year's Oktoberfest.

Irene Adler · April 18, 2012 5:39 pm

Ok, you've opened Pandora's box here, I think...

I hate dubbing. I hate it. Even though they say Spain has one of the best dubbing schools in the world. But, for me, it feels so unnatural and so wrong...
Sadly, the town I live in only has two cinemas and they both program all the movies dubbed. If I want to watch a movie in it's original version, I have to travel 90 km (I did it to watch King's speech, Tinker tailor soldier spy, Shame and some others, but I can't always do that).

Sherlock has been aired in Spanish TV, but I have never watched it. I first watched the six episodes online and then I bought the DVDs. Sherlock's voice in Spanish is the most out of character thing I've ever heard.
And here you have the proof:

And Moriarty's also quite annoying:

And here you have a nice video someone did with Sherlock's dubbing in Spanish, French and Russian.

tobeornot221b · April 18, 2012 5:50 pm

Impression of German Sherlock:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq8ZCE_oSo4

btw: Sherlock and John address each other in the formal form - up to the very end of the pool scene... I wonder whether they will change this ridicilous thing in series 2.

Last edited by tobeornot221b (April 18, 2012 5:55 pm)

Wholocked · April 19, 2012 2:15 am

OH MY GOD THAT IS JUST DREADFUL. All actors, but I've noticed particularly Benedict, use their voices to convey meaning as much as they use their bodies. I don't actually understand the over-dubbing. In Australia, a foreign film is played in it's original language with English subtitles. Why do they not do subtitles?!?!

Davina · April 19, 2012 6:41 am

I FAR prefer having sub-titles rather than having a programme or film dubbed. Alright it here might be more effort involved in reading the sub-titles but it is far, far, better to hear the original language. Being a bit of a sad language buff I love watching programmes in a language I don't know e.g. Wallender in Swedish and then I gradually work out what they are saying directly. That way I acquire even more bits of other languages.

Milkomeda · April 22, 2012 3:06 am

Sherlock in French is not too bad, not great though. Even if the French voice of SH is not as incredible as his actual one, I think it's fairly enjoyable. Lestrade's voice however is really awful, far too much acute. Also, I hate when English words (like "fun") are pronounced with a French accent -_-.
It's sad to miss the beautiful voice of Cumberbatch in Québec because of the dubbing. I watch season 1 in French and season 2 in English and hearing their real voice really made me love the show : ).

Irene Adler · April 22, 2012 8:48 am

Wholocked, here in Spain we do have the possibility of watching shows and films in original version, but in a minory of TV channels and cinemas. It's sad but true, we are one of the countries with less interest for other languages. So most of the people don't watch original versions just because they can't understand a word and are too lazy to read.
Davina... I watched Wallander in Swedish too!! You're talking about the Rolf Lassgard films? I watched them in Swedish with English subtitles (a real challenge, but I enjoyed it a lot).
In Sherlock's case, I had the bad luck of watching once Sherlock's phone call to John dubbed and it was so awful... I can't find a clip in YouTube, but I can tell you a friend of mine thought Sherlock was heartless after watching it. I mean, I had to send her a link to the original version because she thought Sherlock wasn't even crying. That awful the dubbing is...

Wholocked · April 23, 2012 12:57 am

Milkomeda wrote:
«Wanted! Schrödinger's cat. Dead and alive.»

Completely off topic but I just saw this in your sig and thought it was hilarious!!!

Milkomeda · April 23, 2012 1:10 am

I love that joke . I'm happy someone catches it, usually no one understands it !

Wholocked · April 23, 2012 1:19 am

Yeah I know. Most people have no idea if I mention it either!

miriel68 · February 25, 2013 5:00 pm

I first watched Sherlock in Italian dubbing, with my daughter and it was enjoyable, but I only fell in love with it when I had a chance to hear the original version (happens quite often). Italian dubbing is solid, but not exciting, not only because of the voices. In any case, I enjoy comparing the translations and different versions and lexical choices. For example, in Italian version, in the first episode Sherlock and John keep using formal address and they only switch to the informal "tu" in the BB. Watson uses formal "lei" while talking to Lestrade in TRF which I found a bit unnatural, since in the HoB he calls Lestrade "Greg". There are so many interesting small points... may be we could see them together and have some fun? There is for example this scene in Belorus prison with all the language errors Sherlock is annoyed with: they cannot be reproduced directly in other languages.

SusiGo · February 25, 2013 5:15 pm

I had the same experience with German. I watched it on TV and liked it well, but didn't get obsessed. In order to prepare myself for series 2 I bought the DVD and watched it in English. Since then - hopeless case.
The German dubbing is quite good actually, the voices are well chosen although Sherlock's voice is a bit too high if you know Benedict's. What I don't like is that Sherlock and John use the formal address "Sie" until the end. Men their age who are friends and share a flat would never address each other like that. At least not in the 21st century. Even in the cemetery John keeps addressing Sherlock like that and it sounds very stiff and formal.
And they had a real problem with Hounds. In Geman we don't have the alternatives dog/hound so it was a bit awkward. They had them pronounce it in a slightly different way but the overall effect was lost.

Mary Me · February 25, 2013 5:26 pm

SusiGo wrote:
And they had a real problem with Hounds. In Geman we don't have the alternatives dog/hound so it was a bit awkward. They had them pronounce it in a slightly different way but the overall effect was lost.

I assume a german Sherlock wouldn't turn around and take the case then, he'd just walk away and think: "What an idiot, can't even pronounce 'Hund' right!"

SusiGo · February 25, 2013 5:33 pm

Yes, it didn't work. This sort of long Huuuund sounds quite weird.
But they had many good ideas as well - I'm a translator, so it's quite interesting for me to compare the versions.

Mary Me · February 25, 2013 5:53 pm

Yes, I'm pretty content with the german version, though I like Martin's voice far more. And Benedict's.

*W.a.r.n.i.n.g! Fangirl moment ON*
I mean, let's think about it. Martin and Benedict do have so many similarities.
They're both amazing looking.
They're both amazing actors.
They've both amazing voices.
They're basically the most perfect humans on this earth...!
*Fangirl moment OFF*

Sometimes there are moments in the german version, when I don't really understand what they're actually saying and then things clear up when I read the english transcripts. Can't think of one of these moments, but here is an example.
Irene says: "Davon abgesehen will ich sie ja vielleicht wiedersehen." And I always thought she was speaking of Sherlock.
But in reality she's saying "I might want to see her again." So, I've learnt that she was actually referring to the royality member, not to Sherlock.

miriel68 · February 25, 2013 8:25 pm

SusiGo wrote:
. What I don't like is that Sherlock and John use the formal address "Sie" until the end. Men their age who are friends and share a flat would never address each other like that. At least not in the 21st century. Even in the cemetery John keeps addressing Sherlock like that and it sounds very stiff and formal.

And what form do they use in Sherlock - Moriarty interaction in German version? In Italian they chose informal "tu", thankfully (Italian dubbing is quite fond on formal address forms, but it would be really too much). It is always a problem - for me at least - when a villain announces politely (using "lei" form) that he intends to kill the protagonist!
I am a translator, as well, therefore I thrive on analysing translations of my favourite films!

Lily · February 25, 2013 8:46 pm

They used the formal "Sie for everyone - even for Molly.

I don't really understand the reason behind this. If the translaters weren't familiar with the use of "du" and "Sie" it would make sense. But why would German translaters working for a German company translate it like that? It is absolutely unusual nowadays to adress your friends with "Sie" and we don't use a combination of first name and "Sie".