Subtitles on Pirated DVDs

[jadeblomma]

I just got back to Sweden from China where I bought a lot of films (55!). Before buying them I made sure with the sales clerk that they all had English subtitles since I'm, unfortunately, still at a beginner's level of Chinese. Knowing the word 'zimu' and seeing 'English' and 'yingwen' at the back of the suggested films made me believe that there were English subtitles. Half of them do not have it though. Needless to say, I'm so disappointed. Now I have to wait a few years before I can actually watch and understand them...

Are there mostly pirated DVDs sold in China even in stores, and is that the reason for there not being English subtitles even though the cover says there are?

Does anyone else have this experience?

Edited May 23, 2009 at 02:58 PM by jadeblomma

[atitarev]

Does anyone else has this experience?

I get that a lot but you can also get pleasant surprises. Quite common with Chinese, Japanese and Korean movies, series:

1. The cover doesn't say there are no English subs but there are.

2. The cover says there are English subs but there aren't.

3. There are English subs but they are crap, the sentences don't make sense, names can be translated as words or meaningless expressions, probably translated by an automatic translator.

I found that final episodes are the worst.

[Mouseneb]

My favorite is when you get a totally different movie inside than what is advertised on the packaging.

[Erbse]

The cover is just a rough indication what could be inside.

[flameproof]

Why buy DVDs when you have the internet?

(whoever, it's annoying that in China they still go for that RMVB format)

[jadeblomma]

"Why buy DVDs when you have the internet? "

The FRA law is a Swedish legislative package that authorizes the state to warrantlessly wiretap all telephone and Internet traffic that crosses Sweden's borders. It was passed by the Parliament of Sweden on June 18, 2008, and took effect on January 1, 2009. Since then people have been sentenced to prison and to pay millions for damages. Recent surveys have shown that at least half of the population is against this law, but since it is in effect I abide it. This is why I buy my films.

[yonglin]

Usually, shopkeepers download movies from one place, then download a cover which (hopefully) corresponds to the title of the movie from some other place. Obviously, they couldn't care less about English subtitles since their main audience doesn't require it. If you really want to know, you could ask them to try playing the DVD (they usually keep a DVD player in the store), but I guess that's a little bit too late.

On the other hand, you can count yourself as lucky if the DVDs actually work. My experience from China is that 20-25% usually break down (scratches, errors, etc.) before you get to the end of the movie.

I also buy my Chinese (pirated) DVDs, because here they sell for C$2 (in Chinatown) and the lady in the store where I usually go is so sweet. Moreover, I've also had far better luck with quality here than in China (they all played to the end!). On the whole, however, there is little correlation between subtitles indicated at the back and actual subtitles.

[anon6969]

Well the clue might be in the title that they're PIRATE DVDs.

Next you'll be telling us you paid 20rmb each for them...

Edited May 24, 2009 at 01:24 AM by imron
language

[jadeblomma]

I didn't think the DVDs sold at for instance Wangfujing bookstore were pirated, but I suppose that's a reasonable explanation to the reason why so many of them did not come with the promised subtitles. I have even written to the book store, but (of course!?) received no answer.

Different prices, different films. For a couple of them I actually even payed 200 yuan.

Edited May 23, 2009 at 07:28 PM by jadeblomma

[anon6969]

I think we might live in two different worlds.

[yonglin]

Different prices, different films. For a couple of them I actually even payed 200 yuan.

Were these like sets of 20 DVDs or so...?

[anon6969]

They are magical DVDs that reveal the ancient secrets of the Chinese way of the dragon.

[flameproof]

The FRA law is a Swedish legislative package that authorizes the state to warrantlessly wiretap all telephone and Internet traffic that crosses Sweden's borders. It was passed by the Parliament of Sweden on June 18, 2008, and took effect on January 1, 2009. Since then people have been sentenced to prison and to pay millions for damages. Recent surveys have shown that at least half of the population is against this law, but since it is in effect I abide it. This is why I buy my films.

This is not a strong point to buy pirated DVDs.....

You can still D/L free to air TV rips. If the resolution is good you can read the subs well. For free to air rips the law is not that clear.

Another option is Youtube. HQ flics are still nice quality when you watch them full screen.

I didn't think the DVDs sold at for instance Wangfujing bookstore were pirated

It's a fair guess. But in China you never, never ever know. But I think if charged you can uses that as defends to get a lighter sentence. Quite lot of large shops sell MS Office for RMB20...