le cinéma

There's an ad on French radio that goes something like, "Don't you recognize me? It's Mel Gibson's voice!"

Conversations with my friends have a taught me that when English language films are dubbed in French, it's typically the same voice-over actor that works for the foreign actor. Except for Jodie Foster, who does her own dubbing, which is nothing short of amazing. When I saw "The Spiderwick Chronicles," Alexandre said that the troll was played by "Stallone's voice." Well, the guy who dubs Stallone, that is. I don't even know who plays the troll in VO - Nick Nolte, perhaps?

Which makes me wonder, how can the French tell if someone is truly talented if they can't hear their voice? Morgan Freeman, Kevin Spacey and George Clooney (some of their favorites) all have particular ways of speaking. The fact that Johnny Depp can do so many different accents is part of what makes him a good actor. But none of that translates. "Gone with the Wind" in French could very well take place north of the Mason-Dixon line, or even in Paris since the southern drawl is erased. The actors in CSI, whether they be in New York, Miami or Las Vegas, all sound the same. I saw "Iron Man" a few weeks ago, and while it was okay in French, it would have been better if I'd been able to hear Robert Downey Jr.'s quirkiness. And it wasn't until half-way through the film that I recognized Jeff Bridges. Had it been his voice, I would have known right away, despite the bald head and beard, which prevented Alex from recognizing him as well.

Maybe that's why the French are so focused on the film's director. Not just Woody Allen, but David Lynch, Wim Winders, Martin Scorcese, Tim Burton and Les Frères Coen. Maybe they're better able to focus on features other than the actors themselves.