Revisited, Dubbed this time

Rating: Null/10 (26 September 2003)

I promised I'd post a comparative review of the dubbed version and, I hate to say it, the subtitled one is better. The dubbing rather than being a faithful translation and interpretation actually changes the exposition and employs the hollywood lump-hammer to drive 'subtle' points home. I can't give an example without spoilers, but what she says when she's on the bridge and sees the squiggle in the sky loses a lot of subtlety. It seems to reflect on US adults giving US kids less credit for intelligence than Japanese adults give their kids.
Also, the moment when Chihiro first weeps is completely robbed of its significance by bad voice direction allowing far too much emotion to come out too early. What in the japanese version comes across as anxiety comes across in the dubbed version as anguish or anger.
Sorry, I tried to leave my "brie" at home!