Subtitles

Today, after much confusion over locations, lack of cell phone service, and movie times, we managed to purchase tickets to see Disney’s Coco. A slight hitch: it was only playing in Cantonese with no English subtitles. Looking back on the experience, I would recommend seeing a movie in a language that you don’t understand to everyone. After the first thirty minutes, I forgot that I was supposed to understand the dialogue and was completely drawn in by the characters’ facial expressions, tones, body movements, and the music. At the end of the movie, I was amazed to discover that I completely understood the plot, even including some subtle messaging, without understanding any of the language save for a couple phrases. It makes me even more conscious of the way that meaning can be communicated and understood through nonverbal means, or even verbally but through tone and the way the body, particularly the face, changes based on the speaker’s emotions and intentions. I think that the lack of reliance on words also lead me to careful consideration of the visuals of the film. Without an ear for language, I am experiencing Hong Kong more visually than I experience life in English. I am watching minute changes in facial expressions, the way that people move around one other in public spaces, the scenery, and the sky. I may not be grasping the intended verbal meaning behind many words, phrases, and conversations, but I am finding some meaning.