Idea translated: nº 15833 of ideator Spirit


End protectionism in film inside the United States by allowing dubbing


As we all know, for better or for worse, Hollywood movies rule the world, 90% of movies we watch being Hollywood productions. Much of the credit for its success throughout Europe is that movies are dubbed, which -want it or not- even if the movie is bad, makes it easier for the audience to watch, given that many people become tired of having to read subtitles. This makes it easy for American movies to succeed and make money, thanks to our help. But, in the United States, dubbing is not allowed (a protectionist measure towards their own movie industry), only subtitled foreign movies can be screened, so that most of the movies shown in American cinemas are shot in English, and only a minority of European movies make the screens, which, it must be said, earn close to nothing at the box office, since Americans aren't too keen on reading or watching movies that are not in English (which is why certain Spanish productions are shot in English, such as The Others, Darkness, etc.) (and for this reason, too, if a European movie is good, since it cannot be dubbed, Hollywood will shoot a remake of it).

Therefore, European cinema (and Latin American movies, too) are at a disadvantage, for there is no reciprocity. My idea consists in allowing non-English language movies to be dubbed so that foreign films have a chance of success with the American audience, and, while we're at it, let them know there is life beyond Hollywood. Apart from social measures, President Obama can encourage this kind of cultural initiatives, which will also provide jobs for young dubbing actors who currently have to content themselves with dubbing only cartoon series and video games.


To make the idea clearer, I have made the following drawings illustrating the situation:

(I can't show the images in their original resolution here, but if you save them and then open them on your computer, you will be able to view them perfectly)







This would be an imaginary top list of movies, if Americans could watch movies such as “Alatriste” or “Pan's Labyrinth” dubbed in English, without having to watch them subtitled.