Director Steven Spielberg doesn’t care if moviegoers can’t understand the Spanish dialogue in his new adaptation of “West Side Story,” because he believes it’s “disrespectful” to the nation’s second language to include a translation.
Spielberg spoke about the film’s lack of subtitles, despite featuring Spanish speaking characters.
“I don’t know if anybody really questioned it, I don’t remember anybody saying you’ve got to subtitle it,” the “Jurassic Park” director said. “I felt that subtitling the Spanish was disrespectful to the second language of this country.”
“It would make English the dominant language because then there would be two being spoken: the English by the characters speaking and the English that would [be written] underneath the spoken Spanish words,” he continued.
Spielberg said that the choice was made “out of complete respect to give dignity where dignity is earned and deserved to be given.”
The film, which is the latest silver screen update of the late Stephen Sondeheim’s 1957 Broadway Musical, comes out this weekend.
Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler star as star-crossed lovers from rival 1950’s street gangs. Elgort’s Tony hails from the all-white Jets, while Zegler’s Maria is affiliated with the Puerto Rican Sharks.
Several middle eastern countries have banned the movie over the inclusion of a trangender character that is played by non-bianary actor Iris Menas. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, and Kuwait refuse to screen the film, as homosexuality is outlawed in the region.
A few of the countries requested that Disney cut the character out, but the studio refused to comply with their demands.
wpDiscuz
outside of cupcakes, who’ll watch!!!
Liberal stupidity. It’s Everywhere! Not having English subtitles is DISREPECTFUL to those of us (the vast majority) who DON’T speak Spanish!