Though they’re an important part of film restoration, subtitles are only noticed when they’re bad. Dating from the late 1920s, superimposed titles were first added sparsely to foreign-language sound films (only enough to barely follow the story), the belief being that people didn’t want to read at the movies. In recent years, new technology has helped make them sharper than ever—both visually and textually. In this illustrated talk, generously punctuated with film excerpts and stills, Rialto Pictures founder and co-president Bruce Goldstein gives a history of the subtitle, along with an insider’s look at how the company has revamped and revitalized the translations of timeless classics like Grand Illusion, Panique, and Forbidden Games. Originally presented for AMIA at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.
Approx 60 min.