I made a mistake trying to watch this one with mediocre-quality headphones, but Criterion made a bigger mistake by releasing this thick dialect movie without subtitles or even closed captioning. It looked like I might have enjoyed this if I could understand a word of it, but I'll never know for sure...
I don't know what version you watched, but the 2011 Criterion release has subtitles. This movie would be all but incomprehensible without them.
I like it how the characters say 'thou' and 'thine', etc. Whatever low class dialect this is, it's ironically closer to Shakespeare than the respectable English of My Fair Lady.
I've got an ear for accents, but we're so deep in Yorkshire in Ken Loach's Kes that I might have needed subtitles. But Loach's approach is immersive faux documentary. It feels like we're watching real people (and we are, there are lot of non-actors) in real places, really speaking and living. The plot summary sounds like a heart-warming family picture - a poor, bullied boy finds solace in training a kestrel - but it really avoids formula, putting the bird sometimes far in the background to focus on school and family life (where the boy, Casper, is constantly brow-beaten and sometimes just plain beaten - the P.E. sequences gave me PTSD) and opting for literary naturalism where you just can't get out of the pit no matter how hard you try. To me, the most touching moment is when Casper is asked to talk about his hobby in front of the class and for the first time this kid who's neither good at academics, sports nor socializing comes alive. In another film, that would have propelled him into a secure or happy future, but Loach is too realistic for that. The movie ended, and I found I was openly weeping. For Casper, for my young self who was also into some niche thing more than I was into people, for billions of misfit kids throughout history who were abused or ignored by a system they never made.
I can see how a lot of people struggled with the Yorkshire accent, especially the children, but I'm from NZ and had little trouble understanding the majority of the dialogue.
Don't be intimidated by previous comments if you can't watch it with subtitles. A worthwhile film.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 19
nicolaskrizan
impossible not to be moved – in my bookhttps://beyond1001movies.wordpress.com/2015/02/11/backtrack-kes-1969/
Dieguito
What language is that? rsShazaaaam
I made a mistake trying to watch this one with mediocre-quality headphones, but Criterion made a bigger mistake by releasing this thick dialect movie without subtitles or even closed captioning. It looked like I might have enjoyed this if I could understand a word of it, but I'll never know for sure...kurvduam
(removed by mod: please post in English)Forzelius
that PE teacher thoughjustwannaboogie
It were right good film that. No need turn on t'subtitles.locovoco
It's all so crystal clear now... I finally get the ikigai (Japanese: 'reason for being') of the Sex Pistols....dazedhaze
How can't anyone understand their accents? It's dead easy like.-1flb2-
Great movie. Good story, with real life like conditions of the working class. No problem watching or understanding dialogue as others have mentioned.Jimbo Slice
Watched this on TCM and figured out that if I turned subtitles "on" in my cable box that I could understand things MUCH better!greenhorg
I don't know what version you watched, but the 2011 Criterion release has subtitles. This movie would be all but incomprehensible without them.I like it how the characters say 'thou' and 'thine', etc. Whatever low class dialect this is, it's ironically closer to Shakespeare than the respectable English of My Fair Lady.
thefilmstage
Fantastic.MilenaFlaherty
Very moving and incredibly sad. I need a zany comedy after this.Siskoid
I've got an ear for accents, but we're so deep in Yorkshire in Ken Loach's Kes that I might have needed subtitles. But Loach's approach is immersive faux documentary. It feels like we're watching real people (and we are, there are lot of non-actors) in real places, really speaking and living. The plot summary sounds like a heart-warming family picture - a poor, bullied boy finds solace in training a kestrel - but it really avoids formula, putting the bird sometimes far in the background to focus on school and family life (where the boy, Casper, is constantly brow-beaten and sometimes just plain beaten - the P.E. sequences gave me PTSD) and opting for literary naturalism where you just can't get out of the pit no matter how hard you try. To me, the most touching moment is when Casper is asked to talk about his hobby in front of the class and for the first time this kid who's neither good at academics, sports nor socializing comes alive. In another film, that would have propelled him into a secure or happy future, but Loach is too realistic for that. The movie ended, and I found I was openly weeping. For Casper, for my young self who was also into some niche thing more than I was into people, for billions of misfit kids throughout history who were abused or ignored by a system they never made.neocowboy
I can see how a lot of people struggled with the Yorkshire accent, especially the children, but I'm from NZ and had little trouble understanding the majority of the dialogue.Don't be intimidated by previous comments if you can't watch it with subtitles. A worthwhile film.
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