This past weekend, “A Quiet Place Part II” was released and the box office revived. However, despite this movie strongly featuring a critically acclaimed deaf actress, it was released without subtitles throughout the movie. This forced people who rely on or like captions, to seek out the few open captioned screenings available or use closed caption equipment.
An Unwelcome Trend
This has continued a trend of movies including deaf characters using sign language. But by not 100% subtitling the movies, the studios fail to acknowledge the fact many deaf and hard of hearing people want to comfortably see one of their own on the big screen.
The award-winning “Sound of Metal” was released in UK theaters with 100% subtitles because the Director, Darius Marder, insisted upon it. But here in the United States, “Godzilla vs Kong,” with a deaf girl, was released in theaters without 100% subtitles. Then “A Quiet Place Part II” was released in theaters without 100% subtitles.
Studios Need to Encourage Open Captions (OC)
Further, some people are saying that they wish that the studios would at least encourage the offering of open captioned (OC) screenings for these movies that have deaf actors. That would free deaf and hard of hearing people from the burden of having to request accessible open captioned screenings.
American movie studios apparently fear what would happen if they released a mainstream movie with 100% subtitles. The subtitles on the award-winning foreign film “Parasite” did not prevent it from becoming a huge hit, and even made many moviegoers realize that subtitles are not a big deal.
More “Deaf” Movies Coming
Upcoming theater releases that have deaf themes or deaf characters, include the award-winning “CODA” (August) and “Eternals” (November). Will they be released in theaters with 100% subtitles? They probably won’t be.
Will either “CODA” or “Eternals” be released with 100% subtitles or will the studios actively encourage open caption screenings? Not unless YOU demand it by getting the word out on this petition. Link is very easy to remember! https://tinyurl.com/ocmoviesnow.