# Iron Monkey - Language **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 19, 2001, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-monkey-language/88477 "2001-10-19T19:29:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2001, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-monkey-language/88477/1 "2001-10-19T19:29:38Z")
I saw _Iron Monkey_ last night, and it rocked. But one thing bugged me the entire time. I’m not sure if this should be in GQ or whetever, but: Why is the movie both dubbed **and** subtitled? The dubbing is into some other Asian language (the words and the mouths totally don’t coincide). I looked it up on IMDB and it said that the language was Cantonese. Anyone else notice this? Anyone have answers? ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2001, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-monkey-language/88477/2 "2001-10-19T20:05:30Z")
The movie’s _subbed_!?! :eek: As for the dubbing “back into Chinese” (so to speak), it’s a common enough practice for Chinese movies to be dubbed from Cantonese into Mandarin or vice versa. I’m sure someone will pop in here with more information, but it simply seems as if the American company that bought the rights bought one of the dubs. ---
**Author:** ![Demise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/34f0e0/32.png) [@Demise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demise)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-monkey-language/88477/3 "2001-10-20T00:47:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KKBattousai \* > **The movie’s _subbed_!?! :eek:** Yup, like _Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon_. It’s a good quality sub too, easy to read and preserved the humor of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-monkey-language/88477/4 "2001-10-20T01:19:34Z")
I don’t know. “Iron Monkey”- is that some mistranslation a la Donkey Kong or did they name it that on purpose? Or is it a comedy? Don’t mean to offend but it’s just that I can’t help but burst into laughter every time I see the trailer… ---
**Author:** ![shmigheghi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@shmigheghi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shmigheghi)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-monkey-language/88477/5 "2001-10-20T02:52:41Z")
I really don’t get the name. The name of the hero of the movie is Iron Monkey, but that’s a pretty cheesy name anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-monkey-language/88477/6 "2001-10-20T17:57:27Z")
Well, it’s not a serious movie like _Crouching Tiger_, it’s pretty funny and makes fun of itself a bit. Plus, I think that most Asian cultures hold the monkey in much higher regard than ours. ---
**Author:** ![Yue\_Han](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/eada6e/32.png) [@Yue\_Han](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yue_Han)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-monkey-language/88477/7 "2001-10-20T18:03:00Z")
There’s a really kickass set of Monkey legends in Chinese folklore, maybe it’s based on that? I haven’t heard anything about this movie but off the top of my head that’s what I’d guess. –John ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2001, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-monkey-language/88477/8 "2001-10-20T20:01:59Z")
I think one of the kung fu styles is called monkey. There’s also crane and tiger, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-monkey-language/88477/9 "2001-10-23T16:37:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Yue Han \* > **There’s a really kickass set of Monkey legends in Chinese folklore, maybe it’s based on that? I haven’t heard anything about this movie but off the top of my head that’s what I’d guess.** I saw the movie last Sunday, and thought it was worth seeng on the big screen. Even if you don’t like “fight movies” it’s good and there’s a great cooking scene. There’s a number of shots that include large monkey statues, and the peasants seem to recognize _some_ symbolism of it, so I’m willing to go with Yue Han’s guess. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-monkey-language/88477/10 "2001-10-23T17:09:21Z")
I saw Iron Monkey last Sunday (it was terrific!), but I can’t remember if it was subtitled or not, and I can’t remember if the audio was in English or not. Darn – the old synaptic gaps seem to be misfiring. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iron-monkey-language/88477/11 "2001-10-23T18:13:04Z")
I saw it. Enjoyed it immensely, even if it doesn’t quite make my list of favorite kung fu flicks. It was subbed. As for the dubbing, most mainstream releases in HK are dubbed, aren’t they? It has to do with the fact they have to be able to quickly release films into more language markets than we do over here. So, I’ve always taken great pleasure in informing people that the dubbing is bad in the original versions, too. 🙂