# Why doesn't "Room with a View" have closed captioning? (The closed captioning thread) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 6, 2002, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-room-with-a-view-have-closed-captioning-the-closed-captioning-thread/141006 "2002-12-06T20:17:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-room-with-a-view-have-closed-captioning-the-closed-captioning-thread/141006/1 "2002-12-06T20:17:30Z")
I just got a DVD of “Room with a View” (the wonderful Merchant Ivory film with Helena Bonham-Carter and Maggie Smith) for my mom. She has somewhat crappy hearing. She can watch a movie without closed captioning (sort of) but she enjoys having it left on. And so does anyone else around her—it spares us stopping the tape or DVD every few minutes to tell her about a pivitol line she missed. But, dammit, this wonderful (and I assume, popular) film **does not have closed captioning**! An old, out-of-print VHS tape has CC, so I’ve ordered that instead. For a price. (Not a really _high_ price, but I’ cheap.) The only version that has CC is an old VHS version. Why is this? Why are they screwing over all the hearing impaired movie lovers out there? Especially when it comes to a film as fantastic as “Room with a View”? Another rant about CC—why is it the first thing to go on a tape? The picture will look OK, but if the tracking is off just a little, the CC goes, or is all wonky. This sucks. This is especially a problem with somewhat used rentals. And then there are the unique “personalities” of different CC services. I didn’t realise, until I started watching movies with my mom (we’re all on a big movie-watching jag these days) that not all closed captioning is created equal. OK, just had to share. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2002, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-room-with-a-view-have-closed-captioning-the-closed-captioning-thread/141006/2 "2002-12-06T23:57:41Z")
Well, you can sometimes find a DVD with English subtitles (I know it’s not exactly the same as CC, but sound effects aren’t that important in _A Room With a View_ (except for the bicycle explosion that kills George in the alternate ending)). This place has it : [A Room With a View](http://www.blackstar.co.uk/video/item/7000000058914), but it’s marked Region 2. If you have a player that can change regions, and know how to do it, you could get it (at 17.99 lbs-Sterling). ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2002, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-room-with-a-view-have-closed-captioning-the-closed-captioning-thread/141006/3 "2002-12-07T13:27:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yosemitebabe \* > **Another rant about CC—why is it the first thing to go on a tape? The picture will look OK, but if the tracking is off just a little, the CC goes, or is all wonky. This sucks. This is especially a problem with somewhat used rentals.** Probably since captions are encoded into the 21st line of the 500-someodd lines of TV screen. \*\* > [@](#): > > And then there are the unique “personalities” of different CC services. I didn’t realise, until I started watching movies with my mom (we’re all on a big movie-watching jag these days) that not all closed captioning is created equal.\*\* That’s right. They are somewhat unique. In my opinion, the four “Big Names in Captioning” are NCI, Captions Inc., WGBH, and VITAC. I’m not sure about VITAC, but Mobo: NCI CAPTIONS USUALLY LOOK LIKE THIS. [MOBO] HOWEVER, THEY USED TO LOOK LIKE THIS. [GASPS] [Mobo] CAPTIONS INC. CAPTIONS LOOK LIKE THIS. [Gasps] Mobo: WGBH CAPTIONS USED TO LOOK LIKE THIS… _( pause )_ Mobo: But since a couple of years ago. They look more like this. I’m sure there are a lot more captioners, but those are the big ones. For more information on the technical part of captioning, I suggest the wonderful [Closed Captioning FAQ](http://www.robson.org/capfaq/), compiled by a captioner. Mobo85, a captioning fan who has wonderful hearing. It’s not just for the deaf! ---
**Author:** ![Caesar\_s\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/73ab20/32.png) [@Caesar\_s\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caesar_s_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2002, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-room-with-a-view-have-closed-captioning-the-closed-captioning-thread/141006/4 "2002-12-07T17:47:56Z")
I’m hearing impaired but I can watch TV or movies without captioning or subtitles…I just don’t see the point. Having the words on the bottom of the screen just helps in everything, including comprehension and recall of certain lines. Hearing it is different than reading it and both at the same time (at least in my experience) is even better. I have encountered several movies that don’t have English subtitles on them (which is how we watch DVDs). I can’t figure out why they wouldn’t, but usually the closed-captioning is there anyway. It just bugs me when movies aren’t captioned (also bugs me when TV shows aren’t…certain channels are horrible about anything being captioned while on others, like PBS, everything is). ---
**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2002, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-room-with-a-view-have-closed-captioning-the-closed-captioning-thread/141006/5 "2002-12-07T20:16:02Z")
Thanks everyone! mobo: Wow, thanks for the link! And yes, the “styles” of different closed captioning is really different. Fascinating. panamajack: thank you for the link to the DVD. I don’t know how to tinker with my DVD player, alas, but I guess that is something I can learn in the future! I will be satisfied if this used tape will have the subtitles. Ceasar’s Ghost: I see the value in CC more and more, since watching these movies with my mom. I didn’t realise how much people mumble. For instance, the film “Buckaroo Banzai”—the sound mix was bad, or something, because I’ve _always_ missed some of the lines in that movie, and a lot of other people with good hearing have the same complaint. I just got the DVD, and am _so_ enjoying watching it with CC on! I definitely get annoyed when certain shows or movies aren’t subtitled. How can they _not_, is what I wonder? ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2002, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-room-with-a-view-have-closed-captioning-the-closed-captioning-thread/141006/6 "2002-12-07T23:41:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yosemitebabe \* > \*\*I definitely get annoyed when certain shows or movies aren’t subtitled. How can they _not_, is what I wonder? \*\* They don’t have to. According to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, At least 75% of programming that aired before 1998 must be captioned by 2008. All programming first aired after 1998 must be captioned by 2006. I always say “The closed-captioning is only as good as the closed-captioner.” I’ve seen some horrible caption jobs in my day. Hopefully, with these laws that are coming, we’ll have a long line of good captions for everyone…or something. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2002, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-room-with-a-view-have-closed-captioning-the-closed-captioning-thread/141006/7 "2002-12-07T23:46:33Z")
My hearing is average, but I always watch shows that I care about with the captioning on. It helps me catch lines and especially characters’ names. Also, I like to watch in the middle of the night when everyone else is asleep, so I’ll usually turn the volume down to 10% to be nice. ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-room-with-a-view-have-closed-captioning-the-closed-captioning-thread/141006/8 "2002-12-08T01:16:52Z")
yosemitebabe, I have that video if you’d like it. I haven’t watched it in quite some time and it’s just collecting dust. If you’d like to see if you can cancel your order, I’d be happy to send it to you. If so, just email me at [bpayne@iwon.com](mailto:bpayne@iwon.com) and I’ll get it in the mail. Heck, I might even throw some other movies that are just collecting dust. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2002, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-doesnt-room-with-a-view-have-closed-captioning-the-closed-captioning-thread/141006/9 "2002-12-08T02:35:18Z")
I think the CC was left off ROOM WITH A VIEW in order to give an uninterrupted view of Julian Sands’ and Rupert Graves’ respective schlongs during the bathing sequence. (For Rupert, even a well placed smaller case ‘o’ might be too much.)