Korean Job Discussion Forums

[rumdiary]

International box office is obviously very important to films that are made in the U.S. Many times, domestic productions only become profitable after the world has had a chance to sample the goods. It makes sense that some movie titles will be changed in order to better communicate the movie's concept; especially with so many relying on English-language idioms and slang that doesn't translate well into other languages. Two films released today in France provide good examples.

Frederic Ambroisine, filmmaker and film critic, tweeted today that Get Him to the Greek has received a limited release in Paris, retitled as American Trip, while Youth in Revolt has been changed to Be Bad!. The former sounds vanilla, though the German version, pictured above, looks better; I prefer the Spanish title, Todo Sobre Mi Desmadre, which sounds positively decadent (All About My Total Chaos?). But I like the idea of Michael Cera trying to Be Bad! (love that added exclamation mark, and the phrase comes straight from the movie). In Mexico it's known as La chica de mis suenos (The Girl of My Dreams), which sounds pretty sappy.

There must be dozens of examples. (Videogum cites a few more from France: The Hangover as Very Bad Trip, Cruel Intentions as Sex Intentions, and Can't Hardly Wait as Big Party, while Asim Burney tweeted that Knight and Day was released as Night and Day.) Whether you live outside the US or have simply been passing through in your travels, what translated titles have caught your eye, for better or worse?

[johnnyrook]

Sometimes movies from other English markets get renamed in the US as well. It's no big deal. But given the character in question it's not surprising that people are leaping to conclusions from just hearing the headline.

[northway]

[Pa Jan Jo A Hamnida]

What previews? There won't be any until the Superbowl.

[rumdiary]

[happiness]

sure why not? makes sense. tron:legacy was tron new beginning here because noone knew the "Legacy" of Tron (they only had a videotape and it wasnt famous here then). I have no problem. No context here, so people may not like it.

As a Jew, I love the story of Captain America, the Jews first superhero (well he wast one, but he fought for us.) BTW The most famous Jewish superhero is Batwoman aka Kathy Kane. and shes a Lezbeean!

[T-J]

I think the intent of the title change in this case was probably more to do with tying the film with the other successful films in the series than avoiding any stigma.

One of my favorite foreign title changes is Bill Murray's 'Groundhog Day'.

Foreign Titles
Un jour sans fin (FR)
Atrapado en el tiempo (ES)
사랑의 블랙홀 (blackhole of love)