Monday 13 June 2011

Laughing in Translation

For some reason, the authorities like to rename films when they are released abroad Sometimes this leads to bizarre or funny titles.

In France:

Scream (1996):



"Frissons" means "Shivers"

Notting Hill (1999):



"Coup de Foudre" means "Love at First Sight".

In America:

Leon was called The Professional
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was called Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Apparently, Americans do not like the word "philosopher".

The play "The Madness of George III" was changed to "The Madness of King George" for the movie because Americans would not understand it was not a sequel.

However, "Dennis the Menace" was changed to "Dennis" in the UK already has its own "Dennis the Menace".

UK Dennis -



US Dennis (not as mangy)



The Shawshank Redemption is voted as the Internet Movie Database's top film, scoring 9,2 in terms of reviews on average. Here is a list of the strange definitions that it was called in other countries when it was released there, with translations:

Die Verurteilten - The Convicted (Austria/Germany)
Sueños de fuga - Dreams of Escape (Chile/Peru)
Sueños de libertad - Dreams of freedom (Argentina/Mexico)
Τελευταία Έξοδος Ρίτα Χέϊγουόρθ - Last Exit Rita Hayworth (Greece)

Some other gems:

-Boogie Nights (1997)

-Atesli geceler - Hot Nights (Turkey)

- Jogos de Prazer - Games of Pleasure (Portugal)

Green Lantern - Avatar 2011 (India)

And a few others, thanks to http://www.joblo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47143:

Austin Powers: The spy who shagged me- The spy who treated me nicely (Singapore)

The Full monty- Six stripped pigs (Germany)

Dumb and Dumber-Two stupid people (Spain)

Babe- I am not stupid so I have something to say (China)

Leon- The professional killer isn't actually very cold (china)

Jaws-The White Shark (Germany)

The Piano-Wretch!let me cut off your finger (China)

From Russia with love-Nice kisses from China (France)

Die hard-Die Slowly (Germany)

As good as it gets- Mr Cat Poop (China)

K9- My partner with the cold snout (Germany)

Vampire in Brooklyn-I suck!i suck!I suck suck suck!(China)

Good Will Hunting-Bright sun, just like me (China)

All from Mexico:

American Pie 2 - Your Second Time Is Better

Airplane! - "Where's The Pilot?

The Breakfast Club - Club Of Five

Pulp Fiction - Violent Times

Desperado - Gunnman

Dolores Claiborne - Total Eclipse

Deliverance - Bitter Nightmare

About A Boy - A Great Kid

Windtakers - War Codes

Gosford Park - Death At Midnight

Full Metal Jacket - War Face

Ghost - Love Shadow

Midnight Cowboy - Lost In The Night

MallRats - Modern Youth

Kids - Lost Lives

Heat - Fire Vs. Fire

GO - Living Without Limits

Moulin Rouge - Love In Red

Snatch - Pigs And Diamonds

Wallstreet - Power And Greed

Can you name any others?

Alistair Anderson

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