This is topic Movie Titles in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Tom Ferreira (Member # 70) on 08-16-2000, 07:59 AM:
Looking over the thread on cinema owners using absolutely no imagination when naming their theatres made me think about one of my biggest pet peeves-film producers putting absolutely no thought into the titles of their films.
Who in the hell was the genius that thought a film called Disney's The Kid conveyed any sense of excitement and must-see for this film?
Any then there's the nonsense, forgettable titles that are just bland and boring:
Ex:Basic Instinct, Fatal Attraction, Final Destination, Double Jeopardy, and the entire Steven Seagal body of work.
They're all just interchangable.
Exploitation film producers in the sixties and seventies knew that a good title was key to drawing them in before word of mouth got out as to the quality of a film. Whatever you think of the film, and it doesn't have a whole lot of defenders, I Spit On Your Grave is a great movie title-sure would make me curious, plus it looks great on a marquee. Massacre At Central High was far from a horror film; it was a pseudo political thriller, but who's going to know that before the opening weekend's grosses come in? Disney's The Kid makes me think of the bastard son of Walt. Sounds like the kind of cinematic crime that would piss off Cecil B. DeMented(the best title so far this year, by the way).
So, ladies and gentlemen, your thoughts please-what movie titles do you think went a long way towards selling a film, and which ones just plain suck?
Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 08-16-2000, 09:51 AM:
Is "Coyote Ugly" a nature documentary? 
------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Posted by Tom Ferreira (Member # 70) on 08-16-2000, 02:28 PM:
Why, indeed it is, John, much like the films on Cinemax at 2 AM are, only the nature being studied is the female form.
I can only believe that Scary Movie was a satirical swipe at bad titles, much in the same way Wrongfully Accused was.
Another favorite was Johnny Dangerously("Do you know your last name's an adverb?"), and also, while I hate putting long titles on a marquee, What's Eating Gilbert Grape perfectly conveyed the tone of the film, while making you curious for more.
Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 08-16-2000, 05:57 PM:
I always liked the Naked Gun titles:The Naked Gun
The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear
The Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult
My pet peeve is movies named after song titles. They almost always suck.
Posted by Christopher Barahona (Member # 516) on 08-17-2000, 12:37 AM:
Autumn in NY-
Chicks, please come to our movie.
Way of the Gun-
Not bad, i wanna see it sort of.
What Lies Beneath-
huh?
Castaway-
Very nice Zemeckis, I'm there. Hey Tom.
Posted by Richard C. Wolfe (Member # 431) on 08-17-2000, 12:55 AM:
Speaking of long titles....Does anyone remember: "Oh dad, Poor dad, Mommas Hung You In The Closet and I'm Feeling So Sad".
The title was better then the film! and it took longer to change the marquee then to show it.
Posted by Evans A Criswell (Member # 381) on 08-17-2000, 12:12 PM:
I think a couple of great titles that should be used for movies:"Closed for Repairs"
and
"Out of Business"
Imagine a single-screen theatre advertising one of these! 
Posted by timothy johnson (Member # 83) on 08-17-2000, 01:51 PM:
I love porno title rip offs of big hollywood films. I think it's funny like:
Jur - ass -in the park
shaving ryans privates
and others I can't say here
Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 08-17-2000, 02:53 PM:
My personal favorite rip-off title: Forrest Hump.
Posted by Joe Grace (Member # 341) on 08-17-2000, 09:04 PM:
I just got done watching a movie at a friends house this afternoon, It was called "Don't Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood", It had its funny parts! But it didnt have a story line at all!
Joe
Posted by Richard C. Wolfe (Member # 431) on 08-17-2000, 10:44 PM:
and then there was the X rated version of Pinocchio back in the 70s that used the adline: "Pinocchio, it's not his nose that grows"
Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 08-18-2000, 03:19 AM:
Also for the Pinocchio film...see the surprise when he lies! This used to be available from the local 16mm distributor...and no, I never saw it.I always thought a movie called 'Free Beer' would bring in some business...
Posted by timothy johnson (Member # 83) on 08-18-2000, 02:35 PM:
what about the drive in film "closed for the season" I have been missing that one every fall.
Posted by Dwayne Caldwell (Member # 417) on 08-18-2000, 08:44 PM:
I'm sure there's a porno title out there called The Nuttin' Professor.------------------
The man with the magic hands.
Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 08-20-2000, 08:55 PM:
Here's a couple long-winded ones:
"The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies"
"Doctor Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb"For quite some time now, many titles have shown no imagination; they just use phrases (or parts of phrases) and cliches:
"The Whole Nine Yards", "Where the Heart Is", "The Next Best Thing", "Whatever It Takes", "As Good As It Gets", "Body Double", "Saving Grace", "Home Alone", "Fatal Attraction", "Lethal Weapon", "A Few Good Men", "Look Who's Talking", "You've Got Mail", "Total Recall", "Keeping the Faith", "The Straight Story", "Rules of Engagement"
And the list goes on...
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Better Projection Pays!
Posted by Tom Ferreira (Member # 70) on 08-20-2000, 10:04 PM:
Those are the kind of titles I'm talking about-why would you spend $40-$50 million to make a movie, then call it "Whatever It Takes" or "Lost Souls"? I still say a bad movie with a good title will do more business than a good movie with a bad title.
Posted by Paul Cunningham (Member # 501) on 08-22-2000, 12:46 AM:
What about those customers whose complete lack of knowledge about movies should get them banned for life?Eg What is The Brady Bunch Movie about?
Star Wars - I've never heard of that.
James Bond - is that with Sean Connery?
Posted by Wade Brashers (Member # 581) on 08-22-2000, 01:09 AM:
I like the title's:
"Boycot the Concession Stand"
"Throw stuff at the Screen"
"Complain About Box Office Prices"
then there's:
"Hey, You Could Be Drinking Armpit Shavings"
or how about:
"Pulp Jesus"
"Jesus Scissorhands"
"The Good, The Bad, and The Jesus"
Posted by Wade Brashers (Member # 581) on 08-22-2000, 01:12 AM:
Which reminds me...Whats up with "Untitled Cameron Crowe Project" they film the untitled script, finish the movie and then call it "Almost Famous" just so it looks good on a movie poster?
which also reminds me of Ed Wood...
"Its called I Changed My Sex, we don't have a script yet but we have a poster, it opens in 6 weeks"
Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 08-22-2000, 09:34 AM:
The one title that had everybody here scratching their heads was "October Sky", which didn't seem to have much to do with the plot, kids with rockets (ok, maybe the 'sky' part, but just barely). One of the ushers here got the proverbial light-bulb-over-the-head and realized that "October Sky" was an anagram for "Rocket Boys", the book that the movie was based on. . . which solved nothing. So why not just call it "Rocket Boys" which was after all, what the movie was about ?!?! Hard to belive, but people who make more than you or I make these decisions.
Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 08-22-2000, 12:39 PM:
Yes, the title used to be as important as the movie itself. They were descriptive, and original."The Sons of Katie Elder", "Citizen Kane" (which would today be titled "Tangled Web" or some such), "Star Wars", "Smokey and the Bandit", "Rebel Without a Cause", "The Thin Man", etc.
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Better Projection Pays!
Posted by Paul Konen (Member # 41) on 08-22-2000, 02:35 PM:
Don't forget aboutNow Hiring or Coming Soon
Paul
Posted by Michael Pace (Member # 553) on 08-31-2000, 06:14 AM:
I seem to remember a title from my days in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea as;TAKE THIS JOB AND SHOVE IT.
Found that it took a bit of convincing patrons that it was its real title.
Michael.
Posted by Jesse Skeen (Member # 586) on 09-02-2000, 08:40 PM:
For the record, the title of the Pinocchio film is "The Erotic Adventures of Pinocchio". I've actually seen this film and no, it's not as funny as the title or tagline.
One of my all-time fave X-rated titles is "Bodacious Ta-Tas"- very profound and literary title!
Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 09-02-2000, 10:40 PM:
Ah, yes.... I remember projecting 'Bodacious Ta-Ta's'...Almost as good a descriptive title as 'Titillation' or 'The T&A Team'...
Aaron
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-26-2000, 03:23 PM:
Paul Konen sent this one in. What a great booking combination! 
Posted by James R. Hammonds, Jr (Member # 673) on 02-01-2001, 12:40 AM:
my favorite titles are IM GONNA GIT YOU SUCKA and SORORITY BABES AT THE SLIMEBOWL BOWL-A-RAMA.
Posted by Bob Maar (Member # 763) on 02-24-2001, 06:28 AM:
Another long one from the 70's.."The Assination and Persecution of Jean Paul Marat as performed by the inmates of the Asylum Charrendom under the Direction of the Marquee de Sade" On the marquee we put
Marat/Sade
Posted by Bob Maar (Member # 763) on 02-24-2001, 01:18 PM:
OOPs!! same one as above. Forum leader please delete
Posted by Greg Anderson (Member # 235) on 11-07-2001, 11:49 PM:
I just saw this last week in Salt Lake City...
Posted by Paul Turner (Member # 832) on 11-08-2001, 03:31 PM:
This one got 2 1/2 stars in Boxoffice: "Vacuuming Completely Nude in Pradise." I was greatful to not see Marlon Brando in the lead . . .
Posted by Evans A Criswell (Member # 381) on 11-09-2001, 09:14 AM:
I sawCORKY ROMANO
DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE
FROM HELL
as the last three movies on a marquee at Regal Madison Square 12 in Huntsville last night and it struck me as funny.
When "THE PATRIOT" was coming to this theatre, while the person putting the letters up was rearranging them, they had
"THE PTA RIOT"
up there for a bit, which would have been much more interesting.
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Evans A Criswell
Huntsville-Decatur Movie Theatre Information Site
Posted by Geoffrey Weiss (Member # 882) on 11-09-2001, 12:53 PM:
Best two porn titles:Yank my Doodle, It's a Dandy
Analmentary, My Dear Watson
Title I Kind of Liked:
Dude, Where's my Car?--though it doesn't really set you up for the alien subplot.
Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 11-09-2001, 01:19 PM:
Another Porn title that was not made:"Unzip my dee-doo-dah..."
Sorry. Couldn't help myself.
Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 11-11-2001, 04:43 PM:
And today's winner is ... Goodrich Holland 7 from Holland, Michigan, for their rendition of "Monsters Inc on 3 Screens From Hell"! Congratulations! 
Posted by Andy Muirhead (Member # 712) on 11-11-2001, 06:59 PM:
Aww Brad!Why does Ian not let me right click on images? i can understand why you don't allow right-clicking on members photo's but some of those marquee shot's were so funny i'd love to mail them to some guy's in the job who would appreciate the humour!
Posted by Sean M. Grimes (Member # 445) on 11-12-2001, 03:11 AM:
Use Netscape or Opera to leech pictures off. Just make sure in Opera that you have Java not enabled, it causes no bookmarking errors with it's version of Sun Java...
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 11-12-2001, 03:19 AM:
Ian is just like that.
Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 11-12-2001, 05:27 AM:
In Internet Explorer on any platform you can just drag a graphic that is displayed on a web page and put it on your desktop (it will save as a file, not your "wallpaper") or in a folder on your desktop. It's that easy. I bet Ian didn't forsee THAT!
Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 11-12-2001, 07:23 AM:
The other week the TV listing in my local paper included a broadcast of John Ford's classic western, 'They Were Expandable'...
Posted by Evans A Criswell (Member # 381) on 11-12-2001, 02:46 PM:
Wow, Joe, I had no idea you could do that with an image from IE. Thanks for the tip. It is a good way to get around the "right click disabled" annoyance.
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Evans A Criswell
Huntsville-Decatur Movie Theatre Information Site