Humorous Today Words Internet

Hollywood Gets Lost In Translation was the headline of a very entertaining piece in Friday's USA Today. It was all about new titles American movies often get when they play in foreign markets.

For instance, Get Smart might not mean anything in countries where the TV show never aired, So in France it was called Max The Menace, in Italy it was Agent Smart: Casino Totale, in Taiwan Is The Spy Capable Or Not? and in China, simply Confused Spy.

There were numerous examples given in the article along with reasons for the translation, ranging from "it just sounds better in that language" to "it provides a hint of the plot to audiences who might be skeptical of what is, to them, a foreign film." Here are some of my favorites mentioned:

Knocked Up became Slightly Pregnant in Roman Catholic Peru and One Night, Big Belly in China.

When Grease was re-released for it 30th anniversary recently it was Vaseline in Argentina.

American Pie transformed into American Virgin Man in China.

Alien played Poland as The Eighth Passenger Of The Nostromo.

Much Ado About Nothing showed throughout Latin America as Lots Of Noise And Not Many Nuts.

The current Dark Night in Mexico became The Knight Of Night.

The classic comedy Airplane! got the way better German title The Unbelievable Trip On A Wacky Airplane.

After I read the article I did a little poking around online and found a few more worth sharing, including this batch of Japanese translations of U.S. films. They sure love to put the word love in their titles.

Something To Talk About was When Lost In Love.

Sleeping With The Enemy became When Love Is Broken.

Final Analysis turned into The Suspicion Named Love.

Out of Africa? The End Of Love And Sorrow.

An Officer And A Gentlemen, The Departure Of Love And Youth.

And, my favorite, As Good As It Gets turned into A Romance Novel Writer.

And a couple more from Mexico before the credits roll:

There Will Be Blood became Bloody Oil.

No Country for Old Men was No Place for the Weak.

Juno grew to Juno: Grow, Run and Stumble.

And the most accurate of all, in Germany Woody Allen's angst classic Annie Hall was renamed Urban Neurotic.

Comments

[Kings Fan]

While I was in Mexico recently, I noticed that I had to translate the title of the movie to know what was actually playing. I do remember "21" being listed as "Black Jack", which I guess is an accurate translation.

[maltese parakeet]

here's another one - the sound of music:

in mexico: the rebellious young nun (la novicia rebelde)

in italy: all passionately in its entirety (tutti insieme appassionatamente)

in france: the melody of happiness (la melodie de bonheur)

[Jessica]

When I was in Brazil last summer, I wanted to catch Ocean's 13. I scanned the names in Portuguese but didn't find anything resembling Ocean or a number. And then I saw "Hombres con un segredo" Or Men with a secret. I wonder what Ocean's 11 and 12 were called?

[Geo]

Let me guess, Swing Vote translated in any other language means, I Just Blew Ten Bucks.

[Emily Alexis]

I lived in Thailand for a few years as a kid, and I remember renting "California Man" with my brother. We looked everywhere for it when we got back to the states, but no one had a clue what we were talking about. It was years later before I saw a poster for "Encino Man" and finally figured it out.

[Jared]

When I was in Poland years ago, I remember seeing the poster for the classic Robert DeNiro/Billy Crystal mafia comedy: Depresja Gangstera.

[Bananafish]

Depresja Gangstera (Analyze This) actually means Depressed Gangster. That translations makes sense. I love the random Chinese ones...those wacky Asians.

http://twowhiteboys.com/2008/

[IHeartBean]

I understand if a movie's name is changed if the English does not translate well in the new language. Of course "Free Willy" was changed in the UK since Willy means something else over there. But usually the name change is unnecessary. When I was in Paris a few years ago they called "Brokeback Mountain" "Le Secret de Brokeback Mountain." Why not just keep the title the way it is?