# Incredible **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [September 18, 2024, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429 "2024-09-18T12:28:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/1 "2024-09-18T12:28:49Z")
No, not one of the many songs with that name. This thread was inspired by my re-watching _The Incredible Shrinking Man_ on _Svengoolie_ over the weekend. The movie is based on Richard Matheson’s novel _The Shrinking Man_, but when they made the movie (which they began doing even before the novel was published) they changed the title to “The _Incredible_ Shrinking Man”, as if the title didn’t have enough _oomph_ without that word. Maybe they thought people would think the film was about a guy who was just very, very shy. The novel continued to sell under its original title until 1983, when it appeared as "The Incredible Shrinking Man in Britain, and again in 1988. It didn’t get the adjective in the US until the 1995 Tor edition. Obviously, the publishers were taking advantage of the more familiar movie title, even at that late date. As far as I ca tell, only one movie prior to this had “Incredible” in the title – the 1942 short _The Incredible Stranger_. But introducing that word into the title of the science fiction movie based on Matheson’s book started a trend. First, to compete with the success of the Universal B-movie, American International made a film about a man who grew, instead of shrinking. _The Amazing Colossal Man_ came out. They used a different adjective, but they were clearly copying the title and the premise (both size changes are somehow the result of radioactivity, the usual 1950s bugaboo). They hammered home the idea in the following year’s sequel , _War of the Colossal Beast_ (No “Amazing” this time, though. Even though the original Colossal Man was a low-budget quickie, this was even lower budget, as evidenced by the fact that they couldn’t persuade the original leads to star in it.) But now we got a whole stream of “Incredible” movies, as if the titles would not be compelling enough to lure moviegoers in from their warm living rooms and TVs: **The Incredible Petrified World (1959) The Incredible Journey (1963) The Incredible Mr. Limpet (1964) The Incredibly Strange Creatures who Stopped Living and became Mixed-up Zombies (1964) The Incredible Two-Headed Transplant (1971) The Incredible Invasion (1971) The Incredible Sarah (1976) The Incredible Hulk (1977) The Incredible Melting Man (1977) The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981)** … and plenty of others in later years. Actually, The Incredible Hulk took its title from the Marvel comic, which started with that title in 1962. But the trend of superfluous adjectives in titles continued with “Amazing” and “Fantastic” and others. I have to admit, there were lots of titles with “Amazing” or “Fantastic” in them pre-1957. But it’s hard not to see the influence of “The Incredible Shrinking Man” in “The Amazing Transparent Man” (1960) or “The Fantastic Invasion of Planet Earth” (as the 1976 re-release of Arch Oboler’s 1966 3-D science fiction film _The Bubble_ was called. ) ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/2 "2024-09-18T12:32:31Z")
I hate to nitpick, because it is an interesting subject, but didn’t we already do this? > [@The Incredible Amazing Colossal Adjective Superhero/Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-incredible-amazing-colossal-adjective-superhero-monster/970720): > > I blame producer Albert Zugsmith. There might be an earlier example, but I think he started it all. Richard Matheson submitted an idea for a film to Universal Studios to be called The Shrinking Man. He wrote the screenplay, and also the novel based on the idea, which was published in paperback under that title. Zugsmith, the producer, evidently thought the title needed “punching up”, so he retitled it The Incredible Shrinking Man, which is how the film was released (Many decades later, Matheson … (You know it’s an interesting subject because I remember the earlier one.) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/3 "2024-09-18T12:46:16Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > but didn’t we already do this? Incredible! ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/4 "2024-09-18T12:46:45Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > I hate to nitpick, because it is an interesting subject, but didn’t we already do this? I completely forgot about that. It’s incredibly interesting, though. Amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/5 "2024-09-18T13:05:04Z")
All of those adjectives were used as the one word titles of Science Fiction pulp mags. I suspect sci-fi films (and most certainly Stan Lee) were attempting to cash in on that association. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/6 "2024-09-18T13:07:09Z")
At least it’s not as repetitive as The Attack of the the Eye Creatures." ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/7 "2024-09-18T13:59:21Z")
For completist purposes: _The Incredible Sex Revolution_ (1966) - Another (largely unwatchable) Zugsmith flick. On a tangentially-related note, Incredible Edibles the toy first came out in 1967. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/8 "2024-09-18T14:00:55Z")
Okay, then try this – What adjective _hasn’t_ been used in titles. I thought this would be easy, but I find that a lot of these words have been used multiple times in titles. Sometimes even as a single-word title. **Pointless Inevitable Uninspiring Boring Incapable Atrocious Off-Putting** In fact, the only ones not used in movie titles (although used in TV episodes or pod-casts) were the pair **Nauseating** and **Vomit-inducing.** So if you’re looking to make your film stand out, there are two adjectives you can use. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/9 "2024-09-18T14:24:28Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Incredible! You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. …what? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/10 "2024-09-18T14:47:08Z")
I can’t wait for Pixars new super hero movie, **The Incapables**. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/11 "2024-09-18T15:48:55Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > I can’t wait for Pixars new super hero movie, **The Incapables**. And it’s sequel, The Inevitables. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/12 "2024-09-18T16:24:37Z")
Or the prequel, **The Indescribables**. But I wouldn’t expect very many reviews. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/13 "2024-09-18T16:28:17Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > But I wouldn’t expect very many reviews. **The Inscrutables** got confusing reviews. No one understood it. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/14 "2024-09-18T17:13:05Z")
After the Reign of Terror, there was a youth subculture of [Incredibles](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incroyables_and_merveilleuses), who acted out in wild exuberance at their survival (a psychological phenomenon seen again in the roaring twenties and the riots right after VJ Day). One of their affectations was to wear their hair shorn on the back, as had been done to the condemned prior to guillotining. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/15 "2024-09-18T17:44:41Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > **The Incapables**. > [@](#): > > **The Incapables**. > [@](#): > > **The Indescribables** > [@](#): > > **The Inscrutables** One of the things I love is that Pixar and/or Brad Bird clearly chose the name “The Incredibles” and the symbol of the stylized “I” so that it stood for the first letter of the group name in as many languages as possible (although not all of them): Os Incriveis – Brazilian Portuguese Les Icroyable – French Los Increibles – Castilian Els Increibles - Catalan Izbaviteiji – Croatian Imelised – Estonian Les Indestructibles – Eurpean French The Incredibles - European Portuguese Ihmeperhe – Finnish Gli Incredibili – Italian Los Increibles – Latin American Spanish Iniemamacni – Polish Incredibilii – Romanian Inanilmaz Aile – Turkish > **[The Incredibles](https://international-dubbing.fandom.com/wiki/The_Incredibles)** > > The Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated superhero film written and directed by Brad Bird, produced by Pixar Animation Studios, released by Walt Disney Pictures, and starring the voices of Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Sarah Vowell,... ’ ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/16 "2024-09-18T17:50:27Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Or the prequel, **The Indescribables**. But I wouldn’t expect very many reviews. Don’t forget **The Ineffables**. And The Litotes… ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/17 "2024-09-18T22:11:23Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Don’t forget **The Ineffables**. Eff them. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/18 "2024-09-18T22:16:52Z")
I have to assume that naming anything **The Unreleasable** would be asking for trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/19 "2024-09-18T22:19:32Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > I have to assume that naming anything **The Unreleasable** would be asking for trouble. Especially if you hired Alan Smithee to direct. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2024, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429/20 "2024-09-18T22:21:35Z")
Other than [Varan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varan_the_Unbelievable), have there been any Unbelievables? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/incredible/1007429.md?page=2)