I just watched Let the Right One In, and while I know the title was literally translated from the Swedish (Låt den rätte komma in), I can’t help wondering if there’s an idiom that didn’t come across, and the sense of the title might be clearer as,* Don’t Let the Wrong One In*. Then last week, I’ve Loved You So Long came in, and of course we all joked that the REAL title was probably Me Love You Long Time.
OK, your turn: mistranslate a film title in such a way that will make us all laugh.
Sorry that my example is not a film title - but it’s a music video, close enough right? I was listening to a very catchy Spanish song by Juanes called “Adios Libido” and wondering why this sexy Mexican was singing “goodbye sex drive”. But then the end of the video came and I saw that the title was in fact “A Dios Le Pido” (I pray to God). Very different meanings for practically homophonic phrases.
Ladri di biciclette --> Dude, Where’s My Bike?
Yojimbo–> Hey, Jimmy!!
Ha! We have a running adlibbed “screenplay” here at my vidstore: a gangsta version of *Yojimbo *called Yo! Jimbo! Starring, variously, Samuel Jackson, Ice T, Christopher Walken, Queen Latifah, or Dakota Fanning, depending on who we’re goofing on that day.
When my sister was in high school Spanish, her group had to translate a film title into English. The native Spanish speaker in the group looked at it confused - “It’s 'What the Wind Took Away,” she said. They couldn’t figure it out.
“Gone With the Wind,” of course.
I took Film back in College. Ladri was a film we watched and discussed. The topic of title translation actually came up with this film.
[Spoiler tag deals with the ending of the movie.]
The Professor actually stated that the title on some english versions"The Bicycle Thief" is a mistranslation.
The professor stated that the title should be Bicycle Theives, but in the same breath then stated that it would give away the ending.
Also, one of the models of bike stolen translates roughly into “a fake” which the Prof stated could be seen as a represenation of the character.
It’s Kubrick’s last film:
Eyes Wide Open!
Apparently, when Dr. No was released in Japan, they didn’t realize “Dr. No” was meant to be the name of a character, and the title they used ended up translating to something like “There Isn’t A Doctor.”
And then there’s the old urban legend about someone either misremembering or mistranslating The Grapes of Wrath as Angry Raisins.
Not necessarily funny, but interesting interpretation:
In Japan, the 2000 film Remember the Titans starring Denzel Washington was given the title タイタンズを忘れない (Titans wo wasurenai) which means “don’t forget the Titans.”
The absolutely charming (if not particularly memorable) UK film, “Mrs. Henderson Presents” (as in, to present a play) was translated into Japanese as “ヘンダーソン夫人の贈り物” Hendaason-huzin no okurimono literally 'Mrs. Henderon’s Gift." Not quite the same meaning.
We were all taught at an early age ‘don’t run with scissors!’
So, could Blade Runner be translated as ‘Problem Child’?
Even more twisty would be to translate ‘Ben Hur’ as ‘Deja Vu’.
As in ‘I don’t know, but I think I ben hur before.’
Ducks
Dude, have you seen that movie Das Boot? It’s German for The Boot. It’s about this submarine. I’m not sure what it has to do with a boot, but dude, it’s awesome!
Someone who’s just started Spanish 101 might mistake Amores Perros for a movie about bestiality.
(or maybe just a Spanish retelling of Lady and the Tramp)
The recent Criterion restoration was titled The Bicycle Thieves.
Saw as “Viewed”.
“The Trout Who Telephoned Wanda”
A View To A Kill becomes “I See Dead People”.
Star Wars = “Celebrity Battles.”
“I Am Wondering The Box Of Benjamin’s Fastener”
“I Am A Traditional Tale, Possibly False”
Samuel L. Jackson in “My Aircraft Is Full Of Eels”
Morrissey, FYI; there’s no Jim. And yes, I know that; I still can’t help wondering if there’s something idiomatically different about what that phrase suggests to a Swedish audience and an English-language audience.
OK, those are pretty funny. Although I can’t work out “I Am A Traditional Tale, Possibly False.”
I Am Legend