# Movies you refuse to see because of its stupid title **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 19, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819 "2013-02-19T18:17:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Jocko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncle_jocko/32/2932_2.png) [@Uncle\_Jocko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Jocko)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/41 "2013-02-20T00:33:26Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Threat Level Midnight Awesome. Speaking of “Oscar bait” … 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/42 "2013-02-20T00:38:04Z")
Maybe a more nuanced phrasing of the topic would be “Movies you’ve been turned off from seeing because of its stupid title”. To **refuse** permanently and categorically ever to see a particular movie, no matter how interested you might be in checking it out otherwise, **JUST** because you find the title stupid, seems like it would require an especially… tenacious personality. But if we’re simply talking about finding the stupidity of the title a serious disincentive to watching the movie, yeah, I bet most people have a few of those. ---
**Author:** ![Jungian\_Camisole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8baadc/32.png) [@Jungian\_Camisole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jungian_Camisole)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/43 "2013-02-20T00:49:24Z")
> [@Laggard](#): > > Threat Level Midnight Nicely done. 😉 The joke’s on you, Goldenface. That man’s a wanted animal rapist. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/44 "2013-02-20T01:12:40Z")
Maybe not refuse, but the titles are highly discouraging: The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies Can Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/45 "2013-02-20T01:13:28Z")
I had a friend who refused to see **V for Vendetta** because he said it sounded like Sesame Street. Name of the movie should have been A for Anarchy. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/46 "2013-02-20T01:36:00Z")
The premise of this thread makes no sense to me. I would never refuse to see a film that critics and audiences hailed as great due to the film’s title. But I consider myself to be a serious movie fan. It’s true that some movies have silly sounding names, but so do some novels or plays or songs. But if the material is good, what’s in a name? ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/47 "2013-02-20T01:55:01Z")
“Father Goose” ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/48 "2013-02-20T02:06:26Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > The premise of this thread makes no sense to me. I would never refuse to see a film that critics and audiences hailed as great due to the film’s title. But I consider myself to be a serious movie fan. > > It’s true that some movies have silly sounding names, but so do some novels or plays or songs. But if the material is good, what’s in a name? Because _Being John Malkovich_ just sounds so awful. Even though people were telling me it was a good movie. I didn’t know who John Malkovich was or why anyone would want to be him. I’m okay with a title that tells me nothing, but one that repels me isn’t getting my $3.50 ETA: The OP invited us this way: > [@](#): > > Let’s get shallow and judgmental ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/49 "2013-02-20T02:16:12Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > It took me five or six years to see _Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure_ for two reasons: > > 1. The title. > 2. Abe Lincoln yelling “Party on, dudes!” in the trailer. > > Once I saw it and realized it’s a fricking hilarious movie, I’ve made sure not to make such judgement errors (at least not for comedies). See, to me, that title exactly conveys the spirit of the movie. And, like you, I loved it! ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/50 "2013-02-20T02:32:30Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Will it make you feel better or worse to know that in my military career I usually heard it said as “Oh Dark 30?” Exactly this. As a former military wife, the phrase was ALWAYS Oh Dark 30. I cannot imagine why they felt they had to change something that had a long-standing history, so I refuse to watch it. Wankers. ---
**Author:** ![Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ian_D.Bergkamp)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/51 "2013-02-20T02:40:22Z")
I remember thinking at the time that _Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl_ was an unfortunately long-winded and awkward title, especially for one based on a ride at Disneyworld. I’m glad that it didn’t keep me from seeing it, though. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/52 "2013-02-20T03:58:08Z")
To explain my earlier post, I still don’t know who Jerry Maguire is or why I should care. That’s why I thought it was a dumb title. Kinda turned me off from ever seeing the movie. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/53 "2013-02-20T04:47:34Z")
> [@well\_he\_s\_back](#): > > To explain my earlier post, I still don’t know who Jerry Maguire is or why I should care. That’s why I thought it was a dumb title. Kinda turned me off from ever seeing the movie. Does this aversion apply to all movies that are just a character’s name? ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/54 "2013-02-20T05:07:10Z")
Krippendorf’s Tribe To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar Earth Girls are Easy Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Reality Bites Finding Forrester Mystic Pizza Wit Angels in the Outfield Gone Fishin’ Paul Blart: Mall Cop Cop and a Half Tyler Perry’s \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/55 "2013-02-20T05:19:49Z")
I have the movie _S-s-s-s-s-s-s_ in my NetFlix cue. I want to see it, but I’d feel like a real Melvin recommending it in conversation… (I’d love to see the marquee for a double bill of that and Roger Corman’s _Gas-s-s_, too!) ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/56 "2013-02-20T06:14:53Z")
> [@Sam\_A.Robrin](#): > > (I’d love to see the marquee for a double bill of that and Roger Corman’s _Gas-s-s_, too!) How about _Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song_? ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/57 "2013-02-20T15:25:40Z")
randwill - yes - If a title is just a character’s name, and I know nothing about that character, I will probably not be interested in the movie. If I read that the film had an extraordinary cast or hear something good about the movie by chance, I might change my mind. I don’t see many movies & can’t spend extra time trying to figure out why I should care who Jerry Maguire or John Carter or Larry Crowne are. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/58 "2013-02-20T15:31:47Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > I had a friend who refused to see **V for Vendetta** because he said it sounded like Sesame Street. That’s pretty dark for Sesame Street. And I watched back in the pre-Elmo 70’s era, when Grover carried a switchblade and Oscar openly sold Quaaludes to Mr. Snuffleupagus. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/59 "2013-02-20T15:38:18Z")
It’s not easy to explain, but unmemorable titles with the words Fear, Fearless, Extreme, Extreme\_\_\_\_,Super, Super\_\_\_ … not that they are guaranteed to be bad, but they are generic. Generic titles, and similarly titled movies get all mashed up together in my mind. They usually turn out to be grade C action movies with car chases and explosions. ---
**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:** [February 20, 2013, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819/60 "2013-02-20T15:40:58Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > I had a friend who refused to see **V for Vendetta** because he said it sounded like Sesame Street. > > Name of the movie should have been A for Anarchy. [Cookie Monster] V for Vendetts That’s good enough for me V for Vendetts That’s good enough for me V for Vendetts That’s good enough for me Oh, Vendetta, 'detta, 'detta starts with V Hey, you know what? “Evie” sounds like “V” And Roman Numeral for “5” lookes like a “V” And lots of words start with “V”, like “Villain” and “Voice” and “Vaudeville” and “Vacation”, but they’re not as good as “Vendetta” Soooooo… V for Vendetta that’s good enough for me…Yeah! V for Vendetta that’s good enough for me V for Vendetta that’s good enough for me Oh, Vendetta, 'detta, 'detta starts with “V” Yeah! Vendetta, 'detta, 'detta starts with “V” Oh, Boy! Vendetta, 'detta, 'detta starts with “V” MmmmmmMmmmmMMmmmmMMmmmmmm![/Cookie Monster] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-you-refuse-to-see-because-of-its-stupid-title/650819.md?page=4)