# "Snakes on a Plane" was not the first **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 1, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863 "2006-04-01T18:08:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/41 "2006-04-02T03:49:49Z")
In my nearly euphoric state of joy in seeing this thread premise, I barely am able to control my extremeties with the neccesary motor skills required in typing a response. Yet, somehow, I find a way. Obviously, I felt compelled to examine which of the Star Trek theatrical releases fit the criteria. The Motion Picture? Nope The Wrath of Khan? Better, but still no. The Search for Spock? This looks like one! It qualifies! Well…, I think it does… :dubious: The Voyage Home? Maybe, but it’s misleading. The Final Frontier? Um, I’m sorry. The Undiscovered Country? If you know the Hamlet quote, very little bit kinda, in a metaphorical way, ya know? Generations? Negatory. First Contact? Needs fleshing out to qualify. Insurrection? Alas! no, lass. Nemesis? Did any part of this movie fit? Very maybe, if you stretch it. 1 of 10. imho/ymmv. Hmmm. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/42 "2006-04-02T03:56:48Z")
I think in order to keep this from being pointless, the title should not only describe the subject of the movie (ET, Gandhi, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Titanic) but should also give some indication of the plot of the movie (Snakes on a Plane, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, Around the World in Eighty Days, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes). ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/43 "2006-04-02T04:03:51Z")
Hm. Anaconda! is pretty descriptive. True, it doesn’t say where it is, but you can assume it’s a frigging huge anaconda in the natural habitat. Big Trouble in Little China. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/44 "2006-04-02T04:04:45Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > I think in order to keep this from being pointless, the title should not only describe the subject of the movie (ET, Gandhi, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Titanic) but should also give some indication of the plot of the movie (Snakes on a Plane, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, Around the World in Eighty Days, Attack of the Killer Tomatoes). **Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein** ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/45 "2006-04-02T04:13:50Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Obviously, I felt compelled to examine which of the Star Trek theatrical releases fit the criteria. > > The Motion Picture? Nope Actually, that one fits quite well: it’s a motion picture version of Star Trek. More: **The Life of Emile Zola The Gong Show Movie Silent Movie** ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/46 "2006-04-02T04:21:42Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Actually, that one fits quite well: it’s a motion picture version of Star Trek. But what does it do? That’s the beauty of it. It doesn’t DO anything. ---
**Author:** ![Ludy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Ludy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludy)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/47 "2006-04-02T04:23:48Z")
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Gladiator Finding Nemo Run Lola Run So I Married an Axe Murderer ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/48 "2006-04-02T04:31:43Z")
Although they didn’t intend for it to do so, \*What the Bleep do we know? wonderfully encapsulates everyone in the movie. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/49 "2006-04-02T04:58:19Z")
Okay… how about this? Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Star Wars: Attack of the Clones Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Star Wars: A New Hope Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Star Wars: Return of the Jedi ---
**Author:** ![audiobottle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@audiobottle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audiobottle)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/50 "2006-04-02T05:13:29Z")
Jesus Christ Vampire Killer. It’s a movie about Jesus. Killing vampires. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/51 "2006-04-02T05:18:43Z")
While it’s a book and not a movie, Daniel Defoe’s **The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders, Etc. Who was born in Newgate, and during a life of continu’d Variety for Threescore Years, besides her Childhood, was Twelve Year a Whore, five times a Wife (whereof once to her own brother), Twelve Year a Thief, Eight Year a Transported Felon in Virginia, at last grew Rich, liv’d Honest and died a Penitent. Written from her own Memorandums.** deserves special mention. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/52 "2006-04-02T05:18:59Z")
Star Trek does not count. Not even close. Compare and contrast: “I went to see a movie last night.” “What was it about?” “Snakes on a plane.” “Cool, I’d go see that.” “I went to see a movie last night.” “What was it about?” “Star trek.” “What the heck does that mean? I asked you what it was about.” “Sorry, it was about a bunch of people on a space ship.” “Okay. Why didn’t you just say so?” Now you try at home. Santa Claus Conquers the Martians? Works. ET? Doesn’t work. Saving Private Ryan? Works. Prick Up Your Ears? Doesn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/53 "2006-04-02T05:29:05Z")
The Body Snatchers Close Encounters of the Third Kind Sure, those don’t specifically say what the plot is, but you’ve got a general idea that the aliens aren’t here for a hot cup of tea. **audiobottle** , you’re thinking of Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter, and I wish I would’ve thought of it first! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/54 "2006-04-02T08:05:54Z")
Snakes on a Plane definitely wasn’t the first. But only a couple of the titles mentioned in this thread can compete with “Snakes on a Plane” for in terms of silliness and incongruity. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/55 "2006-04-02T08:17:37Z")
And the winner is… [**The Persecution And Assassination Of Jean-Paul Marat As Performed By The Inmates Of the Asylum Of Charenton Under The Direction Of The Marquis de Sade**](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060668) Catchy, no? ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/56 "2006-04-02T13:53:53Z")
Moderator interjects, somewhat belatedly: **lissener** , your post #41 is inappropriate. Telling someone else to “get a sense of humor” or “stalk elsewhere” is insulting the other poster on a personal basis, and thus not permitted here. You’d be jumping up and down, screaming bloody murder if that was said to you. Cool it. ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/57 "2006-04-02T14:11:34Z")
I’d like to nominate: Anaconda Amazon Women on the Moon Caveat: I am in no way recommending them as high art, just going by the OP rules as far as titles! ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/58 "2006-04-02T14:37:13Z")
> [@Ludy](#): > > So I Married an Axe Murderer Nope. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/59 "2006-04-02T18:50:16Z")
Big Bird Goes to China Ghost Ship Attack of the Clones Grumpy Old Men Grumpier Old Men ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2006, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863/60 "2006-04-02T19:53:57Z")
> [@C K Dexter Haven](#): > > Moderator interjects, somewhat belatedly: **lissener** , your post #41 is inappropriate. Telling someone else to “get a sense of humor” or “stalk elsewhere” is insulting the other poster on a personal basis, and thus not permitted here. You’d be jumping up and down, screaming bloody murder if that was said to you. Cool it. I reacted with a level head and well within my understanding of CS rules. I can assure you without reservation or equivocation that I would, by no stretch of anyone’s imagination, have been “screaming bloody murder” if someone had pointed out that I had not gotten a joke by telling me to “get a sense of humor,” or had accused me of stalking them. It’s bad enough I have to pay the price for my real behavior; it’s much worse that I now have to pay the price for behavior that you mistakenly imagine I “would” do in a hypothetical situation. (I am not an administrator so this is a plea, not a demand, but please do me a favor and admonish me only for my actual behavior, and not for imaginary, hypothetical behavior.) I made a lame joke about the literalness of a punny title. Nothing kills a joke like explaining it, but my thought process was something like, “If _Prick Up Your [R]ears_ was a title along the lines of _Snakes on a Plane,_ that would be pretty funny.” Whatever Otto’s motivation for singling out one lame post among a threadful of lame posts to try to make me feel like an idiot, it’s not the first time he’s singled me out for such an honor. If mentioning that is verboten, then news to me but noted. Again, next time I make a lame joke and someone decides to make an issue out of it, I’ll toss in a “whoosh” and move on. I apologize to everyone for stretching out Otto’s hijack, and will refrain from further doing so. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snakes-on-a-plane-was-not-the-first/350863.md?page=4)