# The notorious colon in movie titles **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 12, 2003, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906 "2003-07-12T04:43:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/21 "2003-07-16T14:53:35Z")
Whenever there is a sequel movie title with that construction, Mr. Amanita and I will substitute various subtitles… Lord of the Rings 2: Electric Boogaloo Legally Blonde 2: Beyond Thunderdome Hey, it amuses us. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/22 "2003-07-16T15:57:39Z")
Every time I see a movie title with a colon, it reminds me of the typical style of academic dissertation title that is all the rage amongst the serious set… “Cutesy quote that has a tendentious tie to the subject”: Underwater basketweaving and textual and contextual space in northcentral West Virginia ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/23 "2003-07-16T16:15:50Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by ElwoodCuse \* > **Heck, correct me if I’m wrong, but did anyone really discuss episodes until the prequels came out? I had always know them as Star Wars, Empire, and Jedi.** _\* You are wrong, and I correct you. By the time Jedi came out, fans were already discussing the planned prequels and sequels. We knew the original “Star Wars” was actually titled episode IV (some revisionists were already claiming it had ALWAYS been episode IV). Not knowing what the story lines would be, we referred to the unmade films as episodes I, II, III, VII, VIII and IX. Well, we didn’t actually speak in Roman numerals, but you get the idea. Of course, we had no idea the wait would be so long nor the payoff so lame. If you meant the movies weren’t generally referred to by number, OK. But the numbers definitely entered the discussion. My nomination for worst-named series: _First Blood_ _Rambo: First Blood Part II_ _Rambo III_ ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/24 "2003-07-16T18:09:50Z")
My favorite play on this was Airplane 2: The Sequel ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/25 "2003-07-16T18:35:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TWDuke \* > \*\* > _Rambo: First Blood Part II_ > \*\* Sorry to hijack, but this reminded me of a video I stumbled across the other day (I work in a video store): **Trois 2** ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/26 "2003-07-16T20:19:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenster \* > \*\*Was I the only one to think that “Notorious Colon” or “Infamous Colon” would make splendid band names? > > I thought so. Carry on. \*\* Yes, and some of us came into this thread to specifically point that out. I hate you, Zenster. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/27 "2003-07-16T20:31:51Z")
**TWDuke** : ho, I am slain. And even the IMDb calls it “Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back” now. Um, well, for my NEXT gripe: movies with illogical and or annoying numbering! Such as Blues Brothers 2000! (The Naked Gun films receive exceptions). ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/28 "2003-07-16T20:46:17Z")
I’m still pissed that I never saw Leonard: Parts I-VI. ---
**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:** [July 16, 2003, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/29 "2003-07-16T21:05:49Z")
The Lord of the Rings movies provide an interesting case study. When the first one came out, everyone referred to the movie in conversation as “_Lord of the Rings_”, without modifiers or subtitles. But then, when the second one came out last December, it was referred to as “_The Two Towers_”, and I’m starting to hear references to the third one as “_Return of the King_”, without the pretitle. I’m not sure, though, if this indicates a more general pattern, or if it’s specific to Tolkien’s masterpiece. It might simply be because “_Fellowship of the Ring_” is both cumbersome, and similar to the overall title. By contrast, come to think of it, I’ve seen/heard both Harry Potter films so far called simply “_Harry Potter_”, with context dictating which one is meant. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/30 "2003-07-16T21:51:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Munch \* > \*\*I’m still pissed that I never saw Leonard: Parts I-VI. \*\* Surely you’ve seen Part 6 if you’re complaining about missing the first five? ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/31 "2003-07-17T01:05:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Terrifel \* > \*\*Ah yes, I remember well those halcyon days of childhood, riding the streetcar down to the Odeon, where a single dime would pay for popcorn, a licorice whip, root beer, a newsreel, two cartoons and the thrilling serial adventures of the Notorious Colon. > \*\* You forgot that, in those days, they’d show TWO films, one of which was an “A”-list film, and the other being a “B”-list film. Quite often, these “B”-list films were part of a series: \*\* Governor Quinn The Return of Governor Quinn \*\* Often, the series would enter cliche: \*\* Governor Quinn Goes To Rio Governor Quinn At The Races Governor Quinn In Love \*\* After a while, the series entrys would get REALLY bad: \*\* Governor Quinn Talks About Bulgarian Politics Governor Quinn Paints His House Governor Quinn Gets The S\*\*\* Beaten Out Of Him By Dave Skurnick Governor Quinn Doesn’t Know What To Do, So He’ll Just Stare At The Camera For 90 Minutes \*\* Until, finally, the audience started to wonder: \*\* Why Can’t Someone Kill Governor Quinn And Take Us Out Of Our Misery? \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/32 "2003-07-17T02:11:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Evil Death \* > \*\*Surely you’ve seen Part 6 if you’re complaining about missing the first five? \*\* Don’t be silly. _Nobody_ saw _Leonard: Part 6_. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/33 "2003-07-17T03:05:44Z")
I dare not speak the name! …but I must!! **Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever** AIEEE!!! ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/34 "2003-07-17T06:54:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Larry Mudd \* > \*\*Don’t be silly. _Nobody_ saw _Leonard: Part 6_. \*\* Except Munch, it would seem. Anyhoo, Leonard Part 6 has no colon in it and so really isn’t relevant. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/35 "2003-07-17T13:54:27Z")
Yeah, but ElwoodCuse mentioned movies with illogical numbering (i.e. Blues Brothers 2000) annoyed him. Munch - off to rent Malcolm I-IX ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/36 "2003-07-17T18:49:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Torque \* > \*\*I dare not speak the name! > > …but I must!! > > **Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever** > > AIEEE!!! \*\* You rule. I mean come on, isn’t the whole point of the movie how they have to team up? I’m pretty sure even the commercials said so. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/37 "2003-07-17T19:10:48Z")
\*\*Blazing Saddles: The Notorious Colon Speaks Dune: The Notorious Colon Gets Packed With Sand Starfish Wars: The Notorious Colon Fights Back\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/38 "2003-07-17T19:21:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Munch \* > \*\*Yes, and some of us came into this thread to specifically point that out. > > I hate you, Zenster. \*\* and some of us, upon seeing Zenster’s post, thought we could at least recoup some self-esteem by posting the first “me too!” I hate you, Munch. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906/39 "2003-07-17T22:17:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TWDuke \* > \*\*My nomination for worst-named series: > _First Blood_ > _Rambo: First Blood Part II_ > _Rambo III_ \*\* Yeah, I always wondered why it wasn’t _Rambo II: First Blood Part III_😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-notorious-colon-in-movie-titles/187906.md?page=1)