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30 Movie Title Translations From Other Countries That Sound Like A Totally Different Story
As a Lithuanian, I often find myself baffled by the way we translate foreign movie titles. In our country, Superbad became Hard Nuts, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was transformed to The Power of Feelings, and This is the End was renamed to Christmas Cakes, Drugs, and Sex. Turns out, we're not the only ones doing this.
Even though the task of translating a movie title to a local audience seems like a fairly simple one, handled by one of those fancy types who speak more than one language, it's really complex. So much so that it sometimes makes the story sound like a totally different thing. Continue scrolling this list by Bored Panda and see for yourself.
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#1
Vaseline (Argentina)
As one linguist said, while the practice of translation is always a work of adaptation, it is much more so when it comes to translating movie titles. For instance, how should the Russian villain in a typical Hollywood production be presented in Moscow cinemas? And what do we do about cultural references?
In addition, there is the fact that the title of a movie is supposed to summarize and condense a two-hour story. Therefore, the translator must rifle through nuances, overtones, examples of polysemy, as well as a number of other approaches.
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#2
Big Liar (China)
#3
Meth Dad (Slovakia)
A.M. Pierre 4 years ago
It sounds like the sitcom version of the show. “Next week on ‘Meth Dad’: Can Walter handle drug dealers, watching his kids for a day, AND his nosy neighbor? Find out on ‘Meth Dad’!”
What makes it even more difficult is that the reader has no context to understand the translated title of the film; a title should be evocative and should work with no other references than its own semantic values and connotations. The translator can't use contextual elements to supplement or clarify the meaning.
The translation of movie titles involves not only retaining/giving it meaning, but there are also rhythmic constraints (in this case, this comes closer to literary translation and more specifically, poetic) and commercial ones (bringing us closer to marketing translation). It's a minefield.
#4
It's Raining Falafel (Israel)
#5
Die Hard: Mega Hard (Denmark)
TheDankBoi 69 4 years ago
In Spanish, it says "Duro de Matar" which translates to "Hard to Kill"
Jette Wang Wahnon 4 years ago
To all you lovely Pandas...This title is chicken feed to the Laurel and Hardy films..They were called Fyrtaarnet og Bivognen,that is The Lighthouse and the Tender,(as in a train) much loved by kids though...
Sam T Godfrey 4 years ago
Hard with extra Hard on top? Oh, and make that Dead too, if you please...
Mónica Elisabeth Sacco 4 years ago
Argentina: "Duro de matar" (Hard to get killed). Very much alike the original. Not that bad this time.
farbenzirkel 4 years ago
Germany: "Die slowly: Now more than ever" (Stirb langsam: Jetzt erst recht)
Eirik Johnsbråten 4 years ago
In Norway, Die Hard was called Operation Skyscraper. Die Hard 2? Operation Skyscraper 2. :facepalm:
Paul Davis 4 years ago (edited)
The Danish title scarcely makes any less sense than the original one IMO
#6
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Behaved Very Nicely Around Me (Malaysia)
#7
Santa Is A Pervert (Czech Republic)
#8
Mom, I Missed My Plane (France)
#9
If You Leave Me, I'll Erase You (Italy)
#10
My Partner With The Cold Snout (Germany)
#11
The Urban Neurotic (Germany)
#12
Super Power Dare Die Team (China)
#13
The Unbelievable Trip In A Wacky Aeroplane (Germany)
#14
Rita Heyworth, Key To Escape (Finland)
Wyn Williams 4 years ago
Works both ways, a Finnish film called girl you will be a star was translated to English as beauty and the beast :) the translator also changed a lot of what was said as apparently he didn't like the movie
#15
Knight Of The Night (Spain)
#16
My Boyfriend Is A Psycho (Russia)
#17
This Hitman Is Not As Cold As He Thought (China)
#18
Six Naked Pigs (China)
#19
Son Of Devil (China)
#20
The Hole Of Malkovich (Japan)
#21
If You Drink, Don't Marry! (Brazil)
#22
His Powerful Device Makes Him Famous (China)
#23
Dimwit Surges Forth (Thailand)
#24
A Supertough Kangaroo (Spain)
#25
The Teeth From The Sea (France)
#26
Captain Supermarket (Japan)
#27
Pigs And Diamonds (Mexico, Spain)
#28
The Gun Died Laughing (Israel)
#29
American Virgin Man (China)
#30
Full Of The Nuts (Germany)
#31
One Night Big Belly (China)
#32
Excitement 1995 (China)
#33
Mysterious Murder In Snowy Cream (China)
#34
Sexy Dance (France)
Lucia B... 4 years ago
Slovaks 'translated' this film to 'Let's Dance'. Up to this point I am still trying to understand why. My best guess is that there was a show with famous ppl dancing called 'Let's dance' and it was quite popular so they went with the same one..?? Possibly...
#35
A Twin Seldom Comes Alone (Germany)
Helena Houzarová 4 years ago
The actual German original title is "Das Doppelte Löttchen" - that's the name of the Erich Kästner's book. I suppose the translator either didn't know the source, or actually knew it and considered it very different.
#36
Satan Female Soldier (China)
Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago
Sexist claptrap... she does the same things as her male counterparts... just better. :D
#37
Zany Son-In-Law, Zippy Grandkids, Sour Father-In-Law (Thailand)
#38
Meetings And Failures In Meetings (Portugal)
#39
The Eighth Passenger Three (Israel)
#40
Just Send Him To University Unqualified (China)
#41
Hey, Where Are The Babies? (Sweden)
#43
Please, Do Not Touch The Old Women (Italy)
Fabio Di Pane Masi 4 years ago
This title is for the original '60s movie. This one has a better title: A joyful neo-Nazi comedy (Italy)
#44
Super Cool (Latin America)
#45
Inspector Harry (France)
#46
Floppy Coppers Don’t Bite (Germany)
#47
Cat, Don't Touch His Hat! (Croatia)
Noemie Houtekie-N'Da 4 years ago
Just throwing it out there: That cat in the hat looks horrifying.
#48
17-Year Old Girl's Medical Chart (Japan)
#49
Warm Shots (Czech Republic)
Evelína Zlá 4 years ago
Hahaha... not true. It actually called "Žhavé výstřely" which is Hot shots.
#50
Urban Neurotic (Germany)
#52
Super Speeding Cleaning Evil Accounts (Thailand)
#53
Juno: Grow, Run & Stumble (Mexico)
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What do you think ?
Martyna Przybył 4 years ago
In Poland, "Dirty dancing" was translated as "Spinning sex". Fortunately, they don't use that translation anymore.
Mayra 4 years ago
In germany we have translated "13 reasons why" into "dead girls don't lie and I hate it (german "tote mädchen lügen nicht")
Alina Rainer 4 years ago
"dead girls don't lie" - sorry interpunctutation makes a difference :D
Load More Replies...
Random Panda 4 years ago (edited)
In Bulgaria they translated "Kick-ass" as "kick in the ass". Or another one was "Dear John" translated as "with the scent of cinnamon".
Addelyn 4 years ago
A quick Google search shows many of these are incorrect. Did BP seriously just make this whole list up?
fuggnuggins 4 years ago
Generally they don't create a single thing. They pilfer it from other sites. Mostly from Reddit and Twitter.
Load More Replies...
Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
I think Annie Hall got the best re-title, courtesy Germany. Urban neurotic. Yep!
SheHulk 4 years ago
Meanwhile here in sweden, the title of every movie starring Goldie Hawn starts with "Tjejen som ..." (The girl who ..). For example "Overboard" Is translated to "The girl who fell overboard"! Not that funny on it´s own but collectively hilarious! Like she´s running a franchise. Swedes are generally good at english, but they do have their blind spots like confusing v with w! I once watched a motorshow on tv where the commentator referred to the "Dodge Wiper" the whole way through. My father who lived in english speaking countries for 20 years always mixed up j and y. So it was "where´s my jellow yumper"!
Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago
lessons we have learnt: more words a better title do not make nor does a synopsis of the plot...
RoseTheMad 4 years ago
In Finnish, "Once Upon A Time In The West" becomes "Huuliharppukostaja" or... "Harmonica Avenger" which makes perfect sense, but for some reason I find hilarious.
Onion rings like to make your breath smelly 4 years ago
how does "home alone" even translate into "mom, i missed my plane"
fuggnuggins 4 years ago
(Just in case, "cadence" is a bit like rhythm of words, like in poetry.)
Load More Replies...
Lukáš Bahounek 4 years ago (edited)
In the Czech Republic, the film Motherless Brooklyn is named The Dark Face of Brooklyn. 🤔 And Die Hard is A Deadly Trap.
DrumsAndCoffee 4 years ago
In Norwegian, Spinal Tap was called "Help! We are in the pop industry!"
Martyna Przybył 4 years ago
In Poland, "Dirty dancing" was translated as "Spinning sex". Fortunately, they don't use that translation anymore.
Mayra 4 years ago
In germany we have translated "13 reasons why" into "dead girls don't lie and I hate it (german "tote mädchen lügen nicht")
Alina Rainer 4 years ago
"dead girls don't lie" - sorry interpunctutation makes a difference :D
Load More Replies... Random Panda 4 years ago (edited)
In Bulgaria they translated "Kick-ass" as "kick in the ass". Or another one was "Dear John" translated as "with the scent of cinnamon".
Addelyn 4 years ago
A quick Google search shows many of these are incorrect. Did BP seriously just make this whole list up?
fuggnuggins 4 years ago
Generally they don't create a single thing. They pilfer it from other sites. Mostly from Reddit and Twitter.
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 4 years ago
I think Annie Hall got the best re-title, courtesy Germany. Urban neurotic. Yep!
SheHulk 4 years ago
Meanwhile here in sweden, the title of every movie starring Goldie Hawn starts with "Tjejen som ..." (The girl who ..). For example "Overboard" Is translated to "The girl who fell overboard"! Not that funny on it´s own but collectively hilarious! Like she´s running a franchise. Swedes are generally good at english, but they do have their blind spots like confusing v with w! I once watched a motorshow on tv where the commentator referred to the "Dodge Wiper" the whole way through. My father who lived in english speaking countries for 20 years always mixed up j and y. So it was "where´s my jellow yumper"!
Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago
lessons we have learnt: more words a better title do not make nor does a synopsis of the plot...
RoseTheMad 4 years ago
In Finnish, "Once Upon A Time In The West" becomes "Huuliharppukostaja" or... "Harmonica Avenger" which makes perfect sense, but for some reason I find hilarious.
Onion rings like to make your breath smelly 4 years ago
how does "home alone" even translate into "mom, i missed my plane"
fuggnuggins 4 years ago
(Just in case, "cadence" is a bit like rhythm of words, like in poetry.)
Load More Replies... Lukáš Bahounek 4 years ago (edited)
In the Czech Republic, the film Motherless Brooklyn is named The Dark Face of Brooklyn. 🤔 And Die Hard is A Deadly Trap.
DrumsAndCoffee 4 years ago
In Norwegian, Spinal Tap was called "Help! We are in the pop industry!"
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