Film Title Translation

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Film Reviewers Guide Article
Funny.co.uk Little Britain report

Films are quite often translated into foreign languages and either dubbed or subtitled. Whatever your feelings on this in some cultures there is quite a thriving industry providing translation services. However not all words, phrases or idea translate into a different language or culture and so quite often a mish mash of words happens where the idea is lost but the meaning is kept or vice versa.

No where more plain than this are film titles, as was demonstrated with the film "White Men Can't Jump", the Woody Harrelson classic. The meaning was two fold: white men can't shag, or play basketball and this did not translate well internationally.

Well, I believe that a huge market exists in this country to translate film titles from English into American, as we all know American is a foreign language. So I have translated some famous films for our Transatlantic Cousins to help ease the linguistic threshold in explaining a film's title. Or as you might prefer, 'Film Titles Transatlantically Translated'.

Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone - UK
Zack Steel and the Magic Rock - US

O' Brother Where Art Thou? - UK
Dude, Where's My Brother? - US

The Graduate - UK
You'll Never Guess What I Did This Summer - US

Raiders of the Lost Ark - UK
The Grave Robbers - US

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - UK
The Grave Robbers Strike Back - US

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade - UK
The Return of the Grave Robbers - US

Back to the Future - UK
Time Travel Trouble - US

A Beautiful Mind - UK
Campus Madness - US

Saturday Night Fever - UK
Disco Frenzy - US

The Blair Witch Project - UK
If You Go Down To The Woods Today You're Sure Of A Big Suprise - US

Silence Of The Lambs - UK
The Doctor Will See You Now - US

Big - UK
Biggest - US

Sleeping with the Enemy - UK
Sex With The Ex - US

Carrie - UK
It's Always The Quiet Ones - US

Awakenings - UK
The Drugs Do Work - US

The Matrix - UK
Introduction To Buddism Pt1 - US

Dracula 2001 - US
The Bloodsuckers Proxy - UK

All original material © 1997-2006 Stuart Morrison and DS Ltd