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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)
Diego Gorzalczany 4 years ago
Not true, This movie was always Grease in Argentina. probably in Spain or other south american countries was "Vaselina"
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Martz Migraña 4 years ago
In the dubbed movie for Latin America their refer to the car just as "lightning" 😅 and the song is kept in the original English, with subtitles. I mean, that's much better than dubbed the song and sing "vaseline lightning" indeed! Haha
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Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago
Hmmm... considering the "grease" is meant to relate to the hairproduct liberally used by the fellas in this film. There is of course petroleum jelly in many hair greases so I suppose it isn't too far off the mark. Wonder if Unilever gets any royalties for the use of their product? (just scanned this interesting Wikipedia entry- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaseline
Mudassar Hameed 2 years ago (edited)
Many people face the language problem during watching movies. They did not get the subtitle of conversation of the movie. Join us to get the free of cost translation and interpretation services and also get the subtitle of all movie in your language.
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)
Sum Guy 4 years ago
China out here spitting facts... I want what they would call a movie about their presidents though?
#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’!”
Jayne Kyra 4 years ago
"Perníkový tatko", where perník refers to meth as well as a sweet gingerbread type sweet.
Vic 4 years ago (edited)
Meth Dad, not to be confused with Math Dad, where Walter White is a mathematician
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Dirtier Harrier 4 years ago (edited)
CZ: Perníkový táta. Basically the same as Meth dad, with the fun part in that "Perník" = "Gingerbread" is slang for Pervitine.
Marek Schrotter 4 years ago
This one is ok. I like more tranlation of Fair game from 1988. It was tranlated as Mamba.
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)
Lucia B... 4 years ago
Probably because falafel is much more popular than meatballs in Israel?
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Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago
I think "Cloudy with the chance of Matzo Balls" has a nicer ring to it.
Dave P 4 years ago
lol. However Falafel is more common there given the 70% of Jews there with at least one grandparent who was a refugee from an arab country, and the 22% of Israel's population being Arab, this was a bit easier to work with. Plus it is the most common eaten street food there.
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RoseTheMad 4 years ago
It's raining falafel! Hallelujah it's raining falafel! Honestly I'd be happy if it rained falafel. falafel is delicious.
Vicky Z 4 years ago
It would be interesting if it was a traditional plate for every country😂😂😂 so the Greek one could be: its raining mousaka!!!
elia 84631 4 years ago
Not the Keftedes and it's the actual greek translation of the movie title
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Luis Hernandez Dauajare 4 years ago
In Latin America was Lluvia de Hamburguesas, or Burger Rain.
person (i think) 4 years ago (edited)
Burger rain, burger rain, I only wanted to see you bathing in the burger rain
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TheDankBoi 69 4 years ago
In Spanish, it's called "Lluvia de Hamburguesas" which translates to "Hamburger Rain"
#5
Die Hard: Mega Hard (Denmark)
TheDankBoi 69 4 years ago
In Spanish, it says "Duro de Matar" which translates to "Hard to Kill"
#6
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Behaved Very Nicely Around Me (Malaysia)
Karl Baxter 4 years ago
The German version translated as “Austin Powers: Spy in the Missionary Position”
Joshua Seaman 4 years ago
Great word play on that translation 😄 Because spies go on missions... 😜
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Rachel Arteiro 4 years ago
And a scary thought: what would you need to do to rate “not nice” behaviour?
#7
Santa Is A Pervert (Czech Republic)
Darren Lewis 4 years ago
I've been trying to tell people he is a pedo. Peeking in kids windows while they sleep, getting them to come sit in his lap. Let a regular person try that s**t, and they would be in prison.
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dev mehta 4 years ago
That's offensive. Santa is a perv just because he breaks into peoples homes and leaves gifts for children?
Darren Lewis 4 years ago
See's them when their sleeping...... Invites strange children to come sit in his lap. Hell yeah he is a perv
Load More Replies... Petra Christovová 4 years ago
Czech title just feels more cool to me, in czech language it sounds even better.
#8
Mom, I Missed My Plane (France)
#9
If You Leave Me, I'll Erase You (Italy)
Luis Hernandez Dauajare 4 years ago
Wasn't it "once more everyone, passionately"?
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H Edwards 4 years ago
In German the opposite - Vergiss mein nicht! meaning 'forget me not'. It's the name of the flower, which is the same as in English. If it were to mean 'don't forget me' it would be 'vergiss mich nicht' (I think)
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Clarissa De Simoni 4 years ago
Italian here, I really don’t understand why movie titles translators ALWAYS choose something so different (most of the time even in the meaning) from the original title
Bobert Robertson 4 years ago
I mean, this is basically the plot of the movie so it's not wrong..
#10
My Partner With The Cold Snout (Germany)
Kari Panda 4 years ago
Well, the K-9 title doesn’t work in German, so that makes sense. Additionally, "cold snout" is also the name of a cake-like dish which also goes by the name "cold dog" :)
Nina 4 years ago
Jep, K-9 is a American Police Unit. Almost no-one in Germany knows that. Btw, I love "cold dog" cake ... 😁
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#11
The Urban Neurotic (Germany)
Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago
Never liked any of Woody Allen's work... I also never understood why he was so popular.
I’m A Black Cat 4 years ago
German title translations are stupid often enough, but this one is spot on
#12
Super Power Dare Die Team (China)
Cybele Spanjaard 4 years ago
Ok, ghosts would not be worried then, These guys spray each other dead?
Sam T Godfrey 4 years ago
The Chinese translations are always the best! Did they make a female version of Ghostbusters or is that Chinese too?
#13
The Unbelievable Trip In A Wacky Aeroplane (Germany)
RiaDeCatterpillar 4 years ago
"I'm Sorry, your title was unable to translate in to this language. Would you like us to stick the plot of the movie as the title instead?"
Sam T Godfrey 4 years ago
That sounds like 'Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines'. Maybe they should just call it "Shirley".
Luciano Wanderley 4 years ago
In brazilian portuguese: "Apertem os cintos, que o piloto sumiu" = "Fasten your seat belts, the pilot's gone"
Philly Bob Squires 4 years ago
Pretty much, yeah! Still one of my favorite comedies. I also had a thing for Lorna Patterson back then too! LOL! (Randy the stewardess)
#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
PeachPossum 4 years ago
Probably written by one of those people who skip to the last chapter of a murder mystery to see whodunit. Can you hear me gnashing my teeth?
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#15
Knight Of The Night (Spain)
Dynein 4 years ago
Well, in English it does. Not when using the Spanish words for knight and night, though.
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Luis Martín 4 years ago
It is not in Spain, It is in american spanish speaking countries. In Spain is the same.
Daria B 4 years ago
Not sure about Spain and other Spanish speaking countries, but in Italy, this is the official title for the Dark Night universe of Batman. Cavaliere della notte.
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#16
My Boyfriend Is A Psycho (Russia)
CatWoman312 4 years ago
The book is very moving. The movie cuts a lot of things out. Either way they were both very much experiencing psychosis in their own way and that’s what brought them together.
#17
This Hitman Is Not As Cold As He Thought (China)
Mary Rose Kent 4 years ago
Jean Reno and Natalie Portman were both amazing
Load More Replies... Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago (edited)
"Hitman with a Heart" would have been a better interpretation...
#18
Six Naked Pigs (China)
Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago
I personally think the blokes weren't that unattractive! Just average guys...putting it all on show for charity. Commendable, really.
PeachPossum 4 years ago
I hadn't seen this movie since it's release and looked it up online just last week. I laughed so hard, especially the bank scene. Oh my goodness.
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D.j. Vinylmaniac 4 years ago
Isn't that a rasist title, I mean... Referring to their skin color. 😂
elStiJneriNO 4 years ago
but one of them was a black man. of course pigs can be black too...
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I’m A Black Cat 4 years ago
Actually the movie is a socioeconomic critique of the Thatcher era, when much of the former industrial areas seized to be profitable and came to a standstill, thus leaving the workers unemployed and desperate. The Full Monty represents the nothing else to lose metaphore, where the protagonists are forced to drop all of their clothes to have any chance of social acceptance
Cybele Spanjaard 4 years ago
Ok this make my mind twitch monty and piggies..naked at that..China does have a unlimited choice of food imagination..
Sam T Godfrey 4 years ago
Now I have to see that! Had no idea Robert Carlyle was in it. He's a really good actor!
#19
Son Of Devil (China)
Caroline Driver 4 years ago
I'm wondering if these Chinese titles are mistranslations or unsubtle commentaries on Western movies.
fuggnuggins 4 years ago
This video gives a pretty good idea of what goes on in popular culture in China: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aYCG4vEe5s
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Jacqueline Mak 4 years ago
In Hong Kong, it's "Mighty Dragon The Second 威龍二世", of which dragon symbolizes male in Chinese culture and the phrase "mighty dragon威龍" is pretty common in Hong Kong's movie titles.
#20
The Hole Of Malkovich (Japan)
Marvin HeartofGold 4 years ago
Malkovich Malkovich. Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich. Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich Malkovich. That scene still gives me nightmares.
#21
If You Drink, Don't Marry! (Brazil)
kathoco 4 years ago
France: Very bad trip (so the title is changed but it's still in English, not French)
#22
His Powerful Device Makes Him Famous (China)
Earl Grey 4 years ago
“Is that a powerful device, or are you just happy to see me?”
Load More Replies... Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago (edited)
"Dirk Diggler's Dancing D**k" sounds catchy and alliterative...
#23
Dimwit Surges Forth (Thailand)
#24
A Supertough Kangaroo (Spain)
Luis Martín 4 years ago
The right translation would be "A supertough baby sitter". In Spanish kangaroo=baby sitter.
TheDankBoi 69 4 years ago
yeah that's how babysitters are called in Spain. In Hispanic America the movie title is called "A Bullet-proof Babysitter"
CCTheVampire 4 years ago
That was a really good movie. No clue where Kangaroo came from though
#25
The Teeth From The Sea (France)
Aragorn II Elessar 4 years ago
Sir, my friend, my dearest companion, it seems a bigger ship thou mayest require.
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gracefullikeagazelle 4 years ago
Which sounds much better in French dude. "Les dents de la mer" has a ring to it when spoken with a proper roll of the tongue.
Cybele Spanjaard 4 years ago
yep anything with lots of sharp bitey teeth and oceans is a worry
Remi A. Paulin 4 years ago
This is under this name it was shown in French Canada as well : Jaws, Les dents de la mer (The Teeth From The Sea)...
#26
Captain Supermarket (Japan)
Kim Lorton 4 years ago
Truthfully, I have NEVER shopped on Black Friday, and never will! You are not safe!
Sam T Godfrey 4 years ago
Hey! Don't mess with me! I AM Captain Supermarket! I gots more coupons than anybody!
#27
Pigs And Diamonds (Mexico, Spain)
Fred L. 4 years ago
Only partially. The full title is "Snatch - Schweine und Diamanten" (Snatch: Pigs and Diamonds).
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Marco Pespega 4 years ago
In Portugal - Snatch porcos e diamantes. (Snatch: pigs and diamonds)
H Edwards 4 years ago
I remember very little about this movie, but I think someone disposed of some bodies by feeding them to pigs? And some kind of diamond heist?
Load More Replies... #28
The Gun Died Laughing (Israel)
#29
American Virgin Man (China)
Simona Reseková 4 years ago
better in Czech& Slovak - "prci prci prcičky" - literally "f**k, f**k, f**k"
Jacqueline Mak 4 years ago
BTW, American Beauty is translated as "Beauty Is A Crime" in Hong Kong!
#30
Full Of The Nuts (Germany)
Linda Myskina 4 years ago
It's not true at all, someone seems to translate with Google, which sucks a lot
Zedrapazia 4 years ago
No, it's correct - the term "Auf die Nüsse" translates via Google as 'On the nuts", but it's a saying that means someone got a kick in the balls.
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#31
One Night Big Belly (China)
Marcellus the Third 4 years ago
Then they should have made "One night big headache" too but they didn't, for The Hangover.
Load More Replies... #32
Excitement 1995 (China)
Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago
There was definitely tension in the film but I don't recall excitement...
MERMONKEY34 4 years ago
What would happen if they redid the whole movie with a translated script?😂
#33
Mysterious Murder In Snowy Cream (China)
Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago (edited)
One of my top ten films... LOVE it. Brilliant. The TV series is also good, but can't touch the original. I thought the Chinese people had multiple words for snow in their different languages?
#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...
Nadine Debard 4 years ago
Yes and sometimes it doesn't make much sense. I find this annoying.
Load More Replies... #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.
Marcellus the Third 4 years ago
Or book titles work best for books. Consider any films made from Philip K. D**k stories... "Adjustment Team" became "Adjustment Bureau", fine, but "We can remember for you wholesale" and "Do androids dream of electric sheep?" are well-known under verrry different titles!
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Nubis Knight 4 years ago
Original it's "Das doppelte Lottchen" (the doubled Lotty) cause it's from a German Book of Erich Kästner.
RiaDeCatterpillar 4 years ago (edited)
My friend is a twin. She came alone. (her twin was stillborn)
Monday 4 years ago
I still wonder why they didn't just cast actual twins to play these roles....was it about budget?
#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)
Paul Davis 4 years ago
Makes it sound like a dull, short training course a company would force you to take.
Anna Banana 4 years ago
Makes it sound like over a year of home office...
Load More Replies... Fatima Correia 4 years ago
Not true. In Portugal, the real title was "O Amor É um Lugar Estranho" - Love is a strange place". Still a weird translation, though.
#39
The Eighth Passenger Three (Israel)
Premislaus de Colo 4 years ago
Somehow this is connected with Polish, as the first movies was called Alien: the 8th passenger of Nostromo. In subsequent movies we dropped the passenger part - it seems they didn't
respulero 4 years ago (edited)
same in Spain. "Alien: the 8th passenger" and "Alien³"
Load More Replies... #40
Just Send Him To University Unqualified (China)
#41
Hey, Where Are The Babies? (Sweden)
Dark_flame 4 years ago
More like "hey, where are the the chicks?" (As in women, not chicken)... definitely not babies.
FloC 4 years ago
Well, there is a baby at the end. I laughed so much with this last scene :D
Load More Replies... Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago (edited)
Rather prudish for the Swedes... surprised. Apparently they use the same word for "partner swapping" in Swedish?
#42
007 Dies Twice (Japan)
#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)
PeachPossum 4 years ago
"Cop" is short for the original term copper. Some have said the term "copper" refers to the buttons on a policeman's uniform. Others have suggested the word was derived from derived from the Latin capere via the Old French caper, meaning "to capture." Today, the use of "copper" meaning policeman is chiefly British.
Load More Replies... #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.
Triv 4 years ago
He kind of looks like the boy from the original Jumanji when he was turned into a monkey for cheating.
Load More Replies... Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago
Google Translate came up with "Mačka koja nosi šešir" for "Cat wearing a Hat". Not too difficult to translate literally, surely?
#48
17-Year Old Girl's Medical Chart (Japan)
Nami Tantrum 4 years ago
german title is 'durchgeknallt' translates to 'crazy' which is the title of another german movie about something completly different :D
#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)
Oskar vanZandt 4 years ago (edited)
I'm going to have to add a "Huh?" to yours.
Load More Replies... #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
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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.
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.
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