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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 3 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)
#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 3 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)
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What do you think ?
Martyna Przybył 3 years ago
In Poland, "Dirty dancing" was translated as "Spinning sex". Fortunately, they don't use that translation anymore.
Mayra 3 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 3 years ago
"dead girls don't lie" - sorry interpunctutation makes a difference :D
Load More Replies...
Random Panda 3 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".
Martyna Przybył 3 years ago
In Poland, "Dirty dancing" was translated as "Spinning sex". Fortunately, they don't use that translation anymore.
Mayra 3 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 3 years ago
"dead girls don't lie" - sorry interpunctutation makes a difference :D
Load More Replies... Random Panda 3 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".
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