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Stupid (or funny?) germanized movie titles

C

Claybertrand

One Too Many
Messages
1,544
Trenchfriend said:
"Home alone" (1990) - "Kevin alone at home"

to be continued...
Click to expand...

DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I clicked on this thread JUST TO POST THIS ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have several close friends who are German and most of them spent time here in California studying abroad for a year. These guys---once they would see the titles of these American movies they had seen when they were younger, they were shocked. And they would tell me about the German translations and bemoan the fact that the translations were completely unnecessary. They'd say the English original titles would have worked just fine in Germany and they were surprised at the lengths taken to translate a new title to these films.

The 2 most egregious were Stripes "I Think a Moose/Elk Kisses Me" and Home Alone -- "Kevin, Alone at Home"!!!!!!!!!!!

The Stripes translation makes no literal sense and has no logical connection to the movie plot IN ANY LANGUAGE. Lol.

This is a quite interesting and funny cultural tid bit -- these translations.

Further, I am told by my friends that there are German Voice Over Actors who are essentially famous because they are the voice of De Niro, or the voice of Pacino or Jack Nicholson or other famous American film stars. Like, they all grow up associating these Voices with the faces of De Niro/Pacino etc.!!!!! There are some who never see the films in English.

I have a friend who is married to a woman who WAS married and has kids with a German Voice over actor. Because they had to share custody of the children, my friend has become well acquainted with this guy and in addition to supposedly being a great guy, this older actor is VERY well off from his career doing voice overs and he has several houses in Germany and in Costa Rica, the Caribbean and Spain. From what I understand, all of his wealth came from doing Voice Over for American movies in Germany since the 70s.

Interesting subject. I love cultural idiosyncracies like this. You can never know your place in the world if you don't experience the way people in other countries view you and your culture.

I can't wait til the world is open to safe travel again!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for posting this unique subject!!!!:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Zum Wohl!!
 
Trenchfriend

Trenchfriend

Messages
12,473
Location
Germany
@Claybertrand

In Stripes, german synchro, Harold Ramis says "I think, an elk is kissing me!" one time at the czechoslovakian border and Bill Murray answers: "Your sexlife doesn't interests me."

But I see no sense of putting that in the title.
 
Seb Lucas

Seb Lucas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,562
Location
Australia
Claybertrand said:
DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I clicked on this thread JUST TO POST THIS ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have several close friends who are German and most of them spent time here in California studying abroad for a year. These guys---once they would see the titles of these American movies they had seen when they were younger, they were shocked. And they would tell me about the German translations and bemoan the fact that the translations were completely unnecessary. They'd say the English original titles would have worked just fine in Germany and they were surprised at the lengths taken to translate a new title to these films.

The 2 most egregious were Stripes "I Think a Moose/Elk Kisses Me" and Home Alone -- "Kevin, Alone at Home"!!!!!!!!!!!

The Stripes translation makes no literal sense and has no logical connection to the movie plot IN ANY LANGUAGE. Lol.

This is a quite interesting and funny cultural tid bit -- these translations.

Further, I am told by my friends that there are German Voice Over Actors who are essentially famous because they are the voice of De Niro, or the voice of Pacino or Jack Nicholson or other famous American film stars. Like, they all grow up associating these Voices with the faces of De Niro/Pacino etc.!!!!! There are some who never see the films in English.

I have a friend who is married to a woman who WAS married and has kids with a German Voice over actor. Because they had to share custody of the children, my friend has become well acquainted with this guy and in addition to supposedly being a great guy, this older actor is VERY well off from his career doing voice overs and he has several houses in Germany and in Costa Rica, the Caribbean and Spain. From what I understand, all of his wealth came from doing Voice Over for American movies in Germany since the 70s.

Interesting subject. I love cultural idiosyncracies like this. You can never know your place in the world if you don't experience the way people in other countries view you and your culture.

I can't wait til the world is open to safe travel again!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for posting this unique subject!!!!:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Zum Wohl!!
Click to expand...

Yep, voice actors are a very important tool in international film and TV. Good voice actors are exceptionally wealthy and the great part for them is they can walk down the street without causing a scene.

I personally hate watching subtitles because I don't always look at a screen when I watch a feature - I listen around 20% of the time. Can't do that with subtitles.
 
Tiki Tom

Tiki Tom

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,173
Location
Oahu, North Polynesia
I admit that I have to laugh at that one. Very often my wife and I have to laugh —-or shake our heads—- at how American programs get translated over here. The best one was when Nacho Cheese got translated as “nicht diene Kaise” —> “not your cheese”. A hoot that is still often quoted in our family.
 
V.C. Brunswick

V.C. Brunswick

Messages
13,376
Location
Orange County, CA
Sometimes German subtitles are pretty funny. In an episode of Two and a Half Men Herb explains that he was unable to attend Lynsey's party because "Judith threw a bitch fit." In German it was translated to "witch terror" ("Hexeterror")!
 
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