<nettime> Something to Suit Local Tastes

["Dr. Future" <richard@dig-lgu.demon.co.uk>]

James Sterngold in the New York Times,
November 15, 1998.


When Hollywood finds itself with a hit, the world soon gets to know. But
what if the film title loses something in translation? Simple: rename it
to something that suits local tastes.

Theres Something About Mary, starring Cameron Diaz, was renamed "Country
By Country" by 20th Century Fox. In Poland, where blonde jokes are
popular, it became "For the Love of a Blonde". In France, it was "Mary
at All Costs". According to Scott Neeson, in charge of foreign
distribution at Fox, Asians prefer literal titles. So in Thailand it
became "My True Love Will Stand All Outrageous Events". In Hong Kong it
was called "Enjoy Yourself in the Game of Love".

Leaving Las Vegas, when taken to Hong Kong gained a Cantonese title that
translated as "I'm Drunk and You're a Prostitute". Field of Dreams in Hong
Kong became "Imaginary Dead Baseball Players Live in My Cornfield". And
The Crying Game? "Oh No! My Girlfriend Has a Penis!" 

There's no arguing with the Chinese take on Babe: that became "The Happy
Dumpling-To-Be Who Talks and Solves Agricultural Problems". Or My Best
Friend's Wedding: "Help! My Pretend Boyfriend is Gay". Or George of the
Jungle: "Big Dumb Monkey Man Keeps Whacking Tree With Genitals" Or even
Batman and Robin: "Come to My Cave and Wear this Rubber Codpiece, Cute
Boy". And the Pamela Anderson Lee vehicle, orginally called Barb Wire? The
Chinese saw it as "Delicate Orbs of Womanhood Bigger Than Your Head Can
Hurt You". 


-- 
Dr. Future


---
#  distributed via nettime-l : no commercial use without permission
#  <nettime> is a closed moderated mailinglist for net criticism,
#  collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets
#  more info: majordomo@desk.nl and "info nettime-l" in the msg body
#  URL: http://www.desk.nl/~nettime/  contact: nettime-owner@desk.nl