Worst German Titles for English Language Movies

Martin_Canine Often it happens that for a release in German speaking countries, an English language movie doesn't keep its original title. Up to the 70s, it was obligatory for a movie to get a German title due to not many German people understanding English. Later on it was more common to keep the English title but add a second German title (e.g. "Signs" became "Signs: Zeichen", which is the literal translation) or simply leave it as it is, as most modern Germans perfectly understand English anyway. But sometimes the translators decide that a simple translation isn't enough and name the movie something entirely different - often with unintentionally funny results. This is what this list is about.

The Top Ten

1 Carrie: Des Satans Jüngste Tochter (Carrie)

Makes you think Carrie is a demon - blackflower

"Carrie: Satan's Youngest Daughter" - Martin_Canine

It's contradictory to the movie plot that is sympathetic to Carrie... - Martin_Canine

2 Snatch: Schweine Und Diamanten (Snatch)

Lol, this list is hilarious! Some of the titles really made me laugh out loud (like this one)... And glad to see that there's not only in French that certain titles are adapted in a weird way. - Lotuscandy

"Snatch: Pigs and Diamonds" - Martin_Canine

3 Du Lebst Noch 105 Minuten (Sorry, Wrong Number)

"You'll Only Live for 105 Minutes" (which is funny because this magnificent movie lasts for only 84 minutes) - Martin_Canine

4 Ich Glaub Mich Knutscht Ein Elch (Stripes)

"I Think a Moose is Smooching Me" - Martin_Canine

5 Der Blutige Pfad Gottes (The Boondock Saints)

"The Bloody Path of God" - Martin_Canine

6 Cocktail Für Eine Leiche (Rope)

"Cocktail for a Corpse" - Martin_Canine

7 Kevins Cousin Allein Im Supermarkt (Career Opportunities)

"Kevin's Cousin Alone in the Supermarket" (this is a pun on the Movie "Home Alone", whose German title would translate to "Kevin Home Alone") - Martin_Canine

8 Der Gott Des Gemetzels (Carnage)

"The God of Bloodshed" - Martin_Canine

9 Die Pute Von Panem (The Starving Games)

Makes no sense - blackflower

"The Turkey Hen of Panem" - Martin_Canine

The Turkey Hen of Panem? Wut? - TwilightKitsune

10 Dracula Jagt Mini-Mädchen (Dracula A.D. 1972)

What - blackflower

"Dracula chases Mini-Girls" - Martin_Canine

The Newcomers

? Johnny English: Man Lebt Nur Dreimal (Johnny English Strikes Again)

"Johnny English: You Only Live Thrice"

(You will never guess what movie title this is a pun on) - Martin_Canine

? Johnny English: Jetzt Erst Recht! (Johnny English Reborn)

"Johnny English: Now More Than Ever" - Martin_Canine

The Contenders

11 Wiegenlied Für Eine Leiche (Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte)

"Lullaby for a Corpse" - Martin_Canine

12 Männertrip (Get Him to the Greek)

"Men's Trip" - Martin_Canine

13 Vielleicht lieber morgen (The Perks of Being a Wallflower)

"Maybe Rather Tomorrow" - Martin_Canine

14 Wunderbare Welt der Schwerkraft (And Now for Something Completely Different)

"Wonderful World of Gravity"
(Don't ask me why) - Martin_Canine

15 Wilde High School Teens Kommen Gleich Zur Sache (Hooking Up)

"Wild High School Teens Immediately Get Down to Business" - Martin_Canine

16 Zwei Glorreiche Halunken (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly)

"Two Glorious Rascals" - Martin_Canine

17 Hangover Girls (Best Night Ever)

Yeah, give it another English title for no particular reason. - Martin_Canine

18 Nie Wieder Sex Mit Der Ex (Forgetting Sarah Marshall)

"No More Sex with the Ex" - Martin_Canine

19 Sein Mädchen Für Besondere Fälle (His Girl Friday)

"His Girl for Special Cases" - Martin_Canine

20 About a Boy, Oder: Der Tag Der Toten Ente (About a Boy)

"About a Boy, or: The Day of the Dead Duck" - Martin_Canine

21 Hangover in L.A. (Girl Walks Into a Bar)

Sure, let's make people think this entirely unrelated movie is a Hangover spinoff. - Martin_Canine

22 Spieglein Spieglein: Die wirklich wahre Geschichte vom Schneewittchen (Mirror Mirror)

"Mirror Mirror: The Really True Story of Snow White" - Martin_Canine

23 Die unglaubliche Reise in einem verrückten Flugzeug (Airplane!)

"The Unbelievable Journey in a Crazy Airplane" - Martin_Canine

24 Die unglaubliche Reise in einem verrückten Raumschiff (Airplane II: The Sequel)

"The Unbelievable Journey in a Crazy Starship" - Martin_Canine

25 Fight Club 2: Faustkampf im Barrio (Barrio Brawler)

"Fight Club 2: Fistfight in the Barrio"
(Yeah, 14 years after the critically acclaimed David Fincher movie some German translator thought it was a great idea giving this completely unrelated independent film a title that implies it's a sequel. Great.) - Martin_Canine

26 From Dusk to Desert (Jake's Corner)

Yet another English language title for Germany for a movie that already has an English title. And on top, implying this drama movie is in any way related to the popular Robert Rodriguez film "From Dusk Till Dawn". - Martin_Canine

27 Partyalarm: Hände weg von meiner Tochter (My Boss's Daughter)

"Party Alert: Hands Off My Daughter" - Martin_Canine

28 Die Schadenfreundinnen (The Other Woman)

"The Damage Girlfriends" - Martin_Canine

29 Austin Powers: Spion in geheimer Missionarsstellung (Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me)

"Austin Powers: Spy on a Secret Missionary Position"
(Ladies and gentlemen... the best wordplay you'll ever hear in your entire life) - Martin_Canine

30 Die Ritter der Kokosnuss (Monty Python and the Holy Grail)

"The Knights of the Coconut" - Martin_Canine

31 Bis das Blut gefriert (The Haunting (1963))

"Until the Blood is Freezing" - Martin_Canine

32 Das Geisterschloss (The Haunting (1999))

"The Ghost Castle" - Martin_Canine

33 Taffe Mädels (The Heat)

"Tough Chicks" - Martin_Canine

34 Big Fat Important Movie (An American Carol)

Well, no. It is neither big nor important. I don't want to talk about politics on this site but I have to say this: Ithink it is not right aiming at people who criticize certain aspects of a nation. You should always criticize something you think is not right about society, but the movie's "message" is you should not do that. Also, the movie tries to make fun of Michael Moore, and there is much to criticize about Moore's ways of taking a stand (too much sensation, leaving out facts, only using the interviews that appear to prove his point,...) but the movie does not attack all this, but simply the fact that he indeed has the view not all about America is great. And yeah, you can love and defend something but please don't tell people not to have a critical stand towards anything, whether it is a musician, a movie or even a country. So yeah, this movie is neither big nor important.

But then again, the German title is stupid and so is the movie. - Martin_Canine

35 Brautalarm (Bridesmaids)

"Bride Alert" - Martin_Canine

36 Eine Leiche zum Dessert (Murder by Death)

"A Corpse for Dessert"
(Translated by Dr. Hannibal Lecter) - Martin_Canine

37 Leoparden küsst man nicht (Bringing Up Baby)

"You Don't Kiss Leopards" - Martin_Canine

38 Zoomania (Zootopia)

Okay, they had to change it because of copyright issues involving a zoo called Zootopia... but they could have at least changed it to something that remotely sounds like a city. They also refer to the city as Zoomania in the movie. - Martin_Canine

39 Bube Dame König Gras (Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels)

"Jack Queen King Weed"

(The German word for "ace" ("Ass") and "weed" ("Gras") sound similar) - Martin_Canine

40 Go!: Sex, Drugs & Rave'n'roll (Go!)

I could live with that title if only they stopped after the word "rave". But "rave'n'roll" just sounds plain stupid. - Martin_Canine

41 Voll Verheiratet (Just Married)

"Totally Married" - Martin_Canine

42 Der Tiger Von New York (Killer's Kiss)

"The Tiger of New York" - Martin_Canine

43 Der Unsichtbare Dritte (North by Northwest)

"The Invisible Third (Man)" - Martin_Canine

44 Stirb Langsam (Die Hard)

"Die Slowly"

(No one who understands German would think of this as a bad title simply because the movie series is better known under that title than its original title over here... but actually it is unnecessarily inaccurately translated) - Martin_Canine

45 Bei Anruf Mord (Dial M for Murder)

"When Call Murder"

(When Grammar Learnt Translation) - Martin_Canine

46 Mary & Max, Oder: Schrumpfen Schafe, Wenn Es Regnet? (Mary & Max)

"Mary & Max, or: Do Sheep Shrink When It's Raining? "

(Well, it's a quote, but... how get a whole different idea of the tone of the movie) - Martin_Canine

47 Solange Es Menschen Gibt (Imitation of Life (1959))

"As Long as There are Humans"

(Yes, even my favorite old movie isn't safe from weird German titles. At least this one isn't as bad.) - Martin_Canine

48 ... Und Täglich Grüßt Das Murmeltier (Groundhog Day)

"...and Everyday, the Groundhog Greets" - Martin_Canine

49 Die Rote Lola (Stage Fright)

"The Red Lola"

(Note: there is absolutely no one called Lola in that movie. Also, no one is red.) - Martin_Canine

50 Die Rachsüchtige Hure (Court of Lonely Royals)

"The Vengeful Whore" - Martin_Canine

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