Hollywood is big business. American movies are seen around the entire globe, influencing culture and trends. Whether it’s in China, Germany, or Israel, in order to get moviegoers into theaters advertisers have to think about how to market a movie specific to their culture — and nothing plays a bigger role in that than the title.

Often, movie titles are simply left alone. In France, Star Wars is now simply known as “Star Wars,” rather than “Guerre des étoiles,” the literal translation. Sometimes though, neither leaving the name alone nor translating it directly make any sense, as in the case of Silver Linings Playbook, a title that’s somewhat confusing even to Anglophones. That leaves one option: a simpler English title.

And yet, whether in France, Italy, Argentina, or beyond, these English simplifications and clarifications tend to get “Lost in Translation,” which, by the way, is known as “Meetings and Failures in Meetings” in Portugal. Confusing stuff.



France

The Hangover: Very Bad Trip

Silver Linings Playbook: Happiness Therapy

No Strings Attached: Sex Friends

Step Up: Sexy Dance

Youth in Revolt: Be Bad

Italy

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: If You Leave Me, I Delete You

The Producers: Please Do Not Touch the Old Women

China

As Good as It Gets: Mr. Cat Poop

Pretty Woman: I Will Marry a Prostitute to Save Money

Risky Business: Just Send Him to University Unqualified

The Sixth Sense: He’s a Ghost!

American Pie: American Virgin Man

Boogie Nights: His Great Device Makes Him Famous

Fargo: Mysterious Murder in Snowy Cream



Israel

Knocked Up: Slightly Pregnant

Top Gun: Love is in the Sky

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: Rain of Falafel

Superbad: Superhorny



Argentina

Grease: Vaseline

Germany

Dodgeball: Full of the Nuts

Annie Hall: The Urban Neurotic

Airplane!: The Unbelievable Trip in a Wacky Airplane

Denmark

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory: The Boy Who Drowned in Chocolate Sauce

Malaysia

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me: Austin Powers: The Spy Who Behaved Very Nicely around Me

Thailand

Due Date: Odd Couple, Wacky Trip, Go Together in Time for Birth