Why are some US titles released with different names in the UK ?

[Mikey]

Not really a "Sci Fi" query, but I thought this forum would be better for my question.....

I've noticed some US TV shows -and movies were released in England under different titles ........

A few examples ......

USA ... Gunsmoke
UK ... Gun Law

USA ... The Longest Yard
UK ... Mean Machine

There's plenty more ........

Question:
We're both English speaking countries ........
Why change the original titles ?

[Wee67]

Not being British, I will venture to guess its along the same lines as the reason for changing G.I. Joe's name- although we speak the same language (for the most part), there are different connotations and implications with certain phrases and words. Perhaps the thought that a certain phrase will not have the same impact in one place as the other. Its more than just "we say 'fired', they say 'sacked'" kind of thing. Whole phrases can have different meanings or simply not have the same punch.

I know my English friends were amused to find out we called that embarrassing little pouch we strap to our waists a 'fanny pack.' I'm sure the Brits on the board will be happy to explain

[ctc]

Hmmmm....

One reason is marketing. They change the title to sound better to a foreign audience. (Or so the suits think.) Sometimes they do it to avoid potential complaints. Happens a lot with cartoons. In English "Saint Seiya" became "Knights of the Zodiac" to avoid religious connotations. In Canada "Beast Wars Transformers" became "Beasties" and "War Planets" became something equally stupid 'cos putting "war" in the title will turn our kids into gun wielding psychopathic cyborgs. (Although the CONTENT of these shows wasn't changed. You can SHOW war, you just can't talk about it.)

Don C.

[cjefferys]

Didn't they change the title of the first Harry Potter film for US audiences because some were worried that Americans would be confused by the word "Philosopher"?

Titles can be changed for lots of reasons, for example: Peter Jackson's BRAIN DEAD became DEAD ALIVE in the US due to a similarly titled film that the distributor wanted to avoid confusion with, DELLEMORTE DELLAMORE got dumbed down to CEMETERY MAN due to US distributor Fox's marketing concerns, and Bruce Lee's FIST OF FURY and THE BIG BOSS became THE CHINESE CONNECTION and FISTS OF FURY respectively due to US distributor Fox thinking that "Fists" sounded more exciting than "Fist" and wanted to capitalize on the success of the FRENCH CONNECTION. Then an unfortunate mixup of film cans ended up switching around the new titles of the two films.

[AUSSIE-Rebooted-AMM]

That humerous Airplane flick that Shatner made a cameo appearance in the mid 80's was called "Flying High" over here in OZ. . .which is a definately funny and fitting title, but was called Airplane everywhere else I think??

[Mikey]

In Australia, Airplane was called "Flying High" ?

That is so funny !!!

I actually like that title better then our version

[twilitezoner]

Non movie related, but still funny. Commodore had to change the name of the Pet computer for France because Pet in French means fart.

[AUSSIE-Rebooted-AMM]

Don't make cry Twilitezoner. . . .I miss my Commodore Amigas!!!



And Yep Mike. . .the suits got it right for once. . .much funnier title. Maybe we are just a more sophisticated market!

[misterdroid]

I know my English friends were amused to find out we called that embarrassing little pouch we strap to our waists a 'fanny pack.' I'm sure the Brits on the board will be happy to explain

Don't the English call a "fanny pack" a "bum bag"?

[Bo8a_Fett]

Don't the English call a "fanny pack" a "bum bag"?

Indeed we do...but that is proberly because over here a fanny is a ladies ...ahem....front bottom....

[Bo8a_Fett]

Didn't they change the title of the first Harry Potter film for US audiences because some were worried that Americans would be confused by the word "Philosopher"?

.

Another interesting story like this is with the Bond movie "License to Kill"...the original title was to be "License Revoked" but the execs thought that Americans wouldn't understand what revoked meant.

[apes3978]

Another interesting story like this is with the Bond movie "License to Kill"...the original title was to be "License Revoked" but the execs thought that Americans wouldn't understand what revoked meant.

Those executives were sadly mistaken... Obviously they haven't been in an American court room to see how many people get their drivers licenses revoked... If nothing else, at least the drunks would know what revoked means...

[Bo8a_Fett]

I know.....but that's execs for you eh....middle management...the bane of the 20th and 21st century

[Gorn Captain]

In the old days, customs officers that dealt with the films "entering the country", had to put a title in their own language on the film reels. As they knew little about movies, they more than often guessed, or simply got it all wrong. I have a tape of the Godzilla movie "Mothra", and the poster has been changed to "Motta, the flying Dracula Monster."
http://www.fjmovie.com/tposter/60-5/GEMnankai.htm
(the title is somewhere in the middle of the page)

Figure that one out, will ya???

It did make for some interesting posters!

And look at this weird Raiders poster:
http://www.polishposter.com/Merchant...Category_Code=

[AJJ]

Reindeer Games was called Deception in the UK

Cool looking Raiders poster.