Hollywood Making Cr@p for the M@sses: A Video by Taualumna

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

It's not just movies that are "dumbed" down. Let's not forget Harry Potter Book #1, where its REAL TITLE is "HP and the Philosopher's Stone", not "the Sorceror's Stone".

Is the former supposed to sound "smarter" or something?

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Is the former supposed to sound "smarter" or something?

I dont even think it has so much to do with foreign flicks being smarter as it is with foreign flicks don't always follow the same old formulae that a lot of Hollywood films have done over the years...some of the more exciting and interesting movies that i have seen within the past 5 or so years haven't been Hollywood flicks.

I think what this is really about is that we get sick and tired of paying for the same old crap taht;s long on hype and CG and short on story.

I was feeling what she said about The Departed and I agree, it won all teh accolades but they may as well have handed the awards to those that made Infernal Affairs.


and yeah...in actuality, the title was 'dumbed down'

http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20020123.html

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

and yeah...in actuality, the title was 'dumbed down'

http://ask.yahoo.com/ask/20020123.html

Like I said, the original title doesn't sound "smarter."

The title was changed for American audiences but it wasn't "dumbed down." From what I've read, that's people putting their own spin or interpretation on it. It was changed so that people could identify the subject matter and so that people who don't know about this genre/author/story line could be drawn to it. The original work was published in 1997 in London so it was designed to familiarize others with the line of work and appeal to a larger audience. Forms of American media often have to do the same when they go national and international.

[Taualumna]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Like I said, the original title doesn't sound "smarter."

The title was changed for American audiences but it wasn't "dumbed down." That's people putting their own spin or interpretation on it. It was changed so that people could identify the subject matter and so that people who don't know about this genre/author/story line could be drawn to it. The original work was published in 1997 in London so it was designed to familiarize others with the line of work and appeal to a larger audience. Forms of American media often have to do the same when it goes national and international.

But why did it have to be changed for American audiences when it wasn't in other parts of the English speaking world? Like I said in my last post, even Canadians got the original British title, and we usually get what the US gets. The original British title for Confessions of a Shopoholic was The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopoholic. We got Confessions, not Secret Dreamworld.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by Taualumna

But why did it have to be changed for American audiences when it wasn't in other parts of the English speaking world? Like I said in my last post, even Canadians got the original British title, and we usually get what the US gets. The original British title for Confessions of a Shopoholic was The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopoholic. We got Confessions, not Secret Dreamworld.

Does "Secret Dreamworld" sound smarter than "Confessions" to you? It doesn't to me. "Confessions" sounds catchier and probably fits the theme better.

But we'd have to seek the answers to these questions. We could speculate all day. I'm sure the official statements from the publishers/producers/authors wouldn't tell Americans that we are dumb, even if that's why the names were changed.

[Taualumna]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Does "Secret Dreamworld" sound smarter than "Confessions" to you? It doesn't to me. "Confessions" sounds catchier and probably fits the theme better.

But we'd have to seek the answers to these questions. We could speculate all day. I'm sure the official statements from the publishers/producers/authors wouldn't tell Americans that we are dumb, even if that's why the names were changed.

Ehh...I was just asking why some titles are changed.

I also notice what a lot of people notice--American children stories tend to give the bad person foreign accents which is another message that adults are sending.

Not just foreign accents, but any accent that isn't standard American (unless story takes place in a location where a regional accent is used).

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by Taualumna

Ehh...I was just asking why some titles are changed.



Not just foreign accents, but any accent that isn't standard American (unless story takes place in a location where a regional accent is used).

Tau....hey...bottom line too, it's all about marketing....same reason why you have Confessions of a Video Vixen as opposed to A Video Vixen's Dreamworld.

Which do you think the audience would buy?

If there are enough consumers out there who are buying into the crap that is made, it will continue to be made ( I think I said it before).

It doesn't necessarily have to be smart or intelligent.

Any media made has to be marketed to a targeted audience and as long as a goal is met that shows that it is working, it's going to continuously be made.

For instance, historic epics....anyone remember Gladiator?

One of my admitted favorite movies...won best picture...kind of alluding to the politics again...but how historically inaccurate was it?

It sometimes makes you wonder what standards are set when the powers that be in Hollywood make when they measure a movie. IMO...I understand they are basing part of the award on the quality...but to me, I would have thought that a part of the quality of a film like this is also in its accuracy....but hey...the Titanic and A Beautiful Mind won too right? LOL.

I believe what has happened is that Hollywood is running short on greenlighting good ideas and mkaing them nto movies...I used to say that we have run out of ideas, but I don't think that at all. Holly wood has just gotten lazy. Hollywood, instead of putting out more cutting edge movies has turned to doing the following:

1. Remaking 'classic' horror franchises (Halloween and now Friday the 13th)
2. Butchering comics and children's books (Spiderman, XMen and Golden Compass)
3. Chruning out way too many sequels for franchises that has long since left the limelight (Star Trek and A vs P anyone?)

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by Taualumna

Ehh...I was just asking why some titles are changed.

And I was just saying that most answers will be speculation.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Taualumna

Ehh...I was just asking why some titles are changed.

Well, you seemed to be trying to make an argument that a specific title was "dumbed down."

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

I believe what has happened is that Hollywood is running short on greenlighting good ideas and mkaing them nto movies...I used to say that we have run out of ideas, but I don't think that at all. Holly wood has just gotten lazy. Hollywood, instead of putting out more cutting edge movies has turned to doing the following:

1. Remaking 'classic' horror franchises (Halloween and now Friday the 13th)
2. Butchering comics and children's books (Spiderman, XMen and Golden Compass)
3. Chruning out way too many sequels for franchises that has long since left the limelight (Star Trek and A vs P anyone?)

Y'all act like this is something new. I can make a good case that "one of the best-loved movies of all time," the MGM 1939 "The Wizard of Oz," butchered the original story by making the whole trip to Oz a dream and stuffing in the whole "if-I-ever-go-looking-for-my-heart's-desire" sentimentality. And note that in the movie, Dorothy "accidently" throws water on the witch as she tries to put out the Scarecrow's fire; in the book, she grabs the bucket and throws water on the witch out of anger. And it's not even Disney.

There's really nothing new in this thread.