Title: The Lady Vanishes (1938)
Why it’s lazy: Again it’s purely descriptive, and in this instance very distracting: it not only leaves you waiting for a lady to be whisked away, but also wondering which one it might be.
In the end, it’s unlikely nana-spy Miss Froy, who disappears on a train heading across Europe due to some underhand espionage shenanigans.
Where the name came from: Ethel Lina wrote the book from which the film’s story grew, which was originally called 'The Wheel Spins' and was published in 1936.
An aborted version of the film was nearly produced in 1937 under the title The Lost Lady, before Hitchcock resurrected and renamed it during a rewrite.
What they should have called it: Granny’s Gone, Mistakes On A Train, Siegfried And Froy (where Michael Redgrave’s character is renamed Siegfried, and the nasty foreign nationals are played by tigers).
Next: Attack Of The 50ft Woman
Comments
dianying
May 14th 2009, 12:00
Has anyone else ever thought that PTA just heard this line in one of the 'Saw' movies and thought that it'd make a classy title for a film someday? That's completely the impression I get.
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gezagonk
May 14th 2009, 12:01
Good list but where are Snakes on a Plane and The Great Escape?
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millerman2k
May 15th 2009, 3:24
"the thing" is a fantastic title. although calling it the "whatsit" would also have been cool...just imagine looking at an old computer screen that shows orange, cheesy snacks taking over the world. "they look like us, but they taste like watsist!"
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filmz4ever
May 15th 2009, 13:32
attack of the 5oft woman? Any film with the title being the name of the main character e.g. Amelie
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filmz4ever
May 15th 2009, 13:33
... sorry, didn't see attack of the 50ft women in the list
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halo2115
May 15th 2009, 21:05
Henry Fonda. Not Peter Fonda. Henry Fonda starred in "Twelve Angry Men." Henry Fonda.
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TheTingler
May 17th 2009, 14:19
It (technically not a movie yet, but will be!) Airport Star Wars
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NDitum
May 17th 2009, 16:07
Halo - egads, that's a shocker. Nearly bit my finger off in shame. Fixed, now.
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Sean123
May 17th 2009, 21:24
8 1/2 takes the biscuit as far as im concerned
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Juniorsnoopy
May 20th 2009, 7:12
It would have to be my favourite movie of all time, "Aliens". "Alien" was 'bad' enough, so what did they think of when they were making a sequel, with more aliens? Lets pluralise....!
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Juniorsnoopy
May 20th 2009, 7:20
I would have to be "Aliens", wouldn't it? The title "Alien" was 'bad' enough, but when they decided to make a sequel with more aliens, what did they decide to do? Merely pluralise!!! Genius!!!
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Neil1972
Jun 10th 2009, 11:30
"Like changing 'Halloween' to 'Knifey Mike' ..." But doesn't 'Halloween' itself qualify as a lazy title? It's a horror film, it takes place at Halloween, any ideas for a title?
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jimrasmussen
Jun 12th 2009, 21:55
Two things about your Taxi Driver comment: 1) Arthur Bremer shot Gov. George Wallace not George McGovern. 2) Bremer shot Wallace in 1972 not 1967. Where did you get your misinformation??
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