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Fun with Languages

9 Movies With Title Translations So Bad, They're Good!

Dive into the world of hilarious mistranslations of movie and TV show titles that are so bad, they're actually good!

It's Raining Falafel movie poster

In the world of entertainment, translation can be a tricky business. Sometimes, movie and TV show titles get hilariously mistranslated, leading to some unexpected and amusing results. Let's take a tour around the world and see how some of our favorite titles have been lost in translation:

4 Movies with Hilarious Mistranslations

  1. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs - In the French version, the title was translated as "It's Raining Falafel". This changes the meaning significantly and adds a Middle Eastern twist to the story!

  2. Airplane! - The Swedish translation was "Help! We're Flying!" which loses the parody element and sounds more like a distress call than a comedy.

  3. Die Hard: With a Vengeance - In Germany, it was titled "Die Hard: Mega Hard". This just makes it sound silly and less menacing than the original.

  4. Army of Darkness - The Japanese title for this movie was "Captain Supermarket". Not really related to the content at all, but it sure sounds like a fun shopping trip!

5 TV Shows with Hilarious Mistranslations

  1. Friends - In Spain, it was translated as "Six in the City". This changes the meaning and sounds more like a group tour than a sitcom about friends.

  2. The Simpsons - The episode "Whacking Day" in French became "Le Jour du Grand Massacre" which means "The Day of the Great Massacre". Much darker and more ominous than the original!

  3. How I Met Your Mother - The Korean title was "Older Man, Younger Woman". This focuses only on the age difference in the main relationship, ignoring the other aspects of the show.

  4. Keeping Up with the Kardashians - In Czech Republic, it was called "Top Models in Problems". A very judgmental translation that seems to focus on the drama more than the glamour!

  5. Breaking Bad - The Japanese title was "Chemical Reaction of Good Luck". It loses the dark tone of the original and sounds more like a science experiment gone right.


In conclusion, while these mistranslations can be funny, they highlight the importance of proper localization in preserving the original meaning and cultural references of movies and TV shows. So next time you watch a foreign film or show, spare a thought for the translators who have the challenging task of making it relatable for you!