imfdb.org  

Go Back   imfdb.org > The Forum > imfdb

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 12-02-2008, 02:46 AM
MoviePropMaster2008's Avatar
MoviePropMaster2008 MoviePropMaster2008 is offline
IMFDB Admin
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: California
Posts: 1,192
Default A proposal regarding Foreign Film titles on IMFDB.org

I have a proposal for foreign films on IMFDB.

I would like to suggest that our formatting outline puts the "English" title first and the original foreign Title second, only if that film has been released in the U.S. under the english title. (unlike IMDB).

I did this for "der Untergang". Most folks know it in the U.S. as "Downfall" (actually I did the title "Downfall aka "Der Untergang"")

This also applies to the Chinese gangster movie "Gates of Hell (1995)" . I really don't want to list the title as "Yang guang di yu zhi ren rou shi chang" Nor would I want to see the ANIME movie "Ghost in the Shell" be renamed "Kokaku Kidotai ". Or the Chinese movie "A Better Tomorrow" be renamed "Ying hung boon sik".

You see, IMDB has a rule that you must list the movie by the title it was originally released by. I think we can distinguish ourselves from IMDB by allowing the ENGLISH title to be the primary search parameter, not the other way around.

the exception is films like "Ich War Neunzehn" which were NEVER released in an English version or with an English title to the U.S.

thoughts anyone? I've noticed an increase in foreign films listed in the movie list, but I know most of them by their English language names, not their original names. I would like to propose that we adopt this naming nomenclature for IMFDB.org.

Thoughts anyone? Thanks in advance.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 12-02-2008, 10:35 PM
Gunmaster45's Avatar
Gunmaster45 Gunmaster45 is offline
IMFDB Admin
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: New York, USA
Posts: 1,779
Default I agree.

I had similair thoughts when making the Leone trilogy. They were originally italian titles but I just left them as the english titles.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 12-06-2008, 01:38 AM
Excalibur's Avatar
Excalibur Excalibur is offline
IMFDB Admin
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 3,842
Send a message via AIM to Excalibur Send a message via MSN to Excalibur Send a message via Yahoo to Excalibur
Default

I guess for some movies
__________________

"There's a fine line between not listening and not caring...I like to think I walk that line everyday of my life."

Blessed be the LORD, my rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle
Psalm 144:1

“It is always wrong to use force, unless it is more wrong not to.”
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 12-06-2008, 07:00 PM
MoviePropMaster2008's Avatar
MoviePropMaster2008 MoviePropMaster2008 is offline
IMFDB Admin
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: California
Posts: 1,192
Default

I propose the rule be such:

1) A film should be listed by the English language title whenever possible, with the original language title as an "aka".
2) The exception is a film that has never been released with an English title internationally - "some foreign films are like this and so are some anime".
3) Another exception is a film that has already gained world wide recognition under it's original language title, prior to being released with an English title internationally (this is rare).
e.g. Despite NOT being a gun movie, an example is the Kurosawa film "Rashomon" has never had an English title and is only recognized by the original Japanese Title. However, the Kurosawa Samurai Classic "The Hidden Fortress" is never known under it's original title, "Kakushi-toride no san-akunin" and that would not be recognized by anyone outside of Japan.

Last edited by MoviePropMaster2008; 12-06-2008 at 07:03 PM.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 11:42 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.0
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.