12 films, whose names have changed meaning in translation

Original movie titles often translated is not entirely correct. In Examples, "1 + 1" instead of the original "Untouchables» (The Intouchables) or "proof death" instead of "Smertestoykogo» (Death Proof).

There are several reasons: on the commercial forecasts that a certain name will attract more people than a correct translation, to the banal lack of professionalism.

However it happens and so that the name of the film can not be "right" translate to Russian. The English are often one and the same word can have a dozen values. And if the media layering names understood, for the Russian audience of the meaning is lost in translation.

But about these names, we'll talk movies.

1. The Departed

The Departed

Let's start with the Oscar-winning work of Martin Scorsese. Departed word means "set sail", "sailed" when it comes to the ship, or "who served" if the train. But in relation to man is always a poetic symbol of death.

Expression dear departed - the standard treatment to the deceased on funeral. you can translate the word departed in this context as "the deceased". And such hopelessness in the title makes us take another look at the main characters.

2. American Beauty

american Beauty

Again, the Oscar-winning film, but Sam Mendes. If translated directly, word beauty has two meanings - it is "beautiful" and "beauty". So, it would seem, "American Beauty" is quite right to exist.

However, the Russian audience, in contrast to the US, it is absolutely incomprehensible that the "American Beauty» (american beauty) - this is very popular in the US rose varieties.

A Rose (of course, that this variety) play a very important role in this film.

3. Good guys

Goodfellas

If you disassemble the name on the side, really good word can be translated as "good" or "nice", but fellas - as "guys" or "the guys."

However, their whole combination has an entirely different meaning - goodfella represents a bandit, a member of the Italian Mafia.

So approvingly call each other themselves Italian-American criminals in the United States. Analogue term goodfellas in criminal slang our language can be the word "thieves".

By the way, in the film it is mentioned that the main character can not become a full member of the Italian Mafia because of his Irish ancestry - so the name becomes somewhat ironic meaning.

4. Shutter Island

Shutter Island

Tape name migrated from the novel by Dennis Lehane, on which the film is based. Here the classic story of "speaking" names: island, which take place the events of the film is called Shutter (Shutter). This word means "blinds", "damper", "shutter" - something that separates or closure of one another. And the name of the island is clearly alludes to its isolation and separateness.

In history there have been examples of deliberately cut off from the islands of the world - this is a leper colony, where lepers were sent to isolate them from society. This context adds an extra sinister name (given that we are talking about the hospital for mentally ill criminals).

Fans also noticed that Shutter Island - an anagram of truths and lies ( «truth and lie") and truths / denials ( «true / denial").

5. Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Blvd

This classic black-and-white film tells the tragedy of a forgotten silent film actress, who lives in a mansion on this boulevard. This is an existing streets of Los Angeles, located in the heart of Hollywood.

As in the case of Shutter Island, is an example of "speaking" name - sunset is translated as "sunset". That is, literally, "Sunset Boulevard" is translated as "Sunset Boulevard." Given the history of the once famous, but now all forgotten actress, a literal interpretation of the name of the street is the best conveys the overall mood of the picture.

6. The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker

Here ambiguity rife.

Locker word literally means some object that holds a other things - the chest, wardrobe, bedside table and so on. Most Americans immediately come to mind in the lockers school corridors, where students store their belongings.

Word hurt means "pain" - and the pain both physically (by injury or stroke), and emotional (eg, bereavement).

And the hurt locker, if literally translated as "a box of pain."

At the same army slang, this term can mean many different things: it's a coffin with the dead sapper, and place a bomb where necessary working professionals, and himself a suit that put before the disposal of explosives, - the value varies from one military unit to other.

7. American History X

American History X

This is a rare example where Russian translation brings to the ambiguity of the title, which is not present in the original.

If the word "history" is meant a bike or a story, used in English tale or story. But history is always used in the sense of history as a science or very sequence of events that occurred in the past.

Therefore, american history - is "the history of America."

Letter X, added to the title, at the same time is unknown (by analogy with the X-Files) And alludes to the swastika (present in the form of a tattoo of the hero) as a symbol of neo-Nazism.

8. Keepers

Watchmen

Here localizers can only regret - so many meanings in simple words.

On the one hand, watchmen, of course, refers to the keepers, defenders (that is, people, do not expose anything).

On the other hand - guards or guards, guarding other people. The film repeatedly encountered the phrase: «? Who watches the watchmen» ( «Who sterezhot watchmen?").

Well, as the cherry on the cake: the root word watchmen - watch, which translates as "clock". That is, in a certain context, possible translation of "watchmakers". The film constantly used the image of "Doomsday Clock", showing how much time is left before nuclear disaster and changing the position of the hands, depending on the political situation in the world. Therefore, a reference to the clock in the title would be very appropriate.

The translator was obviously a tough decision: any of the options would be correct in one sense, but it lost the other shades of meaning. I personally think the most compromise called "Time."

9. Red heat

Red Heat

Heat - literally "hot" or "Fight". If translated literally, the red heat means "red-hot".

Also, the word heat, in addition to the main, there are two popular slang meanings. One of them is a firearm, and the other - a police officer, severely interfering criminals.

Now about the word red, «red». Everything is simple: for the Americans, it always has an association with the Soviet Union (In the title of the recent "Red Sparrow" laid the same meaning).

Therefore, other possible title of the film - a "Red cop" or "red guns".

10. On the needle

Trainspotting

Rare case when even the English-speaking audience is not fully understood the meaning of the original title. "Trainspotting" sounds clear: the main theme of the film - addiction protagonists.

And what about trainspotting? Literally, the expression means "to stare at the train." Do not look and do not observe, namely stare. This was done by the main characters of the book of the same name by Irvine Welsh after drinking drugsThey come to the rails and fascinated stare at the passing trains, while in half-conscious.

In the film, this episode was cut, so the name was confusing for everyone, not reading a novel basis.

11. Apocalypse now

Apocalypse Now

Here, the translation is not very ambitious, but it is important to explain the context. In the 60s in the hippie movement was very popular slogan Nirvana Now! - it translates as something like "Give Nirvana!" Or "Nirvana Now!".

When John Milius came up with an original script about the madness warHe thought that the name "Apocalypse Now", clearly mocks the slogan pacifists, will be most welcome.

12. Blade Runner

Blade Runner

If literally, the blade - a "blade" and runner - "runner." Incidentally, the Paralympic athletes running in sports prostheses, also called bladerunners. But the jargon term runner is illegal traders, the one who "pushes the goods".

The film is based on the novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" Philip K. Dick, but the name is borrowed from the novel by William S. Burroughs: in It 'bleydrannerami "called the smugglers medical instruments (including scalpels or blades), carrying them on backward planet.

The word blade always has an association with something very dangerous, fast and deadly. That is why, for example, in the unpredictable Russian Guy Ritchie just Boris The Blade - Boris Razor. As poluchelovek-poluvampir Blade - storm undead.

Therefore, the name of the well liked director Ridley Scott. On the one hand, if taken literally, it refers to the hero, balancing on the very fine line between the human and the inhuman, and on the other - almost a "merchant of death".

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Sometimes it happens that the localized name is not just difficult, but impossible. In any case missed shades of meaning, context and allusions - it turns out that any translation is not good enough.