The 11 craziest title translations of movies that competed for the Oscars

There is only one week left for the world of cinema to revolve around the Oscars gala. A fantasy party in which everyone tries to add their bit of creativity to make the best possible film. Including, among all of them, the translators of the tapes into languages ​​other than the original.

Sometimes the title of a movie in English does not sound good in its literal translation into Spanish. And there appears the figure of the translator and the distributor of the film in each country, who it also brings a creativity that, on occasions, exceeds what is due. The examples are hundredsalthough having only the tapes that competed for an award, a long list of names can be drawn.

La La Land (2016)

Although he can never live up to the mistake Faye Dunaway made when announcing that she was the winner of ‘Best Picture’, the translator of the title completely changed its original name. The tape, known in Spain as the city of starsreached 14 nominations for the Oscars, although it only won six statuettes.

With skirts and crazy (1959)

One of the great successes of Marilyn Monroe and Billy Wilder was not born with the name by which it has been well known in Spain either. The movie, which He was nominated for six Oscars and only won one for costume design, it was originally called Some Like It Hot (‘Some like it hot.’)

Die Hard (1988)

While Bruce Willis tried to stop the gang of criminals led by Alan Rickman, in each place they knew the film in a different way. While its original title was Die Hardin South America it was translated as Hard to Kill. Four nominations without an award that later had four more films about the saga.

With death on its heels (1959)

One of the best films of all time and considered one of Hitchcock’s best works did not have a literal translation at all. North By Northwest (North by northwest) was the name that the filmmaker chose for a film that won three statuettes.

Rear Window (1954)

It seems that the translators took it with the works of Alfred Hitchcock. Another of his great movies, for which he won the Oscar for ‘Best Director’ in 1955, was actually called Front Window (The rear window).

The Sound of Music and Tears (1965)

The adaptation of one of the best-known musicals of all time also had no luck with its translations into Spanish. Neither in Spain nor in South America did they consider that The Sound of the parentMusic (The Sound of Music) was an appropriate title. On the other side of the Atlantic, the ‘Best Film’ of the year was named The rebel novice.

Le Mans ’66 (2019)

ford v ferrari in its original American title and against the impossible in Hispanic America tells the story of a team of engineers trying to create a racing car capable of beating the Italian brand. The film received four Oscar nominations and won two technical awards for editing and sound editing.

The Bright Side of Things (2012)

One of the films on the list that had the most different titles. The bright side of life in Argentina and Uruguay and the games of destiny in the rest of Spanish America. Nothing really to do with Silver Linings Playbook, its original name. Jennifer Lawrence won the Oscar for ‘Best Actress’ in the only triumph of the eight nominations she received.

You to Boston, I to California (1998)

The name that the translators chose in Spain revealed part of the film’s plot. Two girls discover that they are twins in a camp and draw up a plan that in Latin America they called Operation Cupid. No resemblance, in either case, to the original The Parent Trap.

Maids and Ladies (2011)

Emma Stone, Viola Davis and Jessica Chastain have key roles in Octavia Spencer’s pinnacle performance. The American actress won the ‘Best Supporting Actress’ award for her performance in The Help either Crossing stories.

The Dilemma (1999)

Eight unsuccessful nominations, directed by Michael Mann and a cast led by Al Pacino and Russell Crowe. The film talks about the tobacco market and the different techniques that companies use to maximize their profits. The Spanish title has nothing to do with the original The Insideralthough in Latin America they did accept its translation The Informant.