Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Different opening credits

One of the frustrating aspects of the PEPLUM genre is the numerous title changes, between different countries and often within the same market. This practice of changing titles created unnecessary confusion and little respect from critics and cinephiles alike for the genre. Here are two examples:

HERCULES AGAINST MOLOCH

Original Italian opening credit title which translates simply as HERCULES AGAINST MOLOCH

The English/US opening credit is knowm as CONQUEST OF MYCENAE (with a title subtitle with the more direct Hercules against Moloch). For this film is particular, CONQUEST OF MYCENAE is a fairly terrible title.

The French opening credit is the same same as the Italian title. This opening credit is pretty sad looking.


THE INVINCIBLE BROTHERS MACISTE

Original Italian opening credit title which is identical to the English translation.

One of two versions for the English/US market. This one is the correct title.

THE INVINCIBLE GLADIATORS is the second opening credit version for the English market. It's a terrible title as the Maciste brothers are not gladiators.

German version (Google translated this as "The downfall of the rich leopard" huh?) is more about the Leopard men than the Maciste brothers.

3 comments:

  1. gpmJanuary 29, 2013 at 9:32 PM

    I don't know enough German to know if they got it right, but I believe the last one is supposed to be "The downfall of the leopard kingdom," not the "rich leopard," presumably in reference to the silly costumes worn by the evil queen's minions.

    --gpm

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  2. PEPLUM cinemaJanuary 29, 2013 at 10:21 PM

    I'd figured it would be different than the Google translation but I thought it was funny to add it.

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  3. victor immatureJanuary 30, 2013 at 2:23 PM

    Sometimes it makes sense to change the title. The Al Jolson classic "Hallelujah I'm a Bum" had to be retitled in England because the word "bum" has a much different reference there.

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