Welcome to the second entry of outrageous Mexican movie title translations! It's been almost a month since
the first part appeared, so I'll introduce the whole thing again:
Mexico, like many Latin American countries, has a long tradition of giving Spanish titles that make no sense to foreign films. Honestly, each week there's a new title translation to laugh at. Sometimes the weird and independent movies that aren't released theatrically in Mexico are hard to find, simply because they're available on DVD with a completely different title.
And so, I'd like to share some of the highlights of the last several decades with you. Because there are so many funny, ridiculous and inexplicable Mexican title translations, I'm making this a two-part article (with 40 titles each), featuring films both new and old.
This time, we have Mexican titles of films from Stanley Kubrick, Fritz Lang, Edgar Wright, Christopher Nolan and the Coen brothers. Then, we'll close it all of with an amazing title that made sure no one was surprised by a certain film's surprise ending. Also, it's worth noting that Mexico is celebrating its independence tonight, so let's just say... Viva Mexico! And its hilarious movie title translations!
Notes: I have to thank my pals Rene De Luna Gonzalez and Rafael Paz Esparza (editor of Butaca Ancha) for adding some titles to this list. Thanks a lot!
Some slides in the gallery contain more than one movie title translation, hence, while I cover 40 movies here, there are only 28 slides.
Original Title: Juno
Mexican Title: Juno: Crecer, Correr y Tropezar (Juno: Grow, Run and Stumble)
Original Title: Home Alone
Mexican Title: Mi Pobre Angelito (My Poor Little Angel)
Original Title: M
Mexican Title: M, el Maldito (M, the Damned)
Original Title: The Master
Mexican Title: The Master: Todo Hombre Necesita Un Guía (The Master: Every Man Needs A Guide)
Stanley Kubrick Triple-Feature:
Original Title: Full Metal Jacket
Mexican Title: Cara de Guerra (War Face)
Original Title: Paths of Glory
Mexican Title: Patrulla Infernal (Infernal Patrol)
Original Title: The Killing
Mexican Title: Casta de Malditos (Caste of the Damned)
Original Title: The Big Lebowski
Mexican Title: Identidad Peligrosa (Dangerous Identity)
Note: The current Mexican Blu-Ray of The Big Lebowski has the perfect translation (El Gran Lebowski), but once this classic by the Coen brothers was known as Dangerous Identity (you can confirm this in the archives of Mexico’s Cineteca Nacional).
Original Title: Despicable Me
Mexican Title: Mi Villano Favorito (My Favorite Villian)
Note: This year’s Despicable Me 2 is indeed My Favorite Villian 2.
Original Title: Babe
Mexican Title: Babe, el Puerquito Valiente (Babe, the Brave Piggy)
Original Title: The Pacifier
Mexican Title: Niñera a Prueba de Balas (Bulletproof Babysitter)
The Ocean’s Trilogy:
Original Title: Ocean’s Eleven
Mexican Title: La Gran Estafa (The Great Fraud)
Original Title: Ocean’s Twelve
Mexican Title: La Nueva Gran Estafa (The New Great Fraud)
Original Title: Ocean’s Thirteen
Mexican Title: Ahora Son 13 (Now They’re 13)
Original Title: The Prestige
Mexican Title: El Gran Truco (The Great Trick)
Original Title: I Spit On Your Grave
Mexican Title: Dulce Venganza (Sweet Revenge)
Original Title: The Right Stuff
Mexican Title: Los Elegidos de la Gloria (The Chosen Ones of the Glory)
Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker!:
Original Title: Airplane!
Mexican Title: ¿Y Dónde Está el Piloto (And Where’s the Pilot?)
Original Title: Hot Shots!
Mexican Title: Loca Academia de Pilotos (Crazy Academy of Pilots)
Original Title: Rat Race
Mexican Title: El Mundo Está Loco, Loco (The World Is Mad, Mad)
Original Title: The Killing Fields
Mexican Title: Los Gritos del Silencio (The Shouts of Silence)
Original English Title: Betty Blue
Mexican Title: Betty Blue, el Encanto de Una Mujer (Betty Blue, the Charm of A Woman)
Three movies with Jack Black:
Original Title: Be Kind Rewind
Mexican Title: Originalmente Pirata (Originally Pirate)
Original Title: Tropic Thunder
Mexican Title: Una Guerra de Película (A War Out of A Movie)
Original Title: Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny
Mexican Title: Reyes del Rock (Kings of Rock)
Original Title: Carrie
Mexican Title: Carrie, Un Extraño Presentimiento (Carrie, A Strange Presentiment)
Original Title: Funny Games
Mexican Title: Juegos Sádicos (Sadistic Games)
Original Title: Bad Taste
Mexican Title: Picadillo (Mince)
Original Title: The Silence of the Lambs
Mexican Title: El Silencio de los Inocentes (The Silence of the Innocents)
Robert De Niro/Al Pacino Double-Feature:
Original Title: Heat
Mexican Title: Fuego contra Fuego (Fire Against Fire)
Original Title: Righteous Kill
Mexican Title: Frente a Frente (Face to Face)
Original Title: Sideways
Mexican Title: Entre Copas (Between Drinks)
Original Title: Billy Madison
Mexican Title: Tonto Pero No Tanto (Dumb But Not So Much)
KISS Double-Feature:
Original Title: Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park
Mexican Title: Kiss en el Infierno del Rock (Kiss in Rock’s Hell)
Original Title: Detroit Rock City
Mexican Title: Rockeros Rebeldes (Rebel Rockers)
Original Title: Million Dollar Baby
Mexican Title: Golpes del Destino (Punches of Destiny)
Edgar Wright’s Cornetto Trilogy:
Original Title: Shaun of the Dead
Mexican Title: El Desesperar de los Muertos (The Despair of the Dead)
Original Title: Hot Fuzz
Mexican Title: Hot Fuzz: Super Policias (Hot Fuzz: Super Cops)
Original Title: The World’s End
Mexican Title: Una Noche en el Fin del Mundo (A Night in the World’s End)
Original Title: Thelma & Louise
Mexican Title: Thelma y Louise: Un Final Inesperado (Thelma & Louise: An Unexpected Ending)