Terminator Title Terminated
Written on March 12, 2008 by Niall Browne
The Internet has great power, and as we all know, with great power comes great responsibility.
When Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins was first mentioned as the title to the new installment of the iconic franchise, there was much anger and confusion amongst film fans online.
It wasn't just a bad title, it was a long, bad title.
In the past few years film titles have become ridiculously long. We've had the above titled Terminator film, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, not to mention the Harry Potters and The Lord Of The Rings films (however I am tempted to over look these as they are based on books - and it's good to read... right?)
It seems like studio heads have finally listened to film fans and realized that you don't need a long, complicated and frankly stupid, title. I mean, Stallone had it right with Rambo, why call it John Rambo 4: The Return of Rambo after Twenty Years in Burma, when a simple brand name will do!
The main problem is that Chud.com is reporting that Terminator 4 now has the long(ish), simple, but equally stupid title of Terminator: The Return of the Terminator.
Now, it is an improvement - Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins was a terrible, terrible title. It sounded like a straight to DVD title... but let's be honest: Is Terminator: The Return of the Terminator any better?
Which Terminator is returning? It sure as hell ain't Arnold Schwarzenegger! In fact it should be Terminator: The Birth of the Terminator, as this film is technically a prequel to the previous films. Now try and get your mind around that!
I don't know what to think of this film, when I heard McG was directing I thought that the film was doomed, then Christian Bale signed on and it looked like it had a chance at being good. It's just one step forward and two steps back. Maybe they should call Paula Abdul.
This title change, though better, is hardly a vast improvement.
What do you guys think?
Terminator 4 aka Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins aka Terminator: The Return of the Terminator is scheduled to be released on May 22 2009.
Source: CHUD
I think the new title is worse than the old title! You shouldn't have to use the word "Terminator" TWICE in the title!! If it's a prequel, why don't they just call it Terminator: Skynet Begins or something. Better yet, just Terminator 4. I love the Terminator movies and the TV series, but the whole title business is really bumming me out about this film.
Well, I know nothing about the franchise as I've never seen any of the movies or the TV series. That said, I agree, the new title isn't good. If it's an origin prequel, I agree with Andy: Terminator: The Beginning, or something along those lines should be enough. A good title should tell you what the story is about, not reveal the whole story, and it should be able to do so in no more than 2-3 words.
"It's just one step forward and two steps back. Maybe they should call Paula Abdul."
Or the Desert Rose Band. I know they had a song based around that kind of dance description.
GAH! You've NEVER seen ANY Terminator movie?
(passes out)
Vic
Nope, not a one. I may consider renting the first movie one of these days, though.
FlameStrike, how can you even be ON a site that is predominantly about SciFi movies and NOT have seen any of the Terminator movies?? Sorry, it just boggles my mind!!! The first one is CLASSIC, even though the SFx are tame compared to today (or even Terminator 2). It's just that the first TWO are SUCH awesome movies!!! I can understand passing on the 3rd one, but DUDE!!!!
Watch one and two, please for the sake of me don't watch three. I also tell people who haven't seen the matrix to only watch the first one, but it never seems to work, they get as curious as I was, then they ruin it for themselves.
I don't get it. Why all this needless fuss about movie titles?
And why do you think short simple dumb-downed titles are better?
How can you like titles with one word preceded by 'the' more than the indiana jones titles or 'no country for old men', etc.
Ok, let's have some fun:
Citizen Kane
Casablanca
The Godfather
The Matrix
Alien
Aliens
The Terminator
Blade Runner
Rocky
Rambo
Star Wars
Apollo 13
Schindler's List
Goodfellas
Psycho
Fight Club
Vertigo
The Shining
Jaws
The Sting
Fargo
Die Hard
Platoon
The Graduate
Crash
The Thing
Scarface
King Kong
Frankenstein
Dracula
The Mummy
The Wolfman
:-)
Vic
Both titles sound like they have been created by Non-fans of the trilogy.
(IMO) the film should be titled, "Terminator: War Across Time".
Flamestrike never saw Terminator? Wow
please do us all a favor and rent them and come back here and let us know what you think.
T4.
I think this whole thing a trick and they just came up with the worst titles possible, and now they have a team of people researching movie sites listening to peoples ideas for a movie title.
Or it could be that after the first title they realized it was really bad so they wanted to change it but realised that people had already come up with and suggested all the good titles and they can't possibly use someone else's idea. So the only titles that hadn't been thought of sucked.
I mean for pete's sake at least take out terminator and just call it Return of the Terminator. The other title had less stink than that.
"FlameStrike, how can you even be ON a site that is predominantly about SciFi movies and NOT have seen any of the Terminator movies??"
Well, if the truth be told, most SF movies just don't appeal to me, despite the fact that most of what I read is Science Fiction. The movies seem to spend more money on visual effects, and don't pay much attention to telling a good story or developing the characters to any degree, and they rarely seem to be anything more than a glorified action movie, which is what the Terminator films have always struck me as being. Not really being a big fan of action movies, I've just passed on them.
Now, that being said, there are some exceptions to that rule, but unless the movie is really well done or has some sentimental value to me, or is just so bad it's good, I generally don't waste my time on SF movies, instead sticking to well done TV series or books.
"And why do you think short simple dumb-downed titles are better?"
Who says 2-3 word titles have to be dumbed down? Some of the best titles I've seen have had few words, yet were descriptive of the story.
Absolute Zero
Unbalanced Consequences
Forced Perspective
Under the Night
Lest We Forget
Stir Crazy
Patriot Games
Rising Sun
All of those, some movies, some TV episodes, some book or short story titles, can convey the idea of the story without using more than three words. Long titles aren't necessary, and I don't find any of the ones I listed to be dumbed down.
Flamestrike I think you'll like the Terminator films. Even 3.
I will refund what ever cost you have renting these films IF you don't like them.
Let me know ???
I have to agree with Andy on this one. Terrible title, even worse than the first one, which was also terrible.
I just saw Terminator for the first time a few months ago, and it's extremely cornball and the time travel makes no sense but hey, who cares? (I can afford to be so laissez-faire about it now, after ranting for hours after I first saw it. "THIS MADE NO SENSE! HOW CAN HE FATHER SOMEONE WHO'S ALREADY BORN? ARGH!")
I'm sure the title will change again when someone actually says this out loud and realizes how awful it is.
The first two Terminator films are sci-fi classics, in fact film classics- no matter what the genre.
T3 is pretty much an extra, that although not great is something that you can't complain about. We all wanted T3, much like the new Star Wars films.
Think of the greatest meal that you've ever had, you can't complain when you ask for second helpings and it doesn't taste as nice!!
They're there if you want them,but you don't have to watch them.
Niall
I don't care who is in it, who directs or anything, this movie is going to have to do some real hardcore impressing or there is no way im seeing it. Makes me hate having liked the first two films. This movie is going to be cheesy garbage.
"I will refund what ever cost you have renting these films IF you don't like them."
Thanks, but I'll probably end up getting them as free rentals at my local video store. I get so many free rentals there I'm almost surprised I'm still paying to rent videos.
"...it IS an improvement... but let's be honest: is [it] any better?"
Hehe... sorry. I couldn't resist. ;o)
On a serious note - personally, I think the newly rumoured title is far worse... and that's saying something.
You know, they could have just let it be Terminator: The Future Begins, and it wouldn't have been too bad.
I think studios are trying to get a little too fancy in the way they title movies. Let's heart for Stallone with his "Rocky Balboa" and "Rambo."
Vic