Your favourite film titles

[Promethea]

I have been constructing a list of my favourite Movie Titles of all time. (I am biased towards the evocative or haunting). Add your own or disagree with mine.

Nicholas Ray gets two great titles and I toyed with adding Rebel Without A Cause as well. In a Lonely Place as a title is just stunning – simple, yet haunting and utterly intriguing. I remember running that title over and over in my mind when I first heard it. It fits the mood of the film so perfectly, in describing the emotional state of the two leads, Hollywood itself, the life of the writer, to, more prosaically, the possible physical site of the murder in the film. By the way, film itself is wonderful too, though deeply sad and depressing in its truthfulness. Also, it contains the following line from a screenplay that Bogart’s character is writing:
"I was born when she kissed me, I died when she left me, I lived a few weeks while she loved me".

They Live By Night again, isn’t that great? Conjures up some wonderful possible imagery from possible Vampires, to illicit lovers, runaways or fugitives. Bold and eye-catching, yet utterly mysterious. Genius.

The Desperate Hours More Bogart, another wonderful, haunting title.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers The exact polar opposite of TLBN – does exactly what it says on the tin and yet still sounds intriguing too. The only thing that tells against it is that it does sound as if the movie might also be campy crap. When in fact the first two versions of the movie (especially the second version with Donald Sutherland) are to me rather profound studies on the nature of identity, the fear of the loss of Self and the alienation within modern society. Also, it contains the scariest movie ending ever. Fact.

Finally, I give a nod to Jacques Tourneur for Build My Gallows High. (Which is a line from the script too so also could go in another thread). It also beautifully sums up the doomed yet defiant romance in this great Robert Mitchum film noir. I could have added more of his, like I Walked With A Zombie, which I strongly thought about including, but I ruled it out because it makes it sound like schlock and it’s actually an atmospheric, dreamy piece. When you know that, the title does sound evocative and works after all, but I’m trying to judge the titles alone.

Tell me yours. I am very, very partial to the world of film noir as can be shown by a lot of my picks and am not that fussed by titles that seem too contrived but hey, we all like different things in a title so share!

[RealityChuck]

The Shoot Horses, Don't They?. Perfect title -- yet it doesn't make any sense until you see the film.

Return of the Giant Monsters. One particular Japanese movie. That, of course, is the US title, but it's the perfect description of all Japanese monster movies.

[Moon Dog]

The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom. Actually based on a true story and a decent dark comedy as well.

[AuntiePam]

I Married A Monster From Outer Space, a surprisingly good 50's SF movie with Tom Tryon.

[Hi, Neighbor!]

What Dreams May Come. The movie itself? Not so great. But the title instills the idea of limitless potential.

[Promethea]

Originally Posted by Hi, Neighbor!

What Dreams May Come. The movie itself? Not so great. But the title instills the idea of limitless potential.

Indeed, good pick. And of course it is plucked from the part of Hamlet's famous soliloquy that reflects on life after death ("for in that sleep of death, what dreams may come") so it has the literal aspect covered too, rather elegantly.

PS: I admit I really have a lot of affection for the movie itself whilst acknowledging it does have flaws.

[3acres]

They Might Be Giants. I rather enjoyed the movie, too.

[Contrapuntal]

Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?

[teela brown]

Double Indemnity.

Nice double (hah) meaning as applies to insurance policies and to the idea that the two crooks are interlinked. Brief and to the point.

[Victor Frankenstein]

Edward Penishands - Porn movies really have good titles sometimes.

Shaving Ryan's Privates - Not porn, but sounds like it.

[Promethea]

Originally Posted by teela brown

Double Indemnity.

Nice double (hah) meaning as applies to insurance policies and to the idea that the two crooks are interlinked. Brief and to the point.

Fabulous title! And indeed fabulous film

[Uthrecht]

Originally Posted by Seven

Edward Penishands - Porn movies really have good titles sometimes.

Shaving Ryan's Privates - Not porn, but sounds like it.

Did you ever watch Flesh Gordon? That's a good one. It's fairly risque, but actually kind of tame if I remember right (i.e., I don't recall a lot shown on camera). Great lines in it, though. "Here, put this on. It was my mother's. She was buried in it."

[Muskrat Love]

"Hell Comes to Frogtown" starring Roddi Piper. It's actually a pretty good movie, as well.

[Victor Frankenstein]

Originally Posted by Uthrecht

Did you ever watch Flesh Gordon? That's a good one. It's fairly risque, but actually kind of tame if I remember right (i.e., I don't recall a lot shown on camera). Great lines in it, though. "Here, put this on. It was my mother's. She was buried in it."

Flesh Gordon is great. I haven't seen it in years though. It is on my list of movies to buy.

[Lo-Slung Denim]

Earth Girls Are Easy - and I like the film too!

What's Eating Gilbert Grape? is another good one. I didn't get the title AT ALL til I saw the film and realised that was a person. Not, in fact, a grape.

[SunSandSuffering]

I Am Curious (Yellow) and its imaginatively titled sequel I Am Curious (Blue).

The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies.

Linky and Linky.

ETA: Robert Having His Nipple Pierced. Linky.

[KidVermicious]

Things To Do In Denver When You're Dead