10 Good Films With Bad Titles

Despite their misleading, confusing, or just plain bad titles, these films are actually quite good.

Birds of Prey Harley Quinn
Warner Bros. Pictures

An audience first learns about a movie through its title. Before they know who's involved in the production, what awards it has won, or what it's even about, they'll see what it's called. Titles are a great way to decide what to watch, and can become synonymous with what happens in the film. To this day, I can't hear the words "Reservoir Dogs" without seeing Michael Madsen dancing while torturing a cop, or "The Bad News Bears" without hearing the repurposed themes from the opera Carmen.

Some films, such as the recent Jojo Rabbit, even change from their source material to better reflect the adaptation. Others, such as The Godfather, say it all in just a few words. These titles are incredible, fitting in with exactly the right tone of their respective films. However, not every title works as well. Some misrepresent the movie, some set the wrong tone, and some make no sense at all.

A bad title need not be a death sentence for a film, and some can still be memorable, even when their titles aren't. Here are ten good films which are better than their bad titles.

10. Birds Of Prey: And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn

Birds of Prey Harley Quinn
Warner Bros.

So many people think Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn is a bad title that the studio has already changed it. After a disappointing turnout at the weekend box office, DC officially altered the title to Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey, in hopes that putting the Suicide Squad breakout character's name first would put more seats in butts.

In addition to the financial benefits of the title change, the new title represents the film much more accurately than the previous one. Harley is very much the lead here, and the Birds of Prey take a backseat to her antics. The team doesn't even form until the film's climax, and even then, Harley ultimately gets the bad guy without the help of the other titular heroes.

Contributor
Contributor

Richard C. Kraus (Richie to pretty much everyone) is an American college student and world record holder for most views of the 2015 film Ant-Man. He aspires to be a screenwriter, actor, and not tired.