boyajian@akov68.DEC (05/31/85)
> From: mtgzz!leeper (Mark Leeper) > This is one of my pet peeves with some science fiction writers. Back > in the days of the Saturday afternoon serials they would give them > flambouyant names line KING OF THE ROCKET MEN. This would conjure up > in kiddees' minds some society of rocket scientists somewhere and some > super-scientist ruling over it. Actually it was about one man with a > rocket suit named Jeff King. So the "rocket men" are all one man named > King. This title promises one sort of story and the film delivers > something fairly different with the implicit statement "Oh, sorry if > you misunderstood our title." Funny you should use this example. I remember being similarly surprised when I first saw the movie KING OF THE KHYBER RIFLES, and found out that it was about a member of the Khyber Rifles named Athelstan King. When I shortly thereafter came across the book, I noticed that the title was originally KING--OF THE KHYBER RIFLES, and also appeared as KING, OF THE KHYBER RIFLES. Subtle differences, true, but the meaning is a little clearer with the punctuation. However, I can't see that an author should be held responsible for inferences you draw from the title. I recall an incident from when I worked in a library. An elderly gentleman came in to return Vonnegut's BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS, and asked, "Just from the title, what would you think this book is about?" I replied that I couldn't answer that fairly, since I already knew what it was about (even though I hadn't read it). "Wouldn't you think it was about sports?" he then asked. Seeing the association he was making, I replied, "I suppose I might." "Well, it's nothing but a filthy, disgusting piece of trash!" What could I say? The only problem I have with titles is when the title has no bearing whatsoever on the story. Take, for example, the latest Bond movie. What does "A View to a Kill" have to do with the film at all? --- jayembee (Jerry Boyajian, DEC, Maynard, MA) UUCP: {decvax|ihnp4|allegra|ucbvax|...} !decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-akov68!boyajian ARPA: boyajian%akov68.DEC@DECWRL.ARPA soon to be: boyajian%akov68.DEC@DECWRL.COM
kay@warwick.UUCP (Kay Dekker) (06/07/85)
In article <2399@decwrl.UUCP> boyajian@akov68.DEC writes: >The only problem I have with titles is when the title has no >bearing whatsoever on the story. Take, for example, the latest >Bond movie. What does "A View to a Kill" have to do with the >film at all? Jerry, Haven't seen the film (don't much like Bond movies) so I don't know the plot, but I reckon that the title is a transformation of a line in the traditional English fox-hunting (yes, we're still allowed to do appalling things like fox-hunting over here :-( ) song "D'ye ken John Peel" "from the view to the kill in the morning." Is that any help? Kay. -- "In a world without rational structure, even the most bizarre events must eventually take place." -- Philip Avalon, "On the Resurrection of Reagan" ... mcvax!ukc!warwick!flame!kay
pete@stc.UUCP (Peter Kendell) (06/08/85)
All the Salzman-Brocoli Bond movies have used genuine Ian Fleming titles although the stories long ago used to have any similarity to the original. I suppose that 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' was the last one that had much to do with the book. I'm open to correction (as always!) but I think that 'From a View to a Kill' was a short story in the 'For Your Eyes Only' collection (PAN books in the UK). If they follow this principle then there are still several spare titles left. Anyway, who'd go to a movie with a Duran Duran sound track? :-) -- Peter Kendell <pete@stc.UUCP> ...mcvax!ukc!stc!pete "Me? I never said nuffink!"
leeper@mtgzz.UUCP (m.r.leeper) (06/12/85)
>All the Salzman-Brocoli Bond movies have used genuine Ian >Fleming titles although the stories long ago used to have >any similarity to the original. I suppose that 'On Her >Majesty's Secret Service' was the last one that had much to >do with the book. It has been a while since I read the original "Octopussy," but I am told that the film is actually a sequel to the story. At one point the title character thanks Bond for letting her father commit suicide rather than face dishonor. The story was about Bond doing that. I agree with your statement because that is hardly what I would call "much" but at this point it is amazing that they are doing it at all. Mark Leeper ...ihnp4!mtgzz!leeper