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What's with the "verb pronoun" trend for movie titles?

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What's with the "verb pronoun" trend for movie titles?

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Old 06-16-03, 11:38 AM
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What's with the "verb + proper noun" trend for movie titles?
Couldn't think of a better way to phrase the subject, but I remember wondering this back about 8 years ago, and still see the trend today. What's up with the "verb + proper noun pronoun" combination for movie titles? Here's what I mean.

Boxing Helena
Wrestling Ernest Hemingway
Deconstructing Harry
Saving Private Ryan
Teaching Mrs. Tingle
Killing Mr. Griffin
Kissing Jessica Stein
Finding Forrestor
Finding Nemo

I know there's more.

EDITED to fix my grammatic error (watch it not actually be called a grammatic error )
Last edited by BobSolo; 06-16-03 at 12:46 PM.
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Old 06-16-03, 11:46 AM
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They just sound good I guess.
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Old 06-16-03, 11:49 AM
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Yeah, that's my take, too. I actually like the way some of them sound, especially the 3 word titles.
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Old 06-16-03, 11:56 AM
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It's a genitive verb + protagonist
Last edited by Iron Chef; 06-16-03 at 12:20 PM.
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Old 06-16-03, 12:08 PM
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Helena
Ernest Hemingway
Harry
Private Ryan
Mrs. Tingle
Mr. Griffin
Jessica Stein
Forrestor
Nemo

None of these are Pronouns
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Old 06-16-03, 12:23 PM
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He probably meant proper nouns. Maybe he was abbreviating Proper + Noun = Pronoun
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Old 06-16-03, 12:37 PM
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I meant proper noun, thanks. Hey I'm an engineer.
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Old 06-16-03, 01:19 PM
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grammatical
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Old 06-16-03, 01:40 PM
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Also some like Kill Bill, Get Carter.
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Old 06-16-03, 02:04 PM
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Bringing up Baby - oh, wait - that's not trendy - it's about 65 years old!
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Old 06-16-03, 02:28 PM
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Probably because the title tells you what you're about to watch someone doing.... and it has been going on forever:

Sleeping with the Enemy
Driving Miss Daisy
Run Lola Run
Enter the Dragon
Being John Malkovich
Making Mr. Right
Leaving Las Vegas
Running with the Devil
Telling Lies in America
Trading Places
Waiting for Guffman
Last edited by rfduncan; 06-16-03 at 02:36 PM.
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Old 06-16-03, 02:34 PM
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The real question is, what's the deal with the current trend of using a definate article followed by a noun?

The Matrix
The Sixth Sense
The Royal Tenenbaums
The Lord of the Rings
The Gift
The Ring
The Score
The Game

I mean come on, the 1980s are over.
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Old 06-16-03, 03:36 PM
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Originally posted by Iron Chef
It's a genitive verb + protagonist
That's gerundive.
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Old 06-16-03, 03:40 PM
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Originally posted by LBPound
That's gerundive.

That almost sounds dirty....
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Old 06-16-03, 04:16 PM
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Originally posted by marty888
That almost sounds dirty....
More so than genitive?
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Old 06-16-03, 04:31 PM
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Originally posted by kenny79
Also some like Kill Bill, Get Carter.
The imperative form in a title is a sign of a real hard-edge film (see also: Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia).
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Old 06-16-03, 07:15 PM
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like:
Presumed Innocent
Basic Instinct
Fatal Affair
Fatal Instinct
Just Married
Shawshank Redemption
Usual Suspects
American Beauty

How about Ashley Judd movies?
High Crimes
Double Jeopardy
Kiss the Girls

and thousands more...
Last edited by TCG; 06-16-03 at 07:17 PM.
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Old 06-16-03, 08:14 PM
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No one mentions Chasing Amy?
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Old 06-16-03, 08:56 PM
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This is Spinal Tap?

Everyone I know calls it Spinal Tap...
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