This Hit Man Is Not As Cold As He Thought

Check out this look at the renaming of Western films in the Asian market over at the HK paper The Standard:

Did you see that brilliant Julia Roberts comedy movie The Sparrow Becomes the Empress?
No? Never heard of it?

Well, it may be a surprise to you, but you've probably seen it. Although it would likely have been under the lame, generic original title Pretty Woman.

It's the 85th anniversary of the first ever "talkie" film camera, so let's talk movies.

In Asia, we don't just chuck Hollywood movies up there on our screens.

No; we enhance them, invigorate them and gloriously reinvent them with eye-catching new names.

Come on, admit it: which is the most intriguing title? The English Patient? Or, the same movie as it was renamed in Hong Kong: Don't Ask Who I Am?

The Professional became This Hit Man Is Not As Cold As He Thought.

Bladerunner (which had nothing to do with blades or runners) became Silver Wing Killer.

Few Asians have any idea what the phrase The Full Monty means. But the Chinese title of the film was the wonderfully clear and unsubtle Six Naked Pigs. (I'm sure the stars were thrilled.)

Click here to see the film article.