Hey, did you see ‘Bleepity Bleep Bleep’?
Provocative film titles storm the box office
ROUNDUP. Young People F---ing,” “Good Dick,” “Sex Drive,” “Zack and Miri Make a Porno” — these aren’t titles found in the adult aisle of your local video store, nor are they in your brother’s stash of online porn. They’re just some of the recent and upcoming mainstream film names that have made us actually pay attention during commercial breaks and think, “What the…” well… “*$&@”?
To get to the bottom of this foul-mouthed phenomenon, we caught up with some of the movies’ cast and crew.
Steven Hoban, producer, “Young People F---ing”
What the film is actually about: A romantic comedy about the sexy lives of five couples. Now available on DVD.
Why the naughty title? “The writers came up with the title because they are young and foolish. I said, ‘Let’s insist this is the only title we will agree to until it becomes a deal breaker with the money and distribution, at which point we would have to cave in.’ Strangely enough, no one ever called our bluff.”
Knee-jerk reaction to the title: “Since it is a very low budget movie with no real stars, we knew that it needed more than to just be a good, funny movie about sex. It needed something to help it get noticed. The title helped, and the right-wing extremists’ reaction in Canada really helped. Thank you, right-wing extremists.”
Mistaken as a porn producer? “As long as there are no children or right-wing extremists around, I am comfortable saying the title without explaining anything, because the title does say it all.”
What does his momma think? “My mother begged me to change the title. Then she wrote to her Member of Parliament defending our right to use the title when the Canadian government threatened to take away our film tax credits.”
Marianna Palka, writer/director/star, “Good Dick”
What the film is actually about: A love-struck video store clerk and a lonely girl who rents porn. In local theaters soon.
Why the naughty title? “I thought it was the only appropriate title. 'Good dick' for these characters is the definition of what sexy is to them. When I was writing the script I was asking myself, ‘What is the definition of sexy? What is intimacy?’ I find the current culture’s definition of sexy to be really dry and boring. 'Good Dick' is really a challenge to people who watch the movie — what does good dick mean to you? The whole point of the title is that intimacy requires people to be together. It requires touching.”
Knee-jerk reaction to the title: “The funny thing about the film is it doesn’t have any nudity. I hope when people watch it, it sparks interesting conversation.”
Mistaken as a porn producer? “When the [Director of Photography] was ordering the camera [to make the film], the people he usually orders stuff from were like, ‘Hey man, do you need a job? Don’t go into porn!’ He was like, ‘This title is crazy.’”
What her momma thinks: “My mom is so into it — she’s an amazing artist, so she’s very supportive. My grandmother, however, still thinks the film is about a detective who’s doing a good job.”
Clark Duke, star, “Sex Drive”
What the film is actually about: A teen comedy involving three friends taking a road trip. In theaters now.
Knee-jerk reaction to the title: “I thought it was pretty fun ’cause it’s a pun on the movie, but it may give people the wrong idea. [After telling people the name] I always give a little spiel like, ‘It’s not what it sounds like — it’s more of an ’80s-style John Hughes comedy.’”
Mistaken as a porn star? “Not really — it’s pretty hard to shock people anymore.”
What his momma thinks: “Don’t let the title scare you — my grandma loved it! I took my mom and my grandmother to the premiere.”
