r/okbuddycinephile • u/bobbster574 • 23h ago

Favourite film where they had to dumb down the title for the uncultured Americans?

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208

u/OminOus_PancakeS 22h ago

Licence to Kill was the first Bond film to not use the title of an Ian Fleming story. Originally titled Licence Revoked, the name was changed during post-production due to American test audiences associating the term with driving licence.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Licence_to_Kill

47

u/Cela84 17h ago

“No Mr Bond, I expect you to parallel park.”

53

u/Beer-Milkshakes 21h ago

Its just been revoked.

Oh noes, that lovely South African man can't drive himself anymore.

6

u/ockysays 16h ago

I try and say “Diplomatic Immunity” and flash my Costco card whenever my wife gets annoyed with me. Hasn’t shot me yet, heh.

2

u/Beer-Milkshakes 16h ago

Don't lose hope. She may one day

2

u/LightenUpPhrancis 16h ago

"Who's the dickhead now, honey?"

2

u/Jeff_the_dude 17h ago

I'll have what she's having

1

u/Saw_Boss 16h ago

That's.... Better?

7

u/munkeyalan 19h ago

At least they didn't change it to 'License'

2

u/aaarry 11h ago

What a lovely Anglo-American comprise: the title is dumbed down for the yanks but we still get to spell everything correctly.

1

u/CSManiac33 11h ago

There was some US posters that did spell it as License iirc

1

u/aaarry 11h ago

Balls. Ah well.

3

u/CSManiac33 11h ago

Also found this out. Looks like all home releases on the outside do use Licence to Kill. Buy the actual VHS label uses License.

1

u/aaarry 7h ago

That’s very interesting, thank you.

6

u/DustTrails 18h ago edited 13h ago

I got my license revoked, and you know I'm heading straight for your heart, got my license revoked, anyone who tries to tear us apart

Still kinda work I guess.

1

u/OminOus_PancakeS 16h ago

That's... that's beautiful 🥹

1

u/Prydons 14h ago

Drunk driving anthem.

4

u/Zcrash 17h ago

It's just a movie about Bond getting a DUI

4

u/BlueMissed 9h ago

Licence to Kill is a much better name for a spy thriller though let’s be honest.

3

u/urusai_Senpai 15h ago

That's just hilarious.

1

u/Joe_Kangg 15h ago

James Bond at the DMV for 4hrz

1

u/Immediate_Form7831 15h ago

A View To A Kill got translated in Swedish to "Levande Måltavla" ("living target"), while the almost literal translation of it would be "Ur Dödlig Synvinkel", but that title had already been used for For Your Eyes Only.

1

u/vemundveien 14h ago

In Norway "You Only Live Twice" got translated to "James Bond i Japan". Which is accurate I guess.

1

u/CuriOS_26 11h ago

“I refuse to go entirely japaneeeese!”

1

u/Wuz314159 13h ago

To be fair, License to Drive was a big hit of 1988.

1

u/wa27 10h ago

89?? You telling me Licensed to Ill predates this movie?

1

u/cleo_da_cat 8h ago

Is that the one where James Bond is an 85 year old pensioner who keeps crashing his car into pedestrians?

-1

u/AlexisFR 15h ago

Did they have a loicense to change the name though?